Having fun

Grammar Reference
 Having fun
Grammar Reference

Index
The zero conditional .................................................................................. 3
The first conditional .................................................................................. 4
The second conditional.............................................................................. 5
The third conditional ................................................................................. 6
Relative pronouns ...................................................................................... 7
Reported speech ........................................................................................ 9

1
 Having fun
Grammar Reference

CONDITIONAL SENTENCES
Conditional sentences have two or more clause joined with if. We use them in
two kinds of situations.

1 Normal situations where we use normal verb forms.

If we charge for driving into the city centre, more people will take the train.
Life is less interesting if you worry too much.
If it doesn’t’ work correctly, bring it back.
If you’re going to buy a new house, you should go to an Estate-agent first.
See the notes below on the first conditional for more examples.

2 Imaginary or unreal situations where we don’t use normal verb forms.

If I had a problem, I’m sure my family would help me. (imaginary because I
don’t have a problem)
If I were you, I’d tell the truth. (unreal because I’m not you)
See the note below on second conditional for more examples

Punctuation
The if-clause can be the first or second part of the sentence. When it comes at the
beginning, we usually put a comma between the two clauses.
You’ll feel better if you change your diet.
If you change your diet, you’ll feel better.

2
 Having fun
Grammar Reference

The zero conditional

Use
We use the zero-conditional to talk about situations and events that are generally
true. The if-clause talks about the clause and the other clause talks about the
effects. We can use when or whenever in the main clause instead of if.
Students tend to be happier if/when they can participate actively in the class.

Form
Zero conditional
Use if/unless + present simple, present If I go cycling, I wear my green
simple. tracksuit.
I wear my green tracksuit if I go
cycling.
Unless it is really dark, I switch off the
lights.

3
 Having fun
Grammar Reference

The first conditional

Use

1 We use the first conditional to talk about a possibility in the future. The if-
clause contains the condition and the other clause the result.
If you train more, you’ll feel much fitter.
You’ll save money if you use public transport instead of the car.

2 We can use other modal verbs in conditional sentences instead of will:

a to talk about something which is only a possible result of the if-clause, we

use may/might/can /could.
If you change your car to an electric one, it can reduce your travel expenses.

b to give advice, talk about the correct thing to do or make a strong

recommendation, we use should, need to or have to.
We need to replace these old light bulbs if we want to reduce our electricity
bills.
If you use a lot of electricity, you should consider using renewable sources of
energy.

Form
First conditional
Use if /unless + present simple, will/ If you drive to work, it’ll cost you more
won’t (do) money.
If the price is too low, she won’t buy it.
I’ll take the offer, unless I get a better
offer.
Similar conditionals
Use if/unless + verb forms that are If you need any help, you can ask me.
normal of the situation. If it finishes too late, we shouldn’t go.
If kids don’t have a free pass, they
have to pay for one.

4
 Having fun
Grammar Reference

The second conditional

Use
1 We use the second conditional to talk about imaginary or unreal situations.
If I had the time, I’d have a long holiday. (I don’t have the time.)
If I were the boss, I’d give everyone Fridays off. (I’m not the boss.)

2 We can also use other modal verbs like could and might in second conditional
sentences to talk about possibilities.
If you wanted to help the environment, you could drive an electric car.
If you walked to university, you might get fit.

3 We can sometimes use either the first or second conditional, depending on our
perception of the situation, and if we think something is likely or unlikely.
If we have enough money, we’ll buy a new car. (likely)
If we had enough money, we’d buy a new car. (unlikely)

Form
Use if + past simple, would/wouldn’t + If we didn’t have to take the plane we
bas form of the verb. would take the train.
If I was rich, I wouldn’t work.
In spoken English, would often If I were in your situation, I’d call the
contracts to‘d. police.
In formal English, we use were instead
of was in all persons in the second
conditional

5
 Having fun
Grammar Reference

The third conditional

Use
1 We use the third conditional to image a different past form the reality.
If he’d had more money, He’d have bought the house (In reality he didn’t
have the money to buy a house.)

2 We can use other modal verbs in conditional sentences instead of would have.
To criticize our past actions and the past actions of other people we use
should/shouldn’t have.
He should have come to me if he needed money. (criticism)
If I had thought about it, I shouldn’t have taken this job. (regret)

Form
Affirmative sentences If you’d told me, I would have spoken
If + past perfect + would have + past to her.
participle. I would have spoken to her if you’d
The if-clause can come first or second. told me.
Negative sentences If she hadn’t hurt her ankle, she would
One, or both clauses, can be in the have won the match.
negative form She wouldn’t have lost the match if she
hadn’t hurt her ankle.
Questions Would you have got the job if you
Change the word order. hadn’t lied?

