Zero, first, second, third, and mixed conditionals

Conditional sentences have two parts:

a) The subordinate clause, which expresses a condition and is usually

introduced by “if”

b) The main clause, which expresses the result of the condition

Here we compare the different types of conditionals.

Type of Subordinate
Use Main Clause
conditional clause
Universal truths and
Zero if + present present
laws
If you freeze water, it becomes a solid.
Probable or possible
First situations in the If + present future
present or future
If I see her, I will say hello.
Imaginary or untrue
would +
Second situations in the If + past
infinitive
present or future
If we lived in London, I would accept the job.
would + have
Imaginary or untrue If + past
Third + past
situations in the past perfect
participle
If she had phoned, I would have picked her up.
Mixed conditionals

When we refer to an imaginary situation in the past with present

consequences, we use a combination of a "Second" and "Third"
conditional to make a "Mixed" conditional:

If I had stayed at home, I wouldn't be having fun now. (I didn't stay at

home in the past. I am having fun now.)

Similarly, we can combine "Second" and "Third" conditionals to refer to

an imaginary situation in the present with past consequences:

If you had a television, you would have been able to watch the film last
night. (You don't have a television now. You didn't watch the film last
night.)

Other variations
The table above is a guideline for the basic structures of conditional
sentences. In everyday spoken and written English many more variations
are possible:

You won’t pass your exams unless you study harder.

Even if we can fix it, it will never look the same.

You may go, provided (that) you’re at home by eleven o’clock.

As long as you are not busy, can you help with this work?

If you have the time, you must visit him in hospital.

If you have a cold, you should go to the doctor.

Unless you are tired, we could go out.

We'd have been walking for hours if we hadn't brought a GPS with us.

If you want to know his name, ask him.

If you want to have good luck, DON'T walk under a ladder

If you see a black cat, you had better be careful. Unless you are in
England. If you are staying in England, you will be lucky.

When you throw a coin into a fountain, you should make a wish if you want
something very badly

You can put a horseshoe on your door if you want a happy home. You and
your family will be lucky, as long as it's the right way up!

If you have an itchy palm, you are going to receive some money soon

If you have arranged to do something important, you mustn't do it on

Friday 13th.

If you have broken a mirror, even if it's just a hand mirror, you will have
seven years bad luck.

Provided you keep your lucky charm with you, nothing bad can happen.

As long as you touch wood, you won't suffer any misfortune.

Never open an umbrella indoors if you don't want something terrible to

happen!

****

I might have believed him, if he had not laughed when he told me.

Unless you brought the receipt, we would not be able to change it.

Even if I had had a camera, I might not have been quick enough to get a
photo.
If she had not had to work last Friday, she would be lying on the beach
now.

If I travelled in the desert, I'd take a tank of water with me.

I wouldn't mind travelling in time as long as I could get back again.

You would have taken a risk if you had touched the animal.

Would you consider spending a week alone in the jungle provided you had
all you needed?

You might have regretted it if you had spoken to the boss when you were
angry

Even if I had entered the competition, I wouldn't have won it.

he / taken / his coat / last night / not / feel ill / now

If he had taken his coat last night, he would not feel ill now

If / I / ask / him / dance / we / go out together / now

If I had asked him to dance, we would be going out together now

If / she / be / university / find / job / more easily

If she had been to university, she would find a job more easily

If / we / take / holiday / might not feel / so tired

If we had taken a holiday, we might not feel so tired.

If / weather / be / fine / this morning / we / have / picnic / now

If the weather had been fine this morning, we would be having a picnic now

If / I / not / be / rude / to the teacher / watch / television now

If I had not been rude to the teacher, I would be watching television now.

If / they / sell / old car / not spend so much / repairs

If they had sold their old car, they would not spend so much on repairs.
If I had been born in Africa,
…my skin might be darker.
…I would speak another language.
…I could see lots of wonderful animals!

