If-­clause Main  clause Note

(condition) (result)

(present  simple) (present) Factual

If  we  heat (heat)  water  to  100  oC, it  boils. zero  conditional

(past  simple) (future) Predictive

If  Mr.  Smith  taught (teach)  us  next  year, we  will  be (be)  very  happy. first  conditional

(past  simple) (would  +  inf.) Counterfactual  

Non-­past,  imaginary Non-­past,  imaginary [imaginary  OR  very  unlikely]
If  Mr.  Smith  danced (dance)    for  us, we  would  be (be)  very  happy. (non-­past)
(=It’s  very  unlikely) second  conditional

(past  perfect) (would  +  have  +  p.p.) Counterfactual  [imaginary]

Past,  imaginary Past,  imaginary (past)
If  we  had  asked (ask)  Mr.  Smith, he  would  have  danced (dance)  for  us  already. third  conditional
(=We  didn’t  ask  him)
(past  perfect) (would  +  inf.) Counterfactual  [imaginary]
Past,  imaginary Non-­past,  imaginary (Mixed)
If  Mr.  Smith  had  danced (dance)   we  would  be (be)  very  happy  now. mixed  conditional
yesterday,