Conditionals

Conditional sentences are statements discussing known factors or hypothetical situations and
their consequences. Complete conditional sentences contain a conditional clause (often referred
to as the if-clause) and the consequence. 

A conditional sentence expresses the idea that the action in the main clause (the result clause)
can only happen when a certain condition (the clause that begins with if) is fulfilled. The if
clause states the condition, and the main clause states the result.

Conditional Sentences are also known as Conditional Clauses or If Clauses. They are used to
express that the action in the main clause (without if) can only take place if a certain condition
(in the clause with if) is fulfilled. There are four different types of conditional sentences in
English. Each expresses a different degree of probability that a situation will occur or would
have occurred under certain circumstances.

 Zero Conditional Sentences

 First Conditional Sentences
 Second Conditional Sentences
 Third Conditional Sentences

Zero conditional

Zero conditional sentences express general truth or situation in which one thing always causes
another. When you use a zero conditional, you’re talking about a general truth rather than a
specific instance of something.

Form: If + simple present, simple present (principal clause)

Consider the following examples:

If clause Main clause

If + simple present simple present
If this thing happens that thing happens.
If you heat ice, it melts.
If it rains, the grass gets wet.
If you don’t brush your teeth, you get cavities.
If you heat water to 100 degrees (°C), it boils.
If the sea is stormy, the waves are high.

First Conditional
The type 1 conditional is used to refer to the present or future where the situation is real. The
type 1 conditional refers to a possible condition and its probable result. In these sentences the if
clause is in the simple present, and the main clause is in the simple future.
→ It is possible and also very likely that the condition will be fulfilled.
Form: if + Simple Present, will-Future
If clause Main clause
If + simple present simple future
If this thing happens that thing will happen.
If you don't hurry you will miss the train.
If it rains today you will get wet.
If I find her address, I’ll send her an invitation.

I want to send an invitation to a friend. I just have to find her address. I am quite sure, however,
that I will find it.

If John has the money, he will buy a Ferrari.

I know John very well and I know that he earns a lot of money and that he loves Ferraris. So I
think it is very likely that sooner or later he will have the money to buy a Ferrari.

Use
First Conditional Sentences refer to the future. An action in the future will only happen if a
certain condition is fulfilled by that time. We don't know for sure whether the condition actually
will be fulfilled or not, but the condition seems rather realistic – so we think it is likely to
happen.

Second Conditional

The type 2 conditional is used to refer to a time that is now or any time, and a situation that is
unreal. These sentences are not based on fact. The type 2 conditional is used to refer to a
hypothetical condition and its probable result. In type 2 conditional sentences, the if clause uses
the simple past, and the main clause uses the present conditional.
→ It is possible but very unlikely, that the condition will be fulfilled.
Form: if + Simple Past, main clause (= would/should/could + present conditional)

If clause Main clause

If + simple past present conditional or present continuous conditional
 If clause Main clause
that thing would happen. (but I'm not sure this thing will happen) OR
If this thing happened
that thing would be happening.
If you went to bed earlier you would not be so tired.
If it rained you would get wet.
If I spoke Italian I would be working in Italy.
 If I found her address, I would send her an invitation.

I would like to send an invitation to a friend. I have looked everywhere for her address, but I
cannot find it. So now I think it is rather unlikely that I will eventually find her address.
If John had the money, he would buy a Ferrari.

I know John very well and I know that he doesn't have much money, but he loves Ferraris. He
would like to own a Ferrari (in his dreams). But I think it is very unlikely that he will have the
money to buy one in the near future.

Were instead of Was
In if Clauses, we usually use ‘were’ – even if the pronoun is I, he, she or it –.
Example: If I were you, I would not do this.

Use
Conditional Sentences Type II refers to situations in the present. An action could happen if the
present situation were different. We don't really expect the situation to change, however. we just
imagine, “what would happen if……”. 

Third Conditional

The type 3 conditional is used to refer to a time that is in the past, and a situation that is
contrary to reality. The facts they are based on are the opposite of what is expressed. The type 3
conditional is used to refer to an unreal past condition and its probable past result. In type 3
conditional sentences, the if clause uses the past perfect, and the main clause uses the perfect
conditional.
→ It is impossible that the condition will be unfulfilled because it refers to the past.
Form: if + Past Perfect, main clause (= would + have + Past Participle)

If clause Main clause

If + past perfect perfect conditional or perfect continuous conditional
 If clause Main clause
that thing would have happened. (but neither of those things really
If this thing had happened happened) OR
that thing would have been happening.
If you had studied harder you would have passed the exam.
If it had rained you would have gotten wet.
If I had accepted that
I would have been working in Milan.
promotion
If I had found her address, I would have sent her an invitation.

Sometime in the past, I wanted to send an invitation to a friend. I didn't find her address,
however. So in the end I didn't send her an invitation.
If John had had the money, he would have bought a Ferrari.

I knew John very well and I know that he never had much money, but he loved Ferraris. He
would have loved to own a Ferrari, but he never had the money to buy one.

Use
Third Conditional refers to situations in the past. An action could have happened in the past if a
certain condition had been fulfilled. Things were different then, however. We just imagine, what
would have happened if the situation had been fulfilled.