The Conditionals

How to use them

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 three types of Conditional Sentence.

First Conditional
If I pass, I’ll go to the theater.
If I happen to pass, I’ll go to the theater. (more hypothetical)
Should I pass, I’ll go to the theater. (more formal)

Second Conditional
If I were rich I would buy a horse.
Were I rich I would buy a horse.
If I had a lot of money, I would buy a horse.
Were I to have a lot of money, I would buy a horse.
If I were to have a lot of money, I would buy a horse.

Third Conditional
If you had helped me, I wouldn’t be in this country.
Had you helped me, I wouldn’t be in this country.

Reported Speech

Reported Sentences
Present Simple → Past Simple
Present Continuous → Past Continuous
Past Simple → Past Perfect Simple
Past Continuous → Past Perfect Continuous
Present Perfect Simple → Past Perfect Simple
Present Perfect Continuous → Past Perfect Continuous
am/is/are going to → was/were going to
will → would
can → could
may → might
must → had to

Reported Questions
Do you have pets? → He asked whether I had pets.
Is your mom a doctor? → She wondered if my mom was a doctor.

Why do you have pets?→ He asked why do I had pets.

What’s your name? → She wanted to know what my name was.
How old are you? → He wondered how old I was.

Reported Commands
Do your homework → He told me to do my homework.
Don’t speak → He instructed me not to speak.