Nino Chavchanidze

CONDITIONALS
 Conditionals - If clauses

 We use conditionals to talk about situations ( real/unreal) ; probable

results or consequences of these situations ;
 Conditionals are made of two clauses : the if clause + the main clause ;
 If you go shopping later , will you buy me a coke ?
 Rule :
 When you start a sentence with if , you must use a coma (,) .
 If I could , I’d retire tomorrow .
 If the main clause is in the beginning there is no coma ;
 I’d retire tomorrow if I could .
 Zero conditional

 Structure :
 If +present simple + present simple ;
 If you can’t sleep , drink a cup of milk .
 If Peter calls , tell him to call later .
 Rule:
 To talk about something that is always or usually true ( a routine
, a fact , or a habit ) . “If “ means the same as “ when” in this
case .
 First conditional

 Structure :
 if + present simple ,+ will + infinitive ;
 If you hurry , you will catch a bus ;
 If it doesn’t rain we will go for a walk ;
 Rule :
 To talk about likely situation and its possible result ;
 To give warnings , advice and promises ;
 First conditional forms

 If + present simple + modal verb :

 If you behave yourself , you can come ;
 If + present simple + be going to ;
 If you don’t work , you are going to fail ;
 If + present simple + imperative :
 If you need anything , just ask ;
 If + present continuous + will + infinitive :
 If we are leaving soon , I’ll get my coat ;
 If + present perfect + modal verb :
 If you have finished , you can go out ;
 Second conditional

 Structure :
 If + past simple ,+ would + infinitive ;
 If I were taller , I’d be much more confident ;
 Rule :
 To talk about unlikely situation or imaginary and its result ;
 In an expression to give advice;
 If I were you , I’d ….
 Note : it refers to present or future
 what advice would you give for

 Headache
 Can’t sleep/insomnia
 Hang over
 Dizzy / faint
 Nose bleed
 Wife/husband’s having an affair
 If I were you , I would get some pills ….
 possible answers

 Headache – If I were you , I’d drink some water .

 Can’t sleep - If I were you , I’d take some sleeping pills
 Hang over – If I were you , I’d go to bed
 Dizzy / faint – If I were you , I’d sit down for a while
 nose bleed – If I were you , I’d hold my head back
 Wife/husband’s having an affair – If it was me , I’d file for
divorce
 Third conditional

 Structure :
 If+ past perfect , + would +( have ) present perfect :
 If we had hurried , we wouldn’t have missed the plane ;
 If we hadn’t made a mistake , he would have passed his driving test ;
 Rule :
 To speculate about possible situations in the past which didn’t happen ;
 You can use different phrases :
 Wish + past participle – I wish I hadn’t made the mistake ;
 Regret + ing : I regret making that mistake ;
Third conditional
 Mixed conditional
 Past condition/present result
 We use it to express that if something had been different in the past there would be a
present result.
 Example : if we hadn't missed our flight we'd be in Spain now.
 Structure : If + past perfect + would ( could, might ) + infinitive ;
 Present condition /past result
 We use it to express that due to certain present conditions something already happened
in the past.
 Example : if I was more diligent, I would've finished my degree at university.
 I am not a diligent person and because of this present condition I have never finished
my degree.
 Structure : If + past simple , + would ( could , might ) have past participle ;
 Mixed conditional

 Mixed conditionals follow a variety of patterns :

 If you need help , just ask ( an offer )
 If Peter wants to see me , tell him to wait ( an instruction )
 If you hadn’t invested in e-commerce , our sales would be
much lower (this is true now , so wouldn’t have been is
inappropriate )
 I would be grateful if you would give me an early reply ( a
polite request )
 some points to consider

 If the verb is had , were or should we can leave out if and put
the verb at the beginning ; the sentence is more formal:
 Had it not been his help , we wouldn’t have survived .
 Were it not for Patric , we’d be in a terrible mess .
 Should you require any further information , do not hesitate
to contact me .
 The words also used in conditional

 We will meet tomorrow , providing / provided ( that ) no

one has an objection /against . ( to be against )
 Even the best management team won’t be successful unless
( if +verb +not ) they are given the resources ;
 You can’t say what you like as long as you don’t make any
criticisms ;
 Supposing ( that ) we decide to use the Topsite service , how
much would it cost ?
