CONDITIONAL SENTENCES

3 MAIN TYPES: First, second and third conditional

First Conditional

If I

see

Andrew at the meeting,

I'll give

him your message.

PRESENT SIMPLE FUTURE SIMPLE USE:

To talk about something that is quite likely to happen in the future. It is very possible that I will see Andrew at the meeting, in which case I'll give him your message. The condition is quite likely to be fulfilled. For presenting future plans, real possibilities, steps in an argument, points in a procedure, predictable consequences, instructions.

Second Conditional

(Hypothetical) What would happen if…?

If my parents

were

alive, they

would be

very proud of me now.

PAST SIMPLE WOULD + INFINITIVE USE:

To talk about a present situation which is impossible, a hypothetical situation. The situation cannot be fulfilled because my parents are not alive.

If she

changed

her job, she'd

be

much happier.

USE

: To talk about a future event which is unlikely to happen. The speaker doesn`t expect her to change her job. That is, it is unlikely that the condition will be fulfilled.

Third Conditional

What would have happened if…?

If she

had worked

harder, she

would have passed

her exams.

PAST PERFECT WOULD + PERFECT INFINITIVE USE: To talk about something that might have happened in the past, but didn`t. She didn`t work hard enough and, consequently, she didn`t pass her exams. It also expresses excuses, regrets and blame for past events.

The zero conditional (factual) What happens if…? If I stay out late, I always

take

a taxi home.

PRESENT SIMPLE PRESENT SIMPLE USE: To describe something that is generally true. The use of if here is very similar to when. For presenting habits, general truths, rules, typical patterns, correlations. We can also use the past simple in the two clauses.

If I stayed out late, I always

got

a taxi home.

Conditional Sentences: Variations in tenses

First Conditional

: The if clause is usually in the present simple. However, we can also use: 

Present continuous:

If he's still

waiting

for you, he'll be very angry. 

Present perfect simple:

If Rob's

received

your letter, he'll phone you. 

Present perfect continuous:

If it's

been raining

all night, you'll have to wear boots.  

Can:

If I

can finish

work early, I'll help you.

Should

: If I

should see

him, I'll tell him the news.

The main clause usually has the verb

will / shall.

But we can also use: 

Going to:

If Helen passes her exams, I'm

going

to buy her a present. 

Future continuous:

If we book this holiday, we

'll be lying



Future perfect

: on the beach in two weeks` time. If they win the next match, they'

ll have won

every match in the season. 

Imperative:

If you need me,

call me.



Can / could, may / might, should / ought to, must

If you don't eat your dinner, you

can't

have an ice cream.

Tense variations in conditional 2

The if clause usually takes the past simple. However, it is also possible to use: 

Past continuous: If you were coming with me, I`d give you a lift.



Could If I could have the day off, I`d go with you.



Were / was to: If you were to ask Steve, I`m sure he would do it.

The main clause usually has the modal would + infinitive. However, the modals

could

and

might

are also used and the infinitive can be in the continuous form:    If we had more money, we

wouldn`t be living

here. If we had more money, we If you asked Tony, he

could go might do

out more. it for you.

Tense variations in conditional 3

The if clause is usually in the past perfect simple. However, we can also use the

past perfect continuous

or

could + perfect infinitive.

If he had been travelling in the car, he would have been killed too. If we could have got a taxi, we would have come round to see you.

The main clause usually has the modal would + perfect infinitive. However, we can also use the modals

could

and

might

+ perfect infinitive. If I had known there was no more work to do, I

could have stayed

in bed. If the ambulance had come sooner, he

might have been saved.



MIXED CONDITIONALS

If-clauses can be mixed provided that they make sense within a context.

Type 3 If-clause Main clause If she had worked harder at university, She would have a degree now. Type 2 Type 2 (she didn`t work hard at university If I were faster, (I´m not fast so she doesn`t have a degree now. ) I would have won the race.

so I didn ´t win the race.) Type 3 Type2 If they were studying all morning, (they were studying they will be tired now. so they are tired now.) Type 1

Words other than if

Unless Even if If only As/so long as On condition (that) Provided / providing (that) Assuming (that) I won`t go out unless he comes too. Even if it rains, we`ll go to the match. If only I had money, I would go out more. You can use the car as long as you take care of it. I`ll lend you the car on condition that you take care of it. I`ll lend you the car provided that you take care of it . Assuming that you take care of the car, I`ll lend it to you.

In questions…. Suppose / supposing (that) What if Suppose you had a lot of money, would you give up work? What if you had a lot of money, would you give up work? Imagine Imagine you had a lot of money, would you give up work?

IMPLIED CONDITIONALS

Conditions are not always expressed in the form of conditional clauses, particularly in spoken English. They can be expressed in another way or they may be evident from the context. The rules for the verb usage are still followed in the result clause (main clause).

He committed the crime, otherwise he wouldn’t have been arrested. (implied conditional) If he hadn’t committed the crime, he wouldn’t have been arrested.

I would have stayed longer, but he didn’t ask me to. (implied conditional) I would have stayed longer if he had asked me to.

Inversion

 If the first verb in a conditional

if clause

is

should, were

or

had,

we can leave out

if

and put the verb at the start of the clause. We do this particularly in formal or literary English. 

Should any of this cost you anything, send me the bill (If any of this should…)



It would be embarrassing were she to find out the truth. (… if she were to find out…)



Had they not rushed to hospital, Dan would have died. (If they hadn`t rushed…)

 We use

if it was / were not for + noun

that one situation is dependent on another situation. to say 

If it wasn`t / weren`t for the fireman

, my dog would have died in the fire. 

If it hadn`t been for my parents

, I wouldn`t have gone to university.  We also use

but for + noun

meaning: with a similar 

But for Jim`s support

, I wouldn`t have got the job.

 In real conditional sentence, we use If… happen to, If … should, If … should happen to to talk about something that may be possible but is not very likely:  If you happen to be in our area, drop in and see us.  If you should be in our area, …  If you should happen to be in our area, …

Polite requests

 We can use

if… will

in requests: o

If you will take

your seats, ladies and gentlemen, we can begin the meeting.  if you want to make a request more polite, you can use

if…would:

o

If you would take

your seats, …

Now let's sing some conditionals!