conditionals

conditionals

START

introduction

index

zero conditional

first conditional

second conditional

third conditional

INTRODUCTION

What are conditionals? When do we use them?

introduction

There are four main types of conditionals:

• zero conditional
• first conditional
• second conditional
• third conditional

Read on to find out more about each one...

Conditionals describe the result of something that might happen (in the present or future) or might have happened but didn't (in the past) . They are made using different English verb tenses. Sometimes we call them if clauses, as the condition tends to be expressed in a clause starting with if.

Notice that the if clause expresses the condition for the main clause to occur.

introduction

Take a look at these examples:

• If you heat water to 100 degrees, it boils.
• If it rains tomorrow, we'll go to the cinema.
• If I had a lot of money, I would travel around the world.
• If I had gone to bed early, I would have caught the train.

ZERO CONDITIONAL

zero conditional

if + present simple, ... present simple If you heat water to 100 degrees, it boils.

• This conditional is used when the result will always happen.
• The if in this conditional can usually be replaced by when without changing the meaning.

first CONDITIONAL

first conditional

if + present simple, ... will + base form If it rains tomorrow, we'll go to the cinema.

• It's used to talk about things which might happen in the future.
• The first conditional describes a particular situation, whereas the zero conditional describes what happens in general.

SECOND CONDITIONAL

second conditional

if + past simple, ... would + base form If I had a lot of money, I would travel around the world.

second conditional

• First, we can use it to talk about things in the future that are probably not going to be true.

If I won the lottery, I would buy a big house. (I probably won't win the lottery.)

second conditional

• Second, we can use it to talk about something in the present which is impossible, because it's not true.

If I had his number, I would call him. (I don't have his number now, so it's impossible for me to call him.)

third CONDITIONAL

third conditional

if + past perfect, ... would + have + past participle If I had gone to bed early, I would have caught the train.

• It talks about the past. It's used to describe a situation that didn't happen, and to imagine the result of this situation.

all set!

What's next? As usual, practice, practice, practice.