条件句

Rules for conditional sentences

Conditional sentences are sentence that contains two parts:
1)the condition (or if-clause)
2)the result of the condition

5 Types of conditional sentences

Type zero
-Describing known facts (Scientific facts, generally known truths…)
Main clause: Simple present
If clause: Simple present

Water boils if you heat it to 100 degrees Celsius

A red light comes on if you press the main button

In type0, if can be replaced by when

When you heat ice, it melts

It gets dark when the sun goes down

Type 1 (Open condition)

-A real and possible situation in the future.
Main clause: Will + infinitive
If clause: Simple present

If it snows, we will stay at home

If we get the money for this job, we will buy a new car.

Type 2 (Half-open condition)

-A hypothetical condition that can only be fulfilled in theory (Unreal situation with
regard to the present or future).
Main clause: Would + perfect infinitive
If clause: Past perfect
In conditional sentences, the past tense form of the verb to be is were for all persons.
If he were rich, he would buy an island
If I were you, I would accept that offer
If he were in your place, he would do it
If I had more money, I would buy a new board

Type 3
-Situations that cannot exist, such as actions or events that happened in the past,
also are often used to indicate a missed opportunity. (An impossible past situation
and its result in the past).
Main clause: Would + perfect infinitive
If clause: Past perfect

If you hadn’t been late for work, the boss wouldn’t have gotten furious.
If I had won the lottery, I would have bought a house by the sea.
If the meeting hadn’t been held so late, they would have finished earlier.

Mixed conditionals
-The conditions emphasized the result of the action in the present in the past tense,
or the present-day condition emphasizes the result of the action in the past.(An
impossible past situation and its result in the present).

Main clause: Past perfect

If clause: Present conditional

If you had taught me how to make waffles (in the past), I wouldn’t have to buy them
in a shop(now).
If I had won the lottery last week, I would buy a house buy the sea (Now or in the
future).
If they were good players, their team would have scored more in the match
yesterday.

On the TOEFL, the most commonly used conditional sentences are the past real(Type
2), past unreal(Type 3), and future real conditionals(Type 1).