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GRAMMAR
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Conditionals
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What is a conditional
sentence?
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Question: What is condition? T
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Answer: Condition is something which has to be done so that an action can be happened or a situation
can existed.

Question: what is a conditional sentence?

Answer: A conditional sentence expresses a condition, it means an action will happen if the condition is done. And as well
as a conditional sentence is made of two parts, If-clause (Conditional Clause) and Main clause (Result Clause).
In conditional sentences, we mention the condition in If-clause and the result in Main clause.
NOTE: IF-clause, is the part of the sentence contains IF. And if, (If-clause ) is first, we need to use comma between If-clause
and Main clause and if, main clause is first no comma is needed.
Conditionals can be classified as below
i. Conditional sentence type first.
ii. Conditional sentence type second
iii. Conditional sentence type third
iv. Conditional sentence type zero
v. Mixed conditionals
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1st Type Conditional T
In this type of conditional, we consider the following tips
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• It is possible and real (It means if the condition is done the action will be done, too)

• The if clause contains (If + base form of the verb) and Main clause contains (will + base form of
the verb). It means in conditional type 1st , we have simple present tense in If-clause and, we
have simple future in Main clause

• If we write If-clause first we use comma and if we write main clause first we use no comma

Ex: If we play this match well, we will win the match

Ex: If-clause Main clause
If she studies her lessons well, she will pass the exam.
If-clause Main clause
 2nd type conditional
In conditional type 2nd we focus to the following tips
• The action is impossible and is not real (Neither the condition nor the result takes place)
• We use conditional type 2nd for wishes and advices
• In if-clause of this conditional sentence we have simple past
• In main clause of this conditional we have would + base form of the verb

Ex: If I studied my lessons well, I would pass the final exam.

If-clause Main clause
Simple past Would + bare infinitive

Ex: If I saw Ahmad, I would meet him

If-clause Main clause
simple past would + bare
tense infinitive
Note: In this type of conditional the sentences are in the past, but the meaning is in the present
 3rd type conditional
• Conditional sentence of this type refers to an imaginary past action, in which neither the condition
nor the result of the action took place.
• The meaning is totally in the past.
• In conditional sentence of this type you have past perfect in the if-clause and would + present
perfect in the main clause (result clause)
Ex: If I had been in Karbala, I would have helped Imam Hussain.

If-clause Main clause

Past perfect tense would + present perfect tense

Ex: If I had been Laily’s father, I would have given Laily to Majnoon.

If-clause Main clause

Past perfect tense would + present perfect tense
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Zero conditional T
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• Conditional sentence type zero expresses something which happens naturally and automatically.
• Or it expresses some scientific experiments.
• In this type of conditional the action is real and possible ( If the condition happen the result will
happen, too)
• In conditional type zero we have simple present both in the If-clause and main-clause.
Ex: If we mix Oxygen with Nitrogen, we get water

If-clause Main clause

Simple present Simple present

Ex: If we put ice on fire, it melts.

If-clause Main clause
Simple present Simple present
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Mixed Conditional
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Mixed conditional occurs when one of the following mixtures occurs:
1. the if-clause pattern of the third conditional with the main clause pattern of the second conditional.
2. the if-clause pattern of the second conditional with the main clause pattern of the third conditional. Things
happened in the past and were fully completed. And their influenced events still are in fact continued in the
present and may continue to the future. This is a case of mixed conditional.
3. In if-clause pattern as well you can use past perfect continuous tense and with main clause pattern you can
use the main clause of second conditional pattern.

IF CLAUSE MAIN CLAUSE

if + past perfect would/might/could + base verb
if + past simple would/might/could + have + past participle
if + past perfect continuous would/might/could + base verb

Examples: If I hadn’t met Charles, I wouldn’t be here now. (I met Charles so I’m here now.
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