Conditional sentences

Conditional sentences are used to describe real or See also:

hypothetical results of real or hypothetical situations. Present simple 1 Imperatives 6
Past simple 7 Future with “will” 18
They can use many different verb forms.

THE ZERO CONDITIONAL

The zero conditional, ACTION RESULT
also called the “real”
conditional, refers to
things that are always
true. It is used to
describe the direct
result of an action. “If ” and “when” mean
the same thing in the
zero conditional.

FURTHER EXAMPLES

The result clause can go to the beginning of the

sentence. The comma is removed in this case.

HOW TO FORM
“IF / WHEN” ACTION (PRESENT SIMPLE) COMMA RESULT (PRESENT SIMPLE)

Present simple Comma goes at the end of Result is described

describes the action. the “if ” or “when” clause. using present simple.

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 CONDITIONALS WITH IMPERATIVES
Imperatives can be used in
conditional sentences. The “if ” SITUATION SUGGESTED ACTION
clause describes a hypothetical
situation and the imperative
clause describes what someone
should do if that hypothetical
situation actually happens.

FURTHER EXAMPLES

Negative The order is reversed, so there is no comma.

HOW TO FORM
“IF” PRESENT SIMPLE COMMA IMPERATIVE

“If ” shows that the Present simple tense Comma comes at the The imperative gives
sentence is conditional. describes the situation. end of the “if ” clause. the suggested action.

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 THE FIRST CONDITIONAL
The first conditional, also called the “future real” conditional, uses
“if ” to describe a realistic action that might lead to a future result.
LIKELY ACTION FUTURE RESULT

HOW TO FORM
The first conditional is usually introduced by an “if ” clause, followed
by the present simple. The future with “will” expresses the result.

“IF” PRESENT SIMPLE COMMA FUTURE WITH “WILL”

“If ” shows that the Present simple tense Comma goes at the Future with “will”
sentence is conditional. describes suggested action. end of the “if ” clause. describes the result.

FURTHER EXAMPLES

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 THE SECOND CONDITIONAL
The second conditional, also called the “unreal” conditional, uses “if ” to describe
an unlikely or unreal action or event. The described result is also very unlikely.
UNLIKELY EVENT UNLIKELY RESULT

HOW TO FORM
The second conditional is usually introduced by an “if ” clause with a past simple verb.
“Would” or “could” plus the base form of the main verb expresses the result.

“IF” PAST SIMPLE COMMA “WOULD / COULD” + BASE FORM

“If ” shows that the Past simple tense Comma goes at the Result is described
sentence is conditional. describes the action. end of the “if ” clause. using “would” + verb.

FURTHER EXAMPLES

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 THE THIRD CONDITIONAL
The third conditional, also called the “past unreal” conditional, is used
to describe unreal situations in the past. It is often used to express
regret about the past because the hypothetical situation that it
describes is now impossible as a consequence of another past action.

UNREAL PAST SITUATION UNREAL PAST RESULT

This didn’t happen. So this didn’t happen either.

FURTHER EXAMPLES

“Might” means this possibly

would have happened.

“Could” means this possibly

would have happened.

HOW TO FORM
“IF” “HAD” + PAST PARTICIPLE “WOULD / COULD / MIGHT” “HAVE” + PAST PARTICIPLE

The “if “ clause is the Using different modals changes the The conditional clause
unreal past condition. certainty of the imagined result. is the unreal result.

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 THE MIXED CONDITIONAL

SECOND CONDITIONAL THIRD CONDITIONAL

The second conditional is used to talk about The third conditional is used to talk about
hypothetical situations in the present. hypothetical situations in the past.

PAST SIMPLE PAST PERFECT

“WOULD” + INFINITIVE “WOULD” + “HAVE” + PAST PARTICIPLE

MIXED CONDITIONAL
Mixed conditionals are usually used to talk about
Unreal past.
hypothetical present reults of unreal past situations.

Unreal present.

FURTHER EXAMPLES Mixed conditionals are often

used to express regret.

Mixed conditionals refer to future situations

when used with future time markers.

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 “Either / neither / both”
“Either,” “neither,” and “both” are used in situations where See also:
two options are being described. They indicate that one, Articles 63 Singular and plural nouns 69
Personal pronouns 77
two, or none of the options are possible.

“EITHER,” “NEITHER,” AND “BOTH”

“Either” means
“one or the other”
of two options
and is used before
Indicates that there
a singular noun. are two tournaments.

“Neither” means “not one

and not the other” of two Singular noun.

options and is used before a

singular noun. It has the
same meaning as a negative
statement with “either.”

“Both” means “each

one of two” and is
used before a plural
noun, or after a A determiner, such as “the,” “these,”
or “my” can be used after “both.”
plural pronoun.

A plural pronoun can go before “both.”

ANOTHER WAY TO SAY IT

“Either,” “neither,” and
“both” can be used
alone when the
context is clear.

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 “NEITHER OF,” “EITHER OF,” AND “BOTH OF”
“Either of,” “neither of,”
and “both of ” are used “Bicycles” is a plural noun.
before a plural pronoun
or a determiner plus a
plural noun.

“Them” is a plural pronoun.

“Of ” is optional after

“both” when a determiner is
used with the noun.

Plural personal
pronouns “us,” “you,”
and “them” can be
used with “either of,” “Them” is the object.
“neither of,” and “both
of ” as a subject as well
as an object.
"You" is the subject.

FURTHER EXAMPLES

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 “EITHER... OR,” “NEITHER... NOR,” AND “BOTH... AND”
“Either... or” and “neither...
nor” are used to compare
options, usually noun
phrases, prepositional
phrases, or clauses.

“Nor” can only be “Neither” is only used

used with “neither.” with a positive verb.

“Either... or” and “neither...

The first two options are
nor” can be used with separated with a comma.
two or more options.

“Both... and” is the

opposite of “neither...
nor,” but can only be
used with two options.

FURTHER EXAMPLES

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 AGREEMENT AFTER “EITHER… OR” AND “NEITHER... NOR”
When “either… or” or “neither… nor” are used to join two nouns,
the verb usually agrees with the second noun.

The verb agrees with the

second, singular noun.

The verb agrees with the

second, plural noun.

If the second noun is singular and the first is plural,

either a singular verb or a plural verb can be used.

The verb can be

singular or plural.

FURTHER EXAMPLES

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