6
 Having fun
Grammar Reference

Relative pronouns
Use
1 We can use relative pronouns, e.g. who/that, which/that, where, when and
whose, to define people, places or things.
That’s the woman who/that took the photograph at my wedding.
This is the café where we first met.
It’s a kind of team-building activity which/that you do with ropes.
Trust is when you believe in the goodness of other people.

2 We also use relative pronouns when we want to give more information about
people, place or things.
John, who I’ve known since I was a boy, is a close friend of mine.
The football stadium, which has fantastic view of the pitch, is great for a
visit.

3 We use relative pronouns to combine two shorter sentences or ideas.

My boss always organises a night out. He isn’t doing it this year.
My boss, who always organise a night out, isn’t doing it this year.

4 We use whose when you want to say ‘of which’ or ‘of who’.
My girlfriend, whose parents are French, was born in Spain.
Do you know that German car manufacturer whose CEO is a woman?

5 We don’t use commas in defining relative clauses or before that.

That’s the house where I grew up.

6 We use commas in non-defining relative clauses when giving extra

information about someone or something.
Golf, which is a very technical sport, is only for people who are patient.

7 We can use that instead of who or which in defining relative clauses, but we
cannot use that in non-defining relative clauses when we are giving additional
information.
Peter, that who is as old as me, is having a party next week.
Ireland, that which has lovely green fields, is great for playing golf.

8 In defining relative clauses where the main clause and the relative clause have
different subjects we can leave out who/which or that.
That’s the man (who/that) I’ve been talking about.
Compare these sentences:

7
 Having fun
Grammar Reference

That’s the girl whose motorbike was stolen.

That’s the girl they’ve just employed.
It’s a national dish we only eat on special occasions.
It’s a national dish that is made with seafood and rice.

whose v. who is
That’s the man whose who’s wife is a multi-millionaire.
Who’s whose been drinking coffee at my desk? It’s very messy.

8
 Having fun
Grammar Reference

Reported speech
Use
1 We use reported speech to say what someone has said and the verb usually
goes back one tense.
Direct speech: I’m arriving in London on Thursday’
Reported speech: She said she was arriving in London on Thursday.

2 We don’t change the verb tense in reported speech when we talk about facts or
if something is still true, or if it happened recently.
‘Hollywood is the home of the stars.’ He says
‘Hollywood is the home of the stars.
‘I phoned this morning.’ He says he phoned this morning. (It’s still
morning.)
‘I’ve never been to Berlin.’ Jane says she has never been / had never been
to Berlin.

3 Tell is followed by a pronoun. We don’t use a pronoun with say.

She told me she was arriving in London on Friday.
She said she was arriving in London on Friday.

4 Modal verbs also change in reported speech. But might would and should do
not.
‘I’ll write a letter of complaint.’ The customer said she would write a letter
of complaint.
‘You can complete a questionnaire.’ They told me I could complete a
questionnaire.
‘You should phone to complain.’ He said I should phone to complain.

5 We often have to make other changes such as time expressions, pronouns and
words like this or here.
‘The builders are coming next week.’ He said the builders were coming
the following week.
‘The technician was meant to come last week.’ He said the technician was
meant to come the previous week.
‘I’ll give you my mobile phone number.’ He said he would give me his
mobile phone number.
‘We’ve lived here for nine years.’ They told us they’d lived there for nine
years.
‘ We want this done by tomorrow.’ They said they wanted it/that done by

9
 Having fun
Grammar Reference

the following day.

6 We can report a statement word for word, or we can summarize what has been
said.
‘The manager is busy. Could you phone back later?
The secretary asked me to phone back later.

7 That after the reporting verb is optional.

She told me (that) she was arriving in London on Thursday.
She promised (that) she would write

Form
Tense changes in reported speech
Present simple Present simple / Past simple
Present continuous Present continuous / Past continuous
Past simple Past simple / Past perfect
Present perfect Present perfect / Past perfect
Past perfect Past perfect
Other changes:
Modal verbs
We’ll do it. They said they would do it.
I can’t start until Monday. He said he couldn’t start until Monday.
I must/have to call them. She said she had to call them
Time expressions
I’ll fix it tomorrow. She told me she would fix it the following day.
I called twice yesterday. He said he had called twice the day before.
We need the order for next week. They said they needed the order for the
following week.
Pronouns
I’m going to complain to your manager. He said he was going to complain to
my manager.
Reported negative statements
We say not to + verb when we report negative requests.
The customer asked me not to call again.
say vs tell
We mention the person, or use an object pronoun, after tell but not with say.
She said she didn’t agree.
She told the teacher/him she didn’t agree.

10