This document discusses different types of conditionals in English: - Zero conditional expresses general truths using present tense (if it rains, I get wet) - First conditional expresses possible future situations using present/will (if I study, I'll pass the exam) - Second conditional expresses improbable or imaginary situations using past/would (if I were rich, I would travel) - Third conditional expresses regret about past situations using past perfect/would have (if I had studied, I would have passed)

1. CONDITIONALS
Zero, first, second and third

2. Zero conditional
If it is a stormy
night, I get very
frightened

3. ZERO CONDITIONAL
If you don’t water flowers, they die.
If you have a headache, stop watching TV.
With zero conditional
we express a general truth or we give advice.
If clause:
PRESENT SIMPLE
Main clause:
PRESENT SIMPLE
or IMPERATIVE
Zero conditional

4. First conditional

5. Match each situation with its
consequence
 You see an accident
 I travel to London
 You eat too much chocolate
cake
 She sees a snake
 I bring you a souvenir.
 You don’t feel very
well.
 You call an
ambulance.
 She is afraid.

6. KEY
 If you see an accident, you’ll call an ambulance
 If I travel to London, I’ll bring you a souvenir
 If you eat too much chocolate cake, you won’t
feel very well
 If she sees a snake, she will be afraid

7. USES
 Generally we use it to talk about possible future situations.
If I you tell her the truth, she won’t be angry
Especifically we use it for:
 POSSIBILITIES
You’ll miss the train if you don’t hurry!
 SUPERSTITIONS
If you break a mirror, you will have 7 years of bad luck!
 FUTURE PLANS
If you get me a ticket, I’ll go to the concert with you!
 WARNINGS AND THREATS
If you don’t come to my birthday party, I’ll never speak to you again

8. FORM
if clause main clause
IF + SUBJECT + PRESENT, SUBJECT + WILL +
INFINITIVE
If I miss the bus, I’ll get a taxi
 Other possibilities:
SUBJECT + CAN + INFINITIVE
If you miss the bus, you can get a taxi
IMPERATIVE
If you miss the bus, get a taxi
 The if clause can come first or second.

9. Second conditional

10. USES
 We use it to talk about things in the future that are
improbable or imaginary.
If I met the Queen of England, I would say hello.
 We use it to talk about something in the present which
is impossible.
If I knew his
number,
I would phone him.

11. FORM
if clause main clause
IF + SUBJECT + PAST, SUBJECT + WOULD + INFINITIVE
If I won the lottery, I’d buy a big house
 Other possibilities:
SUBJECT + COULD + INFINITIVE
If I won the lottery, I could buy a big house
 The if clause can come first or second.
 In conditionals you can use “were” with “I, he, she, it”
If I were rich, I’d buy a big house

12. FIRST CONDITIONAL is possible, SECONDCONDITIONAL is
hypothetical
COMPARE 1ST AND 2ND CONDITIONAL

13. THIRD CONDITIONAL
If I had had a lot of money, I would have bought a big house.
If I had known his number, I would have phoned him.
if-clause:
PAST PERFECT SIMPLE
main clause:
PAST CONDITIONAL
would + have + past participle
The third conditional is used
to speculate about something that happened in the past
and how it could have been different or
to regret about something that happened in the past
Third conditional

14. FIRST CONDITIONAL is possible, SECONDCONDITIONAL is
hypothetical,
THIRDCONDITIONAL is impossible
COMPARE 1ST, 2ND AND 3RD
CONDITIONAL