CONDITIONAL SENTENCES

DEFINITION

Conditional Sentences are also known as

Conditional Clauses or If Clauses.

They are used to express that the action in the main clause (without if) can only take place if a certain condition (in the clause with if) is fulfilled. 

TYPES OF CONDITIONAL SENTENCES

ZERO CONDITIONAL FIRST CONDITIONAL SECOND CONDITIONAL AND THRID CONDITIONAL

If-clause Main clause

Zero/ used for present; real facts

If I drink coffee at night

I don’t sleep well.

First/ used for future;Real situation

If I drink coffee tonight

I won’t seep.

Second/ used for present or future unreal, imaginary situations

If I drank coffee tonight

I wouldn’t sleep well.

Third/ used for past, unreal, imaginary situations

If I had drunk coffee last night

I wouldn’t have slept well.

TYPES OF CONDITIONAL SENTENCES

ZERO CONDITIONAL

We use the so-called zero conditional when the result of the condition is always true, like a scientific fact.

Notice that we are thinking about a result that is always true for this condition. The result of the condition is an absolute certainty.

We are not thinking about the future or the past, or even the present. We are thinking about a simple fact. We use the present simple tense to talk about the condition.

We also use the present simple tense to talk about the result. The important thing about the zero conditional is that the condition always has the same result.

IF/WHEN CONDITION RESULT

IF PRESENT SIMPLE PRESENT SIMPLE

IF I GET UP LATE I MISS MY BUS

IF I DON’T HAVE MY MORNING COFFEE

I GET GRUMPY

WHEN I TALK TO MY MUM I FEEL HOMESICK

FIRST CONDITIONAL

IF+PRESENT SIMPLE+WILL/WON’T+INFINITIVE

E.g. If we miss the train, I’ll catch the next one.E.g. If it rains all the time, We won’t stay.E.g. If you study hard, You will pass your exams.

USE : Conditional Sentences Type I refer to the future.

An action in the future will only happen if a certain condition is fulfilled by that time.

We don't know for sure whether the condition actually will be fulfilled or not, but the conditions seems rather realistic – so we think it is likely to happen.

FORM:

The main clause can also be at the beginning of the sentence. In this case, don't use a comma.

Example: I will send her an invitation if I find her address.

Note: Main clause and / or if clause might be negative.

Example: If I don’t see him this afternoon, I will phone him in the evening.

SECOND CONDITIONAL

Conditional Sentences Type II refer to situations in the present.

An action could happen if the present situation were different.

Just imagine „what would happen if …“

FORM :if + Simple Past, main clause with Conditional I (= would + Infinitive)Example: If I found her address, I would send her an invitation.

The main clause can also be at the beginning of the sentence. In this case, don't use a comma.Example: I would send her an invitation if I found her address.

Note: Main clause and / or if clause might be negativeExample: If I had a lot of money, I wouldn’t stay here.

Were instead of WasIn IF Clauses Type II, we usually use ‚were‘ – even if the pronoun is I, he, she or it –.Example: If I were you, I would not do this.

THRID CONDITIONALConditional Sentences Type III refer to situations in the past.

An action could have happened in the past if a certain condition had been fulfilled.  

We just imagine, what would have happened if the situation had been fulfilled.

FORM :

if + Past Perfect, main clause with Conditional IIExample: If I had found her address, I would have sent her an invitation.

The main clause can also be at the beginning of the sentence. In this case, don't use a comma.Example: I would have sent her an invitation if I had found her address.

Note: Main clause and / or if clause might be negativeExample: If I hadn’t studied, I wouldn’t have passed my exams

EXCEPTIONS FOR THE FIRST CONDITIONAL:

EXCEPTIONS FOR THE SECOND AND THRID CONDITIONAL:

MIXED CONDITIONALS :Past Condition / Present ResultThe first one has a condition in the past and a present result. We use it to express that if something had been different in the past there would be a present result.

For example: if we hadn't missed our flight we'd be in Spain now.

The structure is: If + past perfect, would (could, might) + infinitive.

Present Condition / Past ResultThe next one has a present condition and a past result. We use it to express that due to certain present conditions something already happened in the past.

For example: if I was more diligent, I would've finished my degree at university.The meaning is: I am not a diligent person and because of this present condition I have never finished my degree.

The structure is: if + past simple, would (could, might) have + past participle.

EXERCISE :

1) If I had time, I (to go) with you.2) I will go to the chemist’s if…3) If we (to know) him better, we would ask him to

come.4) If he comes…?5) If I had not known the truth, I…6) He will tell him if…7) If he had studied in England, he (to learn) the

language better.8) If John is here…9) What would you have done if You (to meet) Tom?10) If it (to rain), the children would not have gone out.

EXERCISE:1) If I  (to study), I  (to pass) the exams.2) If I  (to come) home earlier, I  (to prepare) dinner.3) If the sun  (to shine), we  (to walk) to the town.4) If he  (to be) my friend, I  (to invite) him to my birthday

party.5) If he  (to have) a temperature, he  (to see) the doctor.6) If my friends  (to come), I  (to be) very happy.7) If the weather  (to be) nice, they  (to play) football.8) If John  (to learn) more words, he  (to write) a good

report.9) If they  (to wait) for another 10 minutes, they  (to

see) the pop star.10) If you  (to wait) a minute, I  (to ask) my parents.

EXERCISE:

1) Will you come to the party if Mary (invite) You?2) It is alright if we (come) after five?3) If we go to the sea side we (learn) how to swim?4) If he is in San Francisco, he (see) Golden Gate Bridge. 5) You will have to walk if you (miss) the bus.6) If Sam has a hammer, he  (lend) it to me.7) I  (tell) you, if you asked me.8) If he ___ ask what happened, we could do something

about it. (tell)9) He (speak) much better if he had prepared his speech

better.10) If I were in his position (act) the same.

Jovana Janković

Danijela Kašerić

Jovan Jančić