Conditionals

English class with Valeria

Conditional sentences
 Conditional sentences have two parts:

1) A condition (a situation or circumstance)

2) A result or consequence

 If the condition is true, then the result will happen.

Conditional sentences
 There are two possible basic structures

If + condition + result

Result + if + condition (we do not write a comma)

 Types of conditionals
 Zero conditional: to describe facts and things that are always true.

 First conditional: to describe a real possibility in the future.

 Second conditional: to describe an improbable event in the future.

 Third conditional: to describe an event from the past that didn’t

happen.
 Zero conditionals
If it rains everything gets wet.

 Things get wet when they’re in contact with water.

 Zero conditional sentences describe facts or things very

likely to happen. The result is certain. The condition always
has the same result.
 Zero conditionals
 Form:

If + condition + result
If you drink too much Coke, you get diabetes. (comma)

Result + when + condition

You don’t feel hungry when you chew coca leaves.
 Zero conditionals
 Verb tenses

If you drink too much Coke, you get diabetes.

You don’t feel hungry when you chew coca leaves.

Both verbs are in the present simple because these sentences

describe facts and general actions. In the zero conditionals we’re
talking about things that will always happen if the condition is
true.
 Zero conditionals
 Verb tenses

For regular events in the past, we use the past simple:

If I didn’t eat my vegetables, my parents punished me.

We can use “when” because the result always happens when the
condition is true

When I didn’t eat my vegetables, my parents punished

me.
 First conditionals
 These sentences describe real future events that are very possible.

Jane: Get up now! It’s very late.

John: I’m too tired!
Jane: Hurry up! School starts at eight.
John: If I missed the first class, I’ll attend the second one.

condition result
 First conditionals
 They describe a specific future event.
 They don’t describe a fact or a regular action.

Form:
If + condition + result
If you call me tonight, I’ll be happy.

I’ll be happy if you call me tonight.

 First conditionals
 Verb tenses

If you call me tonight, I’ll be happy.

present simple future simple

The form of the condition is the present simple, but the

meaning is the future. We are using the present simple form
but we’re referring to the future.
 First conditionals
 Present simple + going to

If I study hard, I’m not going to fail the exam.

present simple future simple

This form is less common, yet used.

It is slightly stronger than the future simple because it describes a
strong intention or plan in the future. (The condition must be true).
 First conditionals
 Present simple + modals

If you clean the house, you can/may go out with friends

(permission)
present simple future simple

If you are sorry, you should apologise to them. (advice)

Use may or can to give permission (in the future).

Use should to give advice or to say what is the correct thing to do.
 First conditionals vs. zero
conditionals
If you drink too much Coke, you get fat. (0)
 We are talking in general. you is general not specific, it
means everybody. We are discussing what happens to
everyone if they drink too much Coke.

If you drink too much Coke, you’ll get fat. (1st)

 We are talking in a real specific situation. You is specific in
meaning, we know who we are talking to. We are telling a
specific person what will happen it they drink too much
Coke.
 Second conditionals
 They describe an imaginary, impossible or unlikely situation in the
present or future.

If I had a pretty face, I would have a successful career now.

 If the condition is true, the result happens.

 This means that in reality I do not have a pretty face, but I imagine
having one. The situation is hypothetical.
 Second conditionals
 Form: If + condition + result

If he knew her telephone number, he would call her.

He would call her if he had her telephone number.

 Meaning:in the present he doesn’t have her telephone

number. So now it’s impossible for him to call her.
 Second conditionals
 Verb tense

If I had a pretty face, I would have a successful career

now.

 We use the past simple for the if clause (the condition) and
would for the second clause.
 The past indicates a distance from reality, but it doesn’t
indicate past time. It expresses an unreal situation and not a
 Second conditionals
 When the verb to be is a main verb in the condition, there is a special
rule. The tense is the past simple but it is the subjunctive mood.

Past simple (indicative mood) Past simple (subjunctive mood)

I was I were
you were you were
he / she / it was he / she / it were
They / you / we were They / you / we were
If I were you, I would study a lot more. (advice)
If he were happy, he would smile more often.
Second conditionals

 Let’s look at the result part of the sentence (would)

 The structure of the result is: subject + would + base

form of the verb

If I exercised more, I would be fit.

If she liked her, she would tell her.
She would tell her if she liked her.
Second conditionals vs. first conditionals
If I became a doctor, I would save lives (2nd conditional)

 This situation is imaginary, unlikely or impossible. It is hypothetical. (A random

person dreaming about the future.)

If I become a doctor, I will save lives (1st conditional)

 This situation is more real. It is realistic. The speaker is a student dreaming about
the future, but also making a commitment. The difference in meaning is not the
time or the tense, it is that the second one is an unreal situation and the first one is
real.
Modals in the second conditionals
If he studied English everyday, he would improve.
 It is unlikely that he will study English everyday. But I’m certain that he would
improve.

If he studied English everyday, he might improve.

 It is unlikely that he will study English everyday. But I’m not certain that he
would improve.

If he studied English everyday, he could improve.

 It is unlikely that he will study English everyday. But I’m not certain that he
would be able to improve, it is possible.
Third conditionals
 They describe hypothetical situations in the past.
 We are imagining the result of something that didn’t happen.
 We are imagining a different past.

Mark: I was very lucky to meet him.

Lucy: Yes, I’m glad you met him. But It’s so sad he left.
Mark: If I had been a better boyfriend, he would have stayed.

In reality, Mark wasn’t a good boyfriend. The person didn’t stay because Mark wasn’t a
good boyfriend. The condition is impossible because it’s in the past. We cannot change
the past. Therefore, we use the third conditional to imagine a different past.
 Third conditionals
 Form: If + condition + result

If I had made more money when I was younger, I would have travelled the
world.

 Result + if + condition (don’t use a comma)

I would have travelled the world if I had made more money when I was
younger.

Meaning: In reality I did not make more money when I was younger, so I did not
travelled the world.
Third conditionals
 Verb tense: If + subject + past perfect

If he had studied for the exam

 Form of the result: Subject + would + present perfect

he would have passed.

If he had studied for the exam, he would have passed.

Third conditionals vs second conditional
If I had been a sailor, I would have bought a boat. (3rd)

 We are imagining a different past. It is a hypothetical situation in the past. So,

the condition is impossible because it didn’t happen and its in the past. We
can’t change the past.

If I were a sailor, I would buy a boat. (2nd)

 We are describing an unlikely situation in the present or the immediate future.

It is a hypothetical situation and the condition is not impossible but it is very
unlikely.
 Third conditionals
 Third conditional and modals:

If she had gone to a university, she would have become a doctor.

If she had gone to university, it is certain that she would have become a doctor.

If she had gone to a university, she might have become a doctor.

If she had gone to university, it is not certain that she would have become a doctor.

If she had gone to a university, she could have become a doctor.

If she had gone to university, she would have been able to become a doctor. She would
have had the ability to become a doctor.