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CONDITIONAL CLAUSES

Refresh your knowledge on Conditional Clauses  by watching this presentation  (please click on the link below the presentation)

or the following videos 

or just take your time and check the rules below.

Zero Conditional     

Use it to talk about                                                                                         

>things that ALWAYS happen

>general truths rather than specific events.

‘IF’ CLAUSE (CONDITION) MAIN CLAUSE (RESULT) EXPLANATION
If + simple present

 

If I stay under the sun for too long,

If you heat ice,
Unless you have a ticket,

When it rains,

 simple present

 

I get burnt. 

it melts.

you can’t get in.

the streets become slippery.

  

 

(These things 

happen

every time)

NOTE: The order of the clauses is not fixed. The ‘if clause” can be first or second:

  • I get burnt if I stay under the sun for too long.
  • Ice melts if you heat it.
  • You can’t get in unless you have a ticket.
  • The streets become slippery when it rains.

NOTE: ‘Unless’ means ‘if not’.

NOTE: Use “when” instead of “if” to talk about things that happen rather regularly.

NOTE:Use the following structure to give instructions: If + simple present  < >  imperative

  • If you need help with your Maths homework, ask me.

 

1ST  Conditional

Use it to talk about    

>things that will MOST LIKELY happen in the present or future

> specific real events. NOT general truths

‘IF’ CLAUSE (CONDITION) MAIN CLAUSE (RESULT)        EXPLANATION
If + simple present

 

If he stays here any longer,

If you enter the door,

If it rains tomorrow,

Unless you give me the money,

 future simple

 

he will miss the last train back.      (This is a real, possible situation)

the dog will bark.                              (This will most likely happen)

we won’t go swimming.                  (The rain will change our plans)

I will shoot.                                         (This is a real warning)

NOTE: We can use modals instead of future simple in the main clause to express the degree of certainty of the result:

  • If he stays here any longer, he might miss the last train back.
  • If you enter the door, the dog may bark.


2nd   Conditional

Use it to talk about

  > specific UNREAL/HYPOTHETICAL situations in the present or future.

  > the PROBABLE results of these untrue facts.

‘IF’ CLAUSE (CONDITION) MAIN CLAUSE (RESULT) EXPLANATION
If + simple past 

 

 If he stayed here tonight,
If burglars broke into our house, 

If I had the money,

 

 would/could/might + base form 

 

 

we would all enjoy his company. 

the dog would attack them.

 

I could buy a bigger house.

 

  

 

 (But he is not going to stay)

 (This is a hypothesis, not a real present situation)

 

(This is an imaginary situation because

I don’t have the money now)

 

NOTE: We often use   “If I/he/she/it … were” instead of  “If I/he/she/it … was:

  • If he were older, he could get a driving license.

NOTE: We often use   “If I were you…” to give advice:

  • If I were you, I wouldn’t trust him.

 

3rd   Conditional

Use it to talk about 

> specific OPPOSITE TO REALITY situations in the past  

 > the result of these situations that cannot come true anymore                                                                                         

‘IF’ CLAUSE (CONDITION) MAIN CLAUSE (RESULT) EXPLANATION
If + past perfect

 

If he had stayed here that night,


If it hadn’t rained yesterday,

 

If I had had the money then,

 would/could/might + have + past participle

 

he wouldn’t have had an accident.

 

we would have gone swimming.

 

I could have bought that house.

 

(but he didn’t and he had an accident)

(This is an opposite to reality situation because it rained and we didn’t swim)

 

(I didn’t have the money then and as a result I didn’t buy that house) 

 NOTE: We often use the 3rd Conditional to express regret about things that didn’t happen:

  • If I had studied harder, I would have succeeded in the exam.