Type of sentences that need a condition or a

reason to happen. There are two parts in a

conditional sentence:
If

condition or situation

result
If I drink coffee at night,

I don’t sleep well.

Always true
 If you call me,

I will go to the cinema with you

Real and possible to happen

 If I had lots of money,

I would buy a beautiful car.

unreal and unlikely to happen

 Used to express hypothetical situations which are
contrary to the facts in the present, and therefore, are
unlikely to happen in the present or future.
If I knew her number, I would call her.

Simple past Would + verb (base form)

I would telephone her If I knew her number.

Note: Use could or might if the result is not certain.

Used when giving ADVICE about what you
would do in the same situation as the
other person. You imagine yourself in their
position or situation and what you would
do or how you would react.

If I were you, I would study more.

I would study more If I were you.
 The reason we use WERE instead of WAS is
because the sentence is in the SUBJUNCTIVE
mood which is used for hypothetical situations.
This is a condition which is contrary to fact or
reality (the fact is, I am NOT you).
If I were not in debt, I would quit my job. (But the
contrary is true, I AM in debt, so I cannot quit my
job)
In informal English (it is common, especially on the
internet and social media sites) you will hear
some people say:
If I was, If he was, etc.
If he had used his webcam
during the conference call,

He would have worn a tie.

Unreal past situation

To talk about past unreal or untrue conditions:

If they had known about the storm, They would have

taken another flight.

Past perfect Would have + past participle

They would have taken another flight If they had known

about the storm.
Note: Use could have or might have if the result is not
certain.
Use continuous verb forms in unreal
conditional sentences to express actions
in progress.
 If I had lots of money,

I would be traveling around the world.

unreal and unlikely to happen

you can use were (or weren't) + present participle
in the if clause and would be (or wouldn’t be) +
present participle in the result clause.
If I were walking in traffic, I wouldn’t be talking
on my cell phone.
Would be + present participle
Were + present participle
If he walked here, he would be going through
the most dangerous neighborhood of town.

Simple past Would be + present participle

 If he had been using his
webcam during the conference
call,

He would have been wearing a tie.

Unreal past situation
you can use had been (or hadn’t been) + present
participle in the if clause and would have been (or
wouldn't have been)+ present participle in the result
clause.
If he had been using his webcam during the conference
call, He would have been wearing a tie.

Had been + present Would have been + present participle

participle

lf l hadn't been checking my messages, l wouldn't have

missed the flight.