Conditional sentence

ZERO CONDITIONAL
IF CLAUSE MAIN CLAUSE PERCENTAGE
Present simple Present simple 100%
Ex. If you heat water, it boils.
Ex. If I eat too much cherries, I feel sick.
 If can be replaced when/whenever, if not with unless.

FIRST CONDITIONAL
IF CLAUSE MAIN CLAUSE PERCENTAGE
Present simple Will/Won’t 90%
Ex. If I need help, I’ll call you.
Ex. If I finish work early, I’ll come.
 If the results isn’t sure you can use might to replace will.
 If the subject is sure the action will happen, you can replace if with when.

SECOND CONDITIONAL
IF CLAUSE MAIN CLAUSE PERCENTAGE
Past simple Would 1%
Ex. If I had a million dollar, I would travel around the world.
Ex. If I had enough money, I would buy a new boat.
 The use of past simple doesn’t mean that the sentence refers to past, but it want to evidence the
improbability of the sentence.
 Would can be replaced with could and might.
 When there’s if the past simple of “I” isn’t I was, but I were.
 If I were you is an expression used to give an advice.

THIRD CONDITIONAL
IF CLAUSE MAIN CLAUSE PERCENTAGE
Past perfect Would + Present perfect 0%
Ex. If I had known you like chocolate, I would have bought some.
Ex. If I had checked the timetable, I would have caught the bus.
 It is used to refer to past events or conditions that have not occurred because the action of the
hypothetical period has not taken place.
 Would can be replaced with could and might.

SUMMARY
TYPE IF CLAUSE MAIN CLAUSE PERCENTAGE
Zero conditional Present simple Present simple 100%
1st conditional Present simple Will/Won’t 90%
2nd conditional Past simple Would 1%
3rd conditional Past perfect Would + Present perfect 0%

 The two clauses are interchangeable.