CONDITIONAL CONDITIONAL SENTENCESSENTENCES

Conditional sentences consist of two

clauses: a conditional clauseconditional clause (or “IF”

clause) and the main clausemain clause (or “RESULT”

clause) which is dependent on the

conditional.

There four basic conditional sentence patterns where our choice of tense depends on:

1.- the time of the condition (present, future or past).

2.- how possible or impossible we think it is.

Zero conditionalZero conditional Possible at any time, but most commonly in the present.

If your car is old, it probably needs a road test.

First conditionalFirst conditional Possible in the future.

If we don’t water these plants, they’ll die.

Second Second conditionalconditional

Impossible in the present.

If my eye sight was perfect, I wouldn’t need glasses.

Possible (but unlikely) in the future.

If I were rich, we’d buy a house in NY.

Third conditionalThird conditional Impossible in the past.

If you had answered the door, she wouldn’t have gone away again.

ZERO CONDITIONALZERO CONDITIONAL

Used for facts that are always true. Actions that always have Used for facts that are always true. Actions that always have the same result:the same result:• If you study a lot, you always pass your exams.• If you can read this, you’re driving too close to me!You can replace IF with WHEN if we are referring to a regular activity:• When I eat dairy products, I get red spots on my skin.We can use modal verbs (especially “can” and “may”), present simple, perfect or continuous in both clauses.

We can find a similar pattern to refer to the past:When they went to the movies, they always sat at the back.

TYPE I:LIKELY OR REALTYPE I:LIKELY OR REAL

• If + present (simple, continuous or perfect), WILL/ SHALL or BE going to. (Also future continuous or perfect)– If you come to the party, you’ll enjoy yourself.– If the concert is on Friday, I’m going to buy the tickets at once.– If you arrive before 10:00, we’ll be playing in the park.– If you continue wasting your money, you’ll have gone bankrupt in

three years.• If + present (simple, continuous, perfect), imperative

– If you come to the party, bring some wine.– If you have finished, come to the party.– If you are expecting someone, tell him to join us.

• If + present (simple, continuous, perfect), modal– If you come to the party, you must bring a bottle of wine.– If you have finished, you can come with us– If you are expecting someone, I can leave.

Other PatternsOther Patterns

• Requests: if + future, future – If you’ll just wait a minute, I’ll call the manager

to help you.

• If + should/ If + happen to (less likely but possible)

– If you should see James, tell him to phone me.– If you happen to see James, tell him to phone

me.

OTHER CONJUNCTIONSOTHER CONJUNCTIONS

• Unless= if...not. Often used in warnings.– We’ll be late for our English lesson unless we hurry.

• As long as (or so long as)= if, on condition that. – We’ll be on time for our lesson as long as you hurry

up.• Provided (that)/providing (that)= if, on condition that.

– Providing (that) you lay the table, I’ll cook.– He will pass his exam, provided (that) he studies a lot.

• In case (precaution)– Take an umbrella in case it rains.

TYPE II: UNLIKELY/IMAGINARYTYPE II: UNLIKELY/IMAGINARY

• If + past (simple or continuous), would/could/ might/ should + infinitive– If you were driving from Cartagena to Cuenca, what way would you go? (You

are not driving) – If I went to London, I could/ might improve my English (unlikely that you’ll go but

possible).

• If I were rich, I would travel around the world.• If she was/were rich, she wouldn’t work.• Were you really ill, I would call the doctor (formal).

To emphasise the condition is unlikely to happen:

• If the printer should break down within the first year, we would repair it.• If you were to listen more carefully, you might understand me!

IF IT WEREN’T FOR …

• If it weren’t for his wife’s money, he’d never be a manager.• If it weren’t for the on-the-job training, I would quit.

TYPE III: UNREAL/ IMAGINARY IN TYPE III: UNREAL/ IMAGINARY IN THE PASTTHE PAST

Imaginary situations in the past.Imaginary situations in the past.• Used to criticise, to point out mistakes or to express a regret.If + past perfect (simple or continuous), would/ could /might have + past participle (or “been” + -ing)

– If I had gone to the party, I would have taken a bottle of wine. – If the taxi hadn’t come along, you would have been waiting there for

hours.• Had I known the results, I would have phoned you. (formal)

IF IT HADN’T BEEN FOR ...• If it hadn’t been for your help, I wouldn’t have got the hang of it

so quickly.• If it hadn’t been for the reshuffle of the company, it might have

gone bankrupt.

MIXED CONDITIONAL MIXED CONDITIONAL SENTENCESSENTENCES

 If + simple past, Perfect conditional (would have + past participle) If he wasn’t such a good programmer, we would have fired him months ago.(He is a good programmer at present, and as a result we didn’t fire him months ago) More examples:

If I wasn’t afraid of flying, I wouldn’t have driven to the meeting.(I am afraid of flying. As a result I drove to the meeting)

What’s the meaning of the What’s the meaning of the following?following?

1. If we’d missed that flight, we wouldn’t be on the beach.

2. If she wanted to see you again, she would have called you.

3. If we’d taken out the warranty, we wouldn’t need to pay for these repairs.

4. If we knew more about computers, we wouldn’t have had to call the technical helpline.

5. We would have more free time if we hadn’t accepted to write the report.

Compare these to the third/unreal conditional:

If I had won the lottery, I would have bought my mother a new house.(I didn’t win the lottery in the past. I didn’t buy a new house for my mother in the past)