Conditionals

Zero conditional
We use the zero conditional to talk about things that are generally true,
especially for laws and rules.

If I drink too much coffee, I can't sleep at night.

Ice melts if you heat it.
When the sun goes down, it gets dark.

The structure is: if/when + present simple >> present simple.

Present simple: we use it when an action is happening right now, or when it happens
regularly.
Example:
 I feel great.
 Paula loves cakes.

First conditional
We use the first conditional when we talk about future situations, we believe
are real or possible.

If it doesn't rain tomorrow, we'll go to the beach.

Arsenal will be top of the league if they win.
When I finish work, I'll call you.
I don’t have much money today. If I buy this coffee, I won’t have enough money
to go back home.

The structure is: if/when + present simple >> will + infinitive.

You can also use this structure with unless, as long as, as soon as, in case/instead of.

I'll leave as soon as the babysitter arrives.

I don't want to stay in London unless I get a well-paid job.
I'll give you the key in case I'm not at home.
You can go to the party as long as you're back by midnight.

Second conditional
The second conditional is used to imagine present or future situations that are
impossible or unlikely.

If we had a garden, we could have a cat.

If I won a lot of money, I'd buy a big house in the country.
I wouldn't worry if I were you.

The structure is usually: if + past simple >> + would + infinitive.

Past Simple: used to talk about things that already happened or existed before.
Example:
 He won a silver medal (in the past).

How to form Past Simple?

For regular verbs, add –ed to the root form of the verb (or just –d if the root form
ends with e):
 Play→Played
 Love→Loved
For irregular verbs it differs:
 Put→Put
 Am/Is/Are→Was/Were
 See→Saw

More about second conditional:

When if is followed by the verb to be (am, is, are, was, were…), it is
grammatically correct to say if I were, if he were, if she were and if it were.
However, it is also common to hear these structures with was, especially in the
he/she form.

If I were you, I wouldn't mention it.

If she was prime minister, she would invest more money in schools.
He would travel more if he was younger.

Test
1. What would you do differently if you _____ to do this again?
a. have
b. had
c. would have

2. If I _____ more expensive bike, I won't have enough money to pay my rent.
a. buy
b. bought
c. will buy

3. The project _____ delayed if I don't finish this report on time.

a. is
b. will be
c. would be
4. If I _____ you, I'd go to the doctor.
a. Am
b. Were
c. Will be

5. When I look at a computer screen for too long, I _____ a headache.

a. get
b. got
c. would get

6. You don't need to print your ticket as long as _____ the email.
a. you have
b. you had
c. you'll have

7. If I cared what people think, I _____ a very boring life!

a. had
b. will have
c. would have
 Preposition Combinations

Noun, Verb and Adjective + Preposition Combinations

Basically, prepositions are connecting words that join objects to other parts of
sentences. Preposition choice is determined by the noun, verb, adjective or particle
which precedes it.

Noun + Preposition Combinations

such cases, the prepositions are often followed by a phrase containing a noun, as in
example (a) below. They can also be followed by a noun, as in example (b), or an -ing
verb, as in example (c).

(a) Scientists at the research institute think they are close to finding a solution to the
problem.
(b) Everyone was surprised by his lack of concern.
(c) We need to call an expert at plumbing as soon as possible.

Here are a few more nouns and prepositions which are used together:

the use of
a solution to
influence on
evidence of
the cost of
an increase in
a possibility of
danger of
the price of
A reason for
A supply of
A method of
A lack of
Belief in
The cause of
Difficulty with

Verb + Preposition Combinations

Many English prepositions also follow verbs. Sometimes they introduce a phrase that
contains a noun, as in example (a). They can also introduce a noun, as in example (b),
or an -ing verb, as in example (c).

(a) I don't know how long we can depend on his generosity. He has already done so
much for us.
(b) Many of the town's residents relied on neighbors for help during the flood.
(c) She believes in helping people who are less fortunate than her.

Here are some other verbs and prepositions that are used together:

Apologize for
Apply for
Ask for / Ask about
Blame for
Care for
Excuse for
Pay for
Pray for
Prepare for
Wait for
Wish for
Work for / Work on
Forget about
Hide from
Save from
Insist on
Plan on
Depend on
Rely on
Deal with
Result in
Believe in
Belong to
Fight for
Fight against
Laugh at
Smile at
Agree with
Deal with
Help with

Adjective + Preposition Combinations

English also has many instances of prepositions coming after adjectives. In many
cases, the prepositions precede phrases containing nouns, as in example (a), or
pronouns, as in example (b). It is also possible for the prepositions to precede an -ing
verb, as in (c).

(a) I was amazed at all the improvements.

(b) We were all shocked by his behavior.
(c) Because the exam was more difficult than I expected, I'm worried about passing.

Here are some more adjectives and prepositions that are used together:

proud of
identical to
different from
tired of
related to
opposed to
satisfied with
eager for
based on
famous for
necessary for
excited about
Common Sentence Errors with Prepositions

There are three common types of sentence errors which involve prepositions.

1. Using a preposition which doesn't fit the context of the sentence:

I was amazed from all the improvements. Wrong!
I was amazed at all the improvements. Right!

2. Adding a preposition which is not needed in the sentence:

I was amazed at that the improvements were done so quickly. Wrong!

I was amazed that the improvements were done so quickly. Right!

Remember:
“Amazed at” is usually used when referring to something which is non-living, like a
person's attribute or a feeling or a fact. “Amazed by” is usually used when referring to
a person.
For example: “I was completely amazed by you last night, at the theatre”.
 Differences: say / tell
Say and tell are both used to report ideas or information. The most important
difference between them is:
With say, you don’t need to mention who the ideas or information were shared
with, but with tell, you do.
For example, it’s correct to say, “Amy said that she likes coffee,” but it’s not
correct to say, “Amy told that she likes coffee.”
Instead, you must say, “Amy told me/Joe/someone, etc., that she likes coffee.”

Say and tell with objects
Both say and tell take a direct object. The object is most commonly the reported
clause (the report of what someone said).

reporting
reported clause (direct object)
clause

‘I don’t know what you

She said
mean.’

I told her why it had happened.

Tell normally takes an indirect object and a direct object (the reported clause = do):
The boy told us he didn’t want any money.

However, we use tell without an indirect object with words such as the truth, a lie, a
joke, a story:
You should never tell a lie.
Not: … say a lie.
Come on Kevin. You’re good at telling jokes.

Say does not take an indirect object. Instead, we use a phrase with to:

And then she said to me, ‘I’m your cousin. We’ve never met before.’
Not: And then she said me …

Tell + indirect object + to-infinitive

We use tell with an indirect object and a to-infinitive to report a command or an
instruction. We don’t normally use say in this way:
They told us to come back the next day.
Not: They said us to come …
They told her to wait till the doctor arrived.

Spoken English:
But in informal speaking, we sometimes use say + to-infinitive to report a command
or an instruction:
I asked him if he wanted it today, but he said to leave it till tomorrow.

Typical errors
 We don’t use an indirect object with say:
‘I’m in a hurry,’ he said to me.
Not: … he said me.

 We don’t use tell without an indirect object when we report someone’s words:

Then a loud voice said, ‘Hello.’
Not: … a loud voice told, ‘Hello.’
She said she would wait for us outside.
Not: She told she would wait …