English Conditionals

An Introduction
The English Conditional There are a number of structures in English that are called the conditionals which are used to talk about possible or imaginary situations. A "Condition" is a "situation or circumstance". For example: If a certain condition is true then a particular result happens. There are four basic conditionals that we use in English.

!ero Conditional First Conditional "econd Conditional Third Conditional

There are some more conditionals formed by mixing some of these four. To learn more about these see the annex#. Structure of Conditional Sentences The structure of the conditionals is straightforward. There are two basic possibilities in terms of order in the sentence: IF $f Condition it rains Result we will get wet

or like this: Result %e will get wet if IF Condition it rains.

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'otice that we only use a comma in the first example.

Conditionals: Time and Probability Table

Probability Certain *ikely +nlikely $mpossible $mpossible

Conditional (ero conditional first conditional second conditional second conditional third conditional

Example $f you heat water to &)) degrees celsius it boils $f it rains $ will stay in. $f $ won the lottery $ would retire. $f $ had the money $ would lend it to you $f $ had seen him $ would ha,e gi,en him the message.

Time any time future future present past

ero Conditional: Certainty

The ero conditional is used for things that are always true as long as the condition is met. IF Condition present simple $f you heat water to &)) degrees celsius present simple $f $ drin# coffee Result present simple it boils. present simple $ get a headache. fact! personal fact! uni"ersal Situation

$n these examples the result will always occur if the condition is met so the time is not important.

First Conditional: A real possibility in the future

A First Conditional sentence is one connecting two future actions where one must take place before the second is possible. Take a student who wants to go to uni,ersity but hasn.t got the results of their exams yet. They cannot go to uni,ersity until they ha,e recei,ed their results. $n the case of a good student who is expected to get good grades then there is a good possibility of achie,ing the marks re/uired to get to uni,ersity so the following sentence could be used: IF Condition present simple $f she gets good grades Result $I%% & base "erb she will go to uni,ersity.

%e are talking about the future but we use a present tense for the condition and 'ill for the result. $n this case the person is sure about going to uni,ersity. %e can use other modal ,erbs in the result part of the sentence:

IF $f $f $f $f $f $f

Condition she gets good grades he gets good grades she gets good grades he gets good grades she gets good grades he gets good grades

Result she 'ill go to uni,ersity. he may go to uni,ersity. she should go to uni,ersity. he can go to uni,ersity. she could go to uni,ersity. he might go to uni,ersity.

Possibility $f the condition is met then she definitely will go 0e is not sure about going to uni,ersity. The speaker is expressing his or her opinion gi,ing ad"ice. This means that it is possible. This means that it is possible but not that li#ely. This means that it is possible but not that li#ely.

%e can also use different present forms in the condition part of the sentence: IF Condition present simple $f $ see her present progressi"e $f they are still 'or#ing present progressi"e $f they are going present perfect $f you ha"e finished your meal $I%% & base "erb $f you 'ill work late today $I%% & base "erb $f you 'ill dri"e too fast expressing displeasure because someone insists on doing something making an agreement a finished action related to now $.ll clear away the plates. $I%% & base "erb $ 'ill let you ha,e Friday off. $I%% & base "erb the police 'ill stop you. a future arrangement $.ll stay at home. an unfinished present action $.ll go home. Reason for tense an action in the future $.ll ask her about it. Result

Second Conditional: Imaginary Present or (nli#ely Future

The Second Conditional can be used used to talk about imaginary present situations where we are imagining something different from what is really the case. %e can also use it to talk about things in the future that are unlikely to happen as the condition is unlikely to be met. %e use the past tense in the condition part and 'ould for the result. IF Condition past simple $f $ had the time past simple $f $ 'on the lottery future Time present Result $)(%* & base "erb $ 'ould learn $talian. $)(%* & base "erb $ 'ould tra"el around the world. impossible $ don.t ha,e the time so $.m not going to learn $talian. unli#ely There.s a ,ery small chance of winning the lottery so the trip is unlikely Possibility

%e can use other modal ,erbs in the past tense in the result part of the sentence: IF Condition past simple $f $f $f $f $ had the time $ had more time $ had more time $ had more time Result $)(%* & base "erb $ 'ould learn $talian. $ might learn "panish. $ should learn some more about $T. $ could learn 0indi. Although unlikely to happen the speaker is sure that they would do it gi,en the opportunity. Although unlikely to happen it is only a possibility anyway. Although unlikely to happen the speaker is saying that it would be a good idea but is not committed to it. Although unlikely to happen it is only a possibility anyway. Certainty

%ith the ,erb to be there are two forms that can be used with I+ he+ she , it: IF $ he she it $f $ he she it Condition $ere $ 'ere you $as $.d marry her. Result

$f

$ 'as you

$.d marry her.

Third Conditional: Imaginary Past

The third conditional is used when we are talking about the past and imagining something different from what actually happened: Condition Past Perfect $f $ had #no'n Result $)(%* -A.E & Past Participle $ 'ould ha"e helped. $ didn.t know and didn.t help. $hat actually happened

IF

Condition past perfect

Result $)(%* -A.E& past participle $ 'ould ha"e helped. $ could ha"e helped. $ might ha"e helped. you should ha"e helped.

Certainty

$f $f $f $f

$ had #no'n $ had #no'n $ had #no'n you had #no'n

Although this didn.t happen the speaker is sure about the result. Although this didn.t happen the result is only a possibility/ Although this didn.t happen the result is only a possibility/ Although this didn.t happen it is only a good suggestion or piece of ad"ice.