If I had been a better student,

…I wouldn't have failed all my exams.
…I would have some qualifications today.
…I could apply for a more interesting position

If I press this button, it comes on.

If you stay too long in the sun, you get sunburnt.

If you put your hand in the fire, you burn your fingers.

If you don't drink enough water, you get thirsty.

If you drop the glass, it breaks.

If you stroke a cat, it purrs.

If you cut your finger, it bleeds.

If you eat a box of chocolates, you get fat.

If you heat butter, it melts.

If you put food in the fridge, it gets cold.

If you had followed the indications precisely, you might be cured by now.

If I hadn't had so much on my mind, I would not have forgotten.

I'm sure if he could only find a job, he would be fine.

If he has been drinking, he can get quite aggressive.

I'd like to talk to your son, if you can persuade him to come.

If we don't do something about his depression, it could get much worse.

If you still don't feel better in a week's time, don't hesitate to come back.

If I didn't have someone to listen to me, I don't know what I'd do

sometimes.
Even if you were a millionaire, you might be unhappy anyway

If you had walked under that ladder, you would have suffered some
misfortune

If one's leg itches, one scratches

If I had the money, I would go somewhere far away

If you added some brown sugar to your coffee, it wouldn't taste (to not
taste) so bitter.

I'll take the camera in case we need (to need) it.

If he had held onto his money, he would not be asking me for some now.

As long as you increase my salary, I would stay

I won't speak to him unless he apologises.

Even if you had offered her some money, she would not have sung in
public

Provided his nose stops (to stop) bleeding, he can get up

Do not open your eyes unless I tell you to!

I wouldn't have recognised you if you had not that hat

If you are still writing, you have to stop now

**** ***** ***** *****

As soon as she turns the machine off, Genevieve will find herself in the field
with a lucky charm in her hand and the alien will be cured.

Unless you help yourself, no lucky charm will solve your problems.

Even if you had been born in a poor family, you could still be successful

Provided you are methodical, you can achieve almost anything.

**** ***** ***** *****

I'll phone you as soon as the conference finishes.

If you've had any operations, please give details

If I knew the answer, I'd tell you.

If you pull her ears, the cat may scratch you.

Take a sweater in case it is cold

Every time you turn off the light, it gets dark

If you drink coffee, your heart rate increases

He wouldn't have a weak heart now if he had looked after his health before.

Even if you had used cream, you might have got sunburnt

If my parents had been born short, I would be short too

Provided they pay the sum I asked for, I'll do the job

If they increase the prices, we won't go shopping there

If you hadn't been so impulsive, you wouldn't be feeling ill now

As long as you regulated your spending, you could live comfortably for
years

If you hesitate, you may miss your chance

***** ****** ****** ******

If he hadn't (haven't / hasn't / hadn't / didn't) gone into the Irish pub, he
wouldn't have seen his girlfriend cheating on him.

He hopes that he will stop crying (crying / cry / tearing / tear) in the future.

As soon as he found a florist, he was able (he could / he was able / he

will) to stop shopping and go for a drink.

He thought that if he bought (had bought / buys / bought) the wrong

flowers, maybe Georgia wouldn't say yes when he proposed.

The first florist that he visited might have said, "if you had come yesterday,
you'd have (have / had / would) been able to buy some tulips."

If the businessman had not covered a wall with flowers, his wedding
wouldn't have been as expensive (cheaper / expensive / more expensive /
less expensive).

The tiny old florist's looked like it had been (hadn't changed / would have
been / had been / was) the same for a hundred years.

The businessman would have bought all the tulips online, if the little shop
had had (have had / had / had had) a website.

When he opened the door, the cat stopped (stopped / will stop /
would stop) purring.

If nobody strokes the cat, it won't scratch (wouldn't have scratched /

wouldn't scratch / won't scratch) anybody.

The scratch didn't bleed (bled / bleed / blood) much.

If it hadn't been so hot, the ice wouldn't have melted (wouldn't have
melted / wouldn't melt / didn't melt) straight away.