Unit 7 Conditional Sentences (Type 0-3)
Usage
When we want to describe a situation that depends on something else, we can use a
conditional. A conditional has two parts – an if-clause and a main clause. We talk about the
situation or action in the if-clause and the result in the main clause.
<If you finish your homework,> [you can go out and play.]
<if-clause> [main clause]
The if-clause can come before the main clause or after it. When we put the if-clause before
the main clause, we use a comma to separate the clauses.
If I eat too much, I feel sleepy. I feel sleepy if I eat too much.
Zero conditional / Conditional Type 0
- Usage
We use Type 0 conditional to talk about
1. general truths
If we eat contaminated food, we become ill.
If we don’t feel well, we see a doctor.
2. scientific facts
If we heat water to 100°C, it boils.
3. imperatives
If you don’t feel well, see a doctor.
- Form
if-clause main clause (result clause)
present simple present simple
e.g. If you don’t water plants, they die.
Notes**
We can also use when instead of if in Type 0 conditionals, particularly when we talk about
things that are generally true or habitually happen.
When there is a typhoon, most people stay at home.
Sam’s face turns red when he gets very angry.
Whenever there is a typhoon, most people stay at home.
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First conditional / Conditional Type 1
- Usage
We use Type 1 conditional to talk about things which may happen now or in the future.
If it rains tomorrow morning, we will cancel the picnic.
If you are hungry now, I will make you some pancakes.
- Form
if-clause main clause (result clause)
present simple will + bare infinitive
e.g. If you want to read the book, I will lend it to you.
Notes**
We use can/may in the main clause instead of will for permission.
If you need me, you can call me.
You may go if there is no other business to announce or discuss.
We use may/might/could for possibility.
If the No.3 typhoon signal is hoisted tomorrow morning, the ferry services
may/might/could be suspended.
We use can/could for ability.
If you work harder, you can/could get level 4 or 5 in English.
We can use the present perfect or present continuous in the if-clause.
If it has stopped raining, we can go out now.
If you are having meal now, I’ll call you again later.
We can use should in the if-clause if we are less sure about a possibility.
I don’t think Cheryl is going to the party this evening,
but if I should see her, I’ll give her a message.
When we use should, we can omit if and begin the clause with should.
Should I see her at the party, I’ll give her your message.
We can use would in the if-clause to make a request.
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If you would wait a minute, I’ll have the present wrapped for you.
(= if you wouldn’t mind waiting/if you could wait)
We use present simple tense in the if-clause when talking about the future.
If you go to the book fair tomorrow, you may see the novelist.
She will be there promoting her new book.
Exercise 1
Fill in each blank with the correct form of the verb in brackets.
1. If you talk loudly, you ________________ (wake up) the baby.
2. She ________________ (feel) unhappy if she does not get 90 in a test.
3. If plants get enough water and sunshine, they ________________ (grow) well.
4. You ________________ (win) the competition if you practise more.
5. If you do not listen to him, he ________________ (be) very angry.
6. Things ________________ (catch) fire more easily if the weather is dry.
7. Katherine often ________________ (talk) quickly if she feels nervous.
8. If you go to a travel agent, you ________________ (find) all the information you need.
9. If you have a fever, you ________________ (stay) in bed.
10. Ask him to wait if he ________________ (arrive) before I return.
11. I ________________ (go) for a walk after lunch if the weather is good.
12. I don’t think that I am coming to the party, but if I change my mind, I _________________
(tell) you.
13. If we put the water into the freezer, it ________________ (turn) into ice.
14. If he ________________ (have) a long holiday, he will fly to Paris.
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Second conditional / Conditional Type 2
- Usage
We use Type 2 conditional to talk about something which is not true or not real now or in
the future (imaginary situations).
If I had a car, I would take you for a ride around the city.
(= I don’t have a car)
If he knew, we would ask him.
(= he doesn’t know)
- Form
if-clause main clause (result clause)
past simple would + bare infinitive
e.g. If I had time, I would help you.
(= I’m busy so I can’t help you at the moment)
Notes**
We can use the past continuous tense in the if-clause.
(Situation: My uncle and aunt are taking me to Ocean Park tomorrow.)
If I were not going with them, I would be glad to go with you.
We can use would + be + -ing for what could have happened.
If he were here now, we would be playing TV games.
(= he’s not here)
We always use were in the if-clause in formal writing and speech.
If the weather were fine today, we’d go to the beach.
In less formal contexts, we can use was with I, he, she, it, etc.
If I wasn’t so tired, I’d go out with you.
We often use if I were you to give advice, and if you were me to ask for advice.
If I were you, I’d think twice before I accept.
If you were me, would you accept the offer?
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Third conditional / Conditional Type 3
- Usage
We use Type 3 conditional to talk about something which did not happen in the past.
(Situation: The weather suddenly turned bad yesterday.)
If we had gone out, we would have been caught in the heavy rain.
(= we did not go out so we were not caught in the heavy rain)
The third conditional is often used to express regret.
If I had invested in the company when I had the opportunity,
I would have made a lot of money.
(= I didn’t invest in the company and I didn’t make a lot of money)
- Form
if-clause main clause (result clause)
past perfect (had + p.p.) would + have + past participle
e.g. If we had taken the earlier bus, we would not have been delayed.
(= we didn’t take the earlier bus so we were delayed by that)
Notes**
We can use the past perfect continuous in the if-clause.
(Situation: The teacher was speaking too fast.)
If the teacher had been speaking slowly, we would have written down all the notes.
We can use might/could + have + past participle in the main clause.
If you had come earlier, you might have seen him.
If I had been told the time schedule, I could have stopped him from speaking.
