Unit 11:
CONDITIONALS
I. Form:
CONDITIONAL FORM EXAMPLE
Conditional Clause Main Clause
Zero Conditional If + Present Simple + Present Simple If you heat water, it boils.
First Conditional If + Present Simple + Will/ can/ may,… + bare-inf If he drops it, it will/can break.
Second
Conditional If + Past Simple + Would/ could/ might + bare-inf If I had a lot of money, I
would/ could/might buy a car.
Third
Conditional If + Past Perfect + Would have/ could have/ might
have + P.P
If it hadn’t rained, we would
have gone picnic.
Notes:
1. The if-clause usually comes first, but it can come after the main clause. And a comma
between the clauses is more likely when the if-clause comes first.
Ex: If I hear any news, I’ll tell you. / I’ll tell you if I hear any news.
2. In the if-clause of the first conditional, we can use:
The present continuous to talk about an action going on now
Ex: If they’re having a party, it’ll be noisy. (Now, they may be having a party or not.)
The present perfect to emphasize a finished action
Ex: If you’ve finished your homework, I’ll let you go out. (You finish your homework
completely. I’ll let you go out.)
Should + bare infinitive to indicate a little more uncertainty
Ex: If I should see him, I’ll ask him to ring you. (I’m not sure that I might see him or not.)
Will: - To make a request
Ex: If you will just wait a moment, I’ll find someone to help you. (= Please wait a moment, ...)
- For an action happening later than the action in the main clause
Ex: If this medicine will make me better, I’ll take it. (I may take this medicine. Then it make
me better.)
In the main clause of the first conditional, we can use imperative to give commands.
Ex: Turn on the heat if you feel cold.
3. In the second conditional:
We can use the past continuous in the if-clause to express an action not going on now.
Ex: If they were living in Japan, they’d work at the bark. (Now, they aren’t living in Japan.)
We usually use were instead of was.
Ex: - If I were better qualified, I would get a good job. (If I were: more formal)
- If I was better qualified, I would get a good job. (If I was: less formal)
4. With “should” (in type 1), “were” (in type 2), “had + P.P” (in type 3), we can invert the
subject and verb, and leave out “if”.
Ex: - Should anyone call, please take a massage. (= If anyone should call, please take a massage.)
- Were I you, I wouldn’t do that. (= If I were you, I wouldn’t do that.)
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- Had I known, I would have told you. (= If I had known, I would have told you.)
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II. Uses:
1. Zero Conditional:
To talk about general truths or scientific facts
Ex: If water boils, it changes into steam. (It’s a scientific fact.)
To instruct
Ex: The machine switches off if you press this button.
2. First Conditional:
To talk about present or future possibilities
Ex: If it doesn’t rain, we'll go to the cinema. (= It may rain or it may not)
To give commands or suggestions
Ex: - Call me if you need some help.
- If you feel like seeing the sights, we can take a bus tour.
To warn and threaten
Ex: - If you don’t do exercise regularly, you’ll be fat.
- If you don’t leave immediately, I’ll call the police.
3. Second Conditional:
To talk about something unreal or imaginary situations in the present or future
Ex: If I had enough money, I would buy a car. (Now, I don’t have enough money.)
To give advice with “If I were you,…”/ ”If I were in your position,…”
Ex: - If I were you, I would go to see a doctor. (You should go to see a doctor.)
- If I were your position, I would not lend this house. (You shouldn’t lend this house.)
4. Third Conditional:
To talk about something unreal or imaginary situations in the past
Ex: I would have come to see you if you had rung me. (You didn’t ring me, so I wasn’t able to
come to see you.)
To express regret about the past
Ex: If I had studied hard, I would pass the exam. (I regret not studying hard.)
To criticize people or to point out their mistake
Ex: If Bill had set his alarm clock, he wouldn’t have overslept. (Bill overslept because he
didn’t set his alarm.)
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III. Other ways of expressing a condition
1. Unless:
“Unless” means the same as “If… not”
Ex: - We’ll go broke unless we find a sponsor. (= We’ll go broke if we don’t find a sponsor.)
- Unless I wear glasses, I can’t see it. (=If I don’t wear glasses, I can’t see it.)
Notes:
We do not formally unless meaning if … not in an unreal condition.
Ex: If I hadn’t fallen, I would have won. (NOT Unless I had fallen, …)
We do not use unless when talking about feeling caused by something not happening.
Ex: I’ll be upset if you don’t come. (NOT I’ll be upset unless you come.)
2. In Case:
We use “in case” to talk about something to avoid a possible problem later on.
If or in case?
- I’ll get some money from the bank if I need some. (I’ll wait until I need some and then get it.)
- I’ll get some money from the bank in case I need some. (I’ll get some now because I might
need it later.)
3. We can use Provided (that), On condition (that), As long as/ so long as, Suppose/
Supposing… instead of if in conditional sentences.
As long as/ so long as
Provided/ providing (that)
Suppose/ supposing
(that)
On condition that
+ Clause, …
Ex: - You can smoke as long as you do it outside the building.
- The machine will last for years provided (that) it is looked after properly.
- Supposing it rains, what will you do?
Without + Noun/ Noun phrase means If … not
Ex: Without the map, I’d have got lost. (= If I hadn’t had the map, …)
But for + Noun/Noun phrase = If it were not for + Noun/ Noun phrase
= If it hadn’t been for + Noun/ Noun phrase
Ex: But for you, I’d have drowned. (= If it hadn’t been for you, …)
Otherwise means if that is not so
Ex: Hold on tight, otherwise, you might fall.
(Otherwise here means if you don’t do that.)
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4. Mixed Conditional:
Frequently the time in if-clause and the time in result clause are different: one clause
maybe in present and the other in the past. We can mix the Second and Third conditionals
for this situation.
Ex:
TRUE: I did not have breakfast some hours ago, so I am hungry now.
CONDITIONAL: If I had eaten breakfast some hours ago, I would not be hungry now.
(past) (present)
TRUE: He is not a good student. He did not study for the test yesterday.
CONDITIONAL: If he were a good student, he would have studied for the test yesterday.
(present) (past)
SUMMARY CHART
Conditional
Form
Use Example
Conditional
Clause Main Clause
Zero
Conditional If + Present Simple Present Simple
To talk about
general truths or
scientific facts
To instruct
If the weather is bad,
the ferries do not sail.
If the camera is on, a
red light appears
First
Conditional
If + Present Simple
If + Present Simple
Will/may/can +
bare infinitive
Imperative
To talk about future
possibilities
To give commands
If it snows, we will
make a snowman.
If John invites you to
his party, you can go.
Call me if you need
help.
Second
Conditional If + Past Simple Would/could/might
+bare infinitive
To talk about
imaginary situations
in the present or
future
Alex would buy a new
skateboard if he had
enough money. (but he
doesn’t have enough
money)
If you visited London,
you could see Big Ben.
Third
Conditional
If + Past Perfect
Simple
Would/could/might
+ have + past
participle
To talk about
situations in the
past that we cannot
change
If Jane had known
about the concert, she
would have gone to it.
(but she didn’t know
about it)
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