Conditionals

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conditionals

index:

ZERO

First

second

third

Zero conditional

zero conditional

When we want to talk about things that always happen if an action takes place, we use the Zero Conditional.This conditional has two parts:

• The conditional or if clause → Simple present
• The result or main clause → Simple present

If you're hungry, have something to eat.

zero conditional

If can go at the beginning:

• If Martha is stressed, she practices Yoga.

Or at the middle of the sentence:

• Martha practices Yoga if she is stressed.

In other words, you can place the if clause at the beginning or at the end of your sentence in any type of conditional.

zero conditional

Sometimes we can substitute if in the conditional clause with When, but we only do this when we're talking about something that happens for sure. That's the reason why we use it mainly in Zero Conditional.

• If it's about to rain, I bring my umbrella.

Or...

• When it's about to rain, I use my umbrella.

You can also place when in the middle of a conditional sentence:

• I use my umbrella when it's about to rain.

zero conditional

Compare when and if:

• When I get home this evening, I'm going to have a shower.
• If I'm late this evening, don't wait for me. (not When I'm late, because it's not for sure)
• We're going to play tennis if it doesn't rain. (not when it doesn't rain, because we're not certain about the weather)

first conditional

first conditional

When we talk about possible future situations and their results we use first conditional.This conditional has two parts: The conditional or if clause → Simple present The result or main clause → Future with Will If we go by bus, it will be cheaper.

first conditional

If can go at the beginning:

• If you don't hurry, you'll miss the train.

Or at the middle of the sentence:

• You'll miss the train if you don't hurry.

Remember you can place the if clause at the beginning or at the end of your sentence in any type of conditional.

first conditional

When can we use if and when should we use in case? Take a look at this English in a Minute capsule...

second conditional

second conditionaL

Second conditional is used to talk about unreal, imaginary or hypothetical situations.This conditional is made up of two parts:

• The hypothetical part: the if clause, done in Simple Past*.
• The possible result of the imaginary situation, made up of the modal verb would + infinitive verb

If he had the money, he would buy a fast car. *NOTE: although we use Simple Past in the hypothetical part of the second conditional sentence, technically it's not that tense, but Subjonctive, which is a tense used in hypothetical situation.

second conditional

You can place the if clause at the beginning or in the middle of the second conditional sentence.

• If I had time, I would go today.
• I would go today if I had time.

We can contract the would modal verb when it's close to a personal pronoun: would → 'd

• If I knew the answer, I would tell you.

Or:

• If I knew the answer, I'd tell you.

second conditional

We can introduce questions in the main clause of a second conditional sentence:

• If you didn't have a job, what would you do?

Or:

• What would you do if you didn't have a job?

We can also use in the main clause another modal verb instead of would, a modal verb used to talk about possibilities: could.

• If we had a car, we could travel more.

Or:

• We could travel more if we had a car.

second conditional

A little extra on the use of second conditional...

Third conditional

third conditional

What is it about 3rd Conditional that is so important to take into account? Have a look in here and you'll find it out.

is there a 3rd conditional? yes, there is!

third conditional & past perfect

To know even more about the use of Third Conditional it is important to get deeper into the use of another tense: Past Perfect

first conditional

Take a look at the Grammar Gameshow Tenth Episode about the common uses of First Conditional in English.

second conditional

The Grammar Gameshow's Twentieth Episode is about Second Conditional: take a closer look.

sources:

• Essential Grammar in Use. Third Edition. Raymond Murphy. (C) Cambridge University Press 2007.
• https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/
• http://www.theenglishalley.com/
• https://www.youtube.com/user/bbclearningenglish

thank you!