CONDITIONAL SENTENCES
Nguyen Kim Anh -DFL
Zero conditional
First conditional
Second conditional
Third conditional
Mixed conditional
1. Zero conditionals

IF clause Main clause
IF + Present Tense, Present Tense
(present simple), (present simple)



The use
Zero conditionals are to show general truths (if= when/whenever)
E.g.
If you mix yellow and blue, you get green.
If you pour oil into water, it floats
2. First conditionals
IF+ Present Tense, Future Tense
Present simple Future simple
Present Perfect can/may/must/should+ inf.
Imperative
The use
Real or probable situations at present or in the future.
E.g. If Martin gets the job, he will move there.
If I have free time, I’ll come to see you
If it is fine tomorrow, we’ll go for a picnic.
If you have finished your homework, you may go out
Instructions or commands
E.g. If you miss the train, take the bus.
If you are tired, go to bed early

Unless = if….not
E.g.
Unless you leave now, you’ll miss the bus.
(If you don’t leave now …)
I won’t pay them unless they work harder.
(I’ll only pay them if they work harder)
(If they don’t work harder, I won’t pay them.)
Note
In first conditionals, we use If + Present tense to talk about the future.
E.g.
If I quit smoking, I will gain weight.
If I gain weight, I won’t be able to fit into my clothes.
If my clothes don’t fit, I’ll have to buy new ones.
If there is only a slight possibility of something happening, we can use should.
E.g. If you should ever go to Colombia, visit the Museum of Gold in Bogota.
In this case, if can be omitted, should comes before the subject (inversion).
E.g. Should you ever go to Colombia, visit the Museum of Gold in Bogota.
If-clause either precede or follow the main clause (at the beginning of the sentence or at the end)
If they precede the main clause, we separate them with a comma.
E.g. If I work hard, I’ll pass my exams.
Or I’ll pass my exams if I work hard.
3. Second conditionals
To form second conditionals, the verbs move ‘one tense back’ from the first conditional:

PRESENT → PAST
WILL → WOULD
IF clause Main clause
If + Past Tense Would/could/might + Inf.
(Past simple)
(Past continuous)
The use
Unreal or imaginary situations in the present
E.g. If he were still living with his parents, he would save more money.
I would buy a luxurious car if I had a lot of money.
Events that are unlikely to happen in the future
E.g. If I won a lot of money, I would travel around the world.
What would you do if someone pointed a gun at you?
To give advice
E.g. If I were you, I wouldn`t argue with my employer.
If I were in your shoes, I would never lend him any more money.
More examples
If I won a lot of money, I would spend most of it traveling round the world.
If I were you, I wouldn’t argue with my boss.
She’d be happier if she had a more interesting job.
(In fact she’s not very happy and her job isn’t very interesting).
If he were still living with his parents, he would be able to save more money.

In second conditionals the past tense does not refer to past time
It is used to show that he conditional is unreal because it is different from the facts that we know.
We can always say ‘BUT …’.
For example
If I were the Prime Minister, I’d build many houses for the poor. (But I’m not a prime minister).
If I were rich, I’d give a lot of money to help the poor. (But I’m not rich).
What would you do if you saw a ghost? (But I don’t expect that you will see a ghost).
In the second conditionals, we use “WERE” instead of “WAS” in the conditional clause.
E.g. If I were 10 years younger, I would take part in the competition.
If he were not so lazy, he would be more successful.

“IF” can be omitted when it is followed by were.
Were comes before the subject (inversion).
E.g. Were she taller, she could become a model (= If she were taller........)
4.Third conditionals
To form third conditionals, the verbs move ‘one tense back’ from the second conditional:
PAST → PAST PERFECT
WOULD → WOULD HAVE DONE
IF clause Main clause
If + Past Perfect Simple would/could/might + perfect inf.
Past Perfect Continuous
The use
For actions that did not happen
E.g. If he had known your phone number, he would have called you.
I would have come to see you if I had known you were ill.
To express criticism or regret
E.g. If I had been more careful, I would have passed the driving test.
She wouldn’t have missed the plane if she had left earlier.
If can sometimes be omitted; had comes before the subject (inversion).
E.g. Had you arrived earlier, you would have met my grandmother
(= If you had arrived....)
5. Mixed conditionals
Mixed conditionals do not follow the tense rules strictly.
We can make combinations according to the context.
We can mix second and third conditionals in one sentence.
One part can refer to the present (second conditional) and one part to the past (third conditional)
For example
If you had remembered to buy some petrol, we would be home by now.
(You didn’t remember, so we are not home now).

If his wife hadn’t left him, he’d be much happier.
(His wife left him, so he isn’t happy)
E.g. If they arrived on time, they must be at home by now. (Type 2, 1)
If I had a car, I would have picked you up from the airport. (Type 2,3)
If you had taken some aspirin, you would feel better now. (Type 3,2)
Attention
Conditionals can be introduced with other expressions instead of If
Unless (= if not)
E.g. Unless you hurry, you`ll miss the bus.
As long as/ provided/ providing (= Only if).
E.g. You can borrow my camera as long as you promise to handle it with care.
You can visit me anytime provided/providing
(that) you call me in advance.
In case
E.g. I`ll buy some mineral water in case I get thirsty.
(= I`ll buy some mineral water before I get thirsty)
On condition (that) (= provided)
E.g. On condition (that) she passes her exam, her parents will let her go to Italy for the holidays.
But for (= If it wasn`t/ hadn`t been for)
E.g. But for the rain, we would have enjoyed the picnic.
But for your advice, I would have been in trouble.
Or else (= If not/ otherwise)
E.g. Hurry up, or else we`ll miss the train.
Let me be, or else I will scream.
Give me all the money, or else I will shoot.
Suppose/ supposing (= Imagine if)
E.g. Suppose/ Supposing the lights went out, what would we do?
Suppose/Supposing you were given a wish, what would you wish?
Only if
E.g. She will go to the party only if she has finished her work.
God helps you only if you help yourself.
Even if
E.g. He wouldn`t talk about his plans even if you begged him to


Whether
E.g. Whether he agrees with me or not is not important to me.
What would you wish if you were given a wish?
If you are tired of writing and listening, take a short rest.
What would you do if we stopped our lesson right now?