Type
First conditional
Use: Talk about possible future
events/ threats/ warnings/
promises
Second conditional
Use: Talk about improbable
present situations (present
wish)
Third conditional
Use: Talk about imaginary
situations (a wish) in the past
(usually to signal regret) with
present/ past results.
Zero conditional
Use: Talk about something
that’s always true/
commands.
Patterns
- I hope + S + pres. (future word)
- If + S + pres. (future word), S + will/might/can - If the Giants win (tomorrow), I will celebrate
+ verb (future word)
- I wish + S + past (now)
- If + S + past (now), S + would/could/might +
verb (now)
- I wish + S + had + -en (past word)
(a) - If + S + had + -en (past word), S +
would/could/ might + verb (now)
- I wish + S + had + -en (past word)
(b) - If + S + had + -en (past word), S +
would/could/ might + have + -en (past word)
- If + S + pres./past/past perf./modal, S + (the
same verb tense or modal in the "if" clause)
Examples
- I hope the Giants win (tomorrow).
(tomorrow).
- I wish I had money (now).
- If I had money (now), I would buy a car (now).
- I wish I had gone to bed early (last night).
(a) - If I had gone to bed early (last night), I wouldn't be
sleepy (now).
- I wish I had gone to bed early (last night).
(b) - If I had gone to bed early (last night), I wouldn't have
gotten up late (this morning).
- [When] If she washed the dishes (when we lived
together), I dried the dishes (when we lived together).
- If their team wins
(tomorrow), our team loses (tomorrow).
- If she can do it, I can do it.