We can omit if and put had at the beginning of the clause. This is a formal structure and
is more common in writing.
Had the government taken the opinions in time,
such problems would not have occurred.
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Exercise 2
Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the words given.
1. ‘If you ____________________ (not/eat) so much, you ____________________ (not/gain)
so much weight,’ said Mike, laughing at his wife.
2. ‘You ____________________ (not have) your dinner tonight if you
____________________ (not/apologise),’ Mike’s wife replied.
3. ‘If we ____________________ (run) faster, we ____________________ (be) able to get
on the bus.’ Johnny said to May breathlessly when the bus left.
4. ‘You ____________________ (be) much happier if you ____________________ (be) an
ordinary man,’ said the princess to the King.
5. If I ____________________ (be) careful enough, I ____________________ (not/get) hurt
during the handball competition. I only took part in the first 15 minutes!
6. If Jack ____________________ (put) some warmer clothes on yesterday, he
____________________ (not/catch) a cold today.
7. If I ____________________ (have) children, I ____________________ (educate) them
wholeheartedly with my love.
8. Be careful! If you ____________________ (touch) that dog, it ____________________
(bite) you.
9. I don’t know the details of their plan. If I ____________________ (do), I
____________________ (tell) you.
10. Last night Alex ruined his sweater when he washed it. If he ____________________ (read)
the label, he ____________________ (not/wash) it in hot water.
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Other conditional expressions
unless (= if not) Unless we hurry, we’ll miss our plane. (= If we don’t hurry …)
otherwise You must rest. Otherwise, you’ll be tired.
as/so long as, You can borrow my camera as long as/so long
provided/providing that, as/provided/providing that/on condition that you look after it
on condition that carefully.
even if/though She won’t tell us, even if/though she knows.
and/or (else) Take your medication and you’ll be better tomorrow.
Hurry up or/or else you’ll be late.
(Let’s) suppose, Let’s suppose/Supposing it rained tomorrow. What would we do?
supposing, imagine, Imagine you had a lot of money. What would you do with it?
what if What if she told you the truth? Would you forgive her?
if it were not, If it were not for your help, I would not have done so well.
if it hadn’t been for/ If it hadn’t been for/Had it not been for her, I would not have done
had it not been for so well.
without Without your help, I would have struggled.
if so, if not Do you want to read this novel? If so (= if you do), you can have it.
If not (= if you don’t), I’ll lend it to Melinda.
Making a Wish
We use wish to talk about:
1. regret for a past situation [ wish , past perfect tense (had + p.p.) ]
I wish I had worked harder.
I wish I had not argued with my parents.
2. imaginary situations in the present [wish , past tense ]
I wish I were a billionaire.
I wish I knew everything in exam.
3. something that you want to happen in the future but you think it may not happen
[ wish , would + bare infinitive ]
I wish my friend would call me soon.
I wish you would come with us to the party.
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Summary Table
Type Usage If-clause Main/Result clause
Type 0 - Scientific facts Simple present tense Simple present tense
- General truths
- Imperatives If you heat ice, it melts
- Habitual actions
Type 1 Possibly happen Simple present tense will
now or in the can + bare infinitive
future may
1. If I am late, I will call you.
2. If you need me, you can call me.
3. If you need help, You may ask her.
Type 2 Imaginary Simple past tense would + bare infinitive
situations in the
present or future, If I were you, I would join the
events that are competition.
unlikely to happen
Type 3 - Imaginary Past perfect tense would + have + p.p.
situations in the
past 1. If my teacher hadn’t I wouldn’t have passed the
- Express regret helped me, exam.
2. If I had revised, I would have passed the
exam.
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Exercise 3
Complete the following sentences using the correct form of the verbs in the box below. Use
each verb ONCE only. The first one has been done for you.
1. If not/be flood die not/sell not/catch
not/think have not/lie ask forget
fall keep not/clean not/use perform
there is no rain, plants soon _________________________.
2. Cathy is quick-tempered. If she _________________________ better self-control, she
would have more friends.
3. Some animals _________________________ tricks if they are trained.
4. I’m glad you came. If you _________________________ here, I’d be playing the video
games.
5. If my brother weren’t out of town, I _________________________ him to help me.
6. If it rains heavily, the river _________________________ its banks.
7. The typhoon signal No.8 is up. If I were you, I _________________________ of going
anywhere but stay at home today.
8. If we don’t start to work now, we _________________________ behind schedule.
9. Our teeth rot if we _________________________ them properly.
10. I wish I _________________________ the money more carefully yesterday!
11. You _________________________ a lift if there is a fire.
12. If you hadn’t reminded me, I _________________________ Amy’s birthday.
13. If Ruby _________________________ flags today, she would be hiking with us.
14. That’s great! If it weren’t a public holiday, I _________________________ here on the
beach.
15. If I _________________________ in a traffic jam, I would have been here on time.
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Exercise 4
Rewrite the following sentences using the words in brackets. The first one has been done
for you.
1. If you don’t study, you won’t pass your examinations. (unless)
_____________________________________________________________________
2. If you don’t hurry up, you won’t be able to cross the road before the traffic light turns
red. (or)
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
3. You can borrow my book if you return it by the weekend. (on the condition that)
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
4. It you don’t train for the football match, you’ll perform badly. (or else)
_____________________________________________________________________
5. I’ll go to the outdoor training if the weather is fine. (provided that)
_____________________________________________________________________
6. You can stay and watch us rehearse if you are quiet. (as long as)
_____________________________________________________________________
7. If you go to bed early, you’ll feel refreshed in the morning. (and)
_____________________________________________________________________
8. You can’t continuously work for six hours if you don’t take a break. (without)
_____________________________________________________________________
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