Zero Conditional:
Structure: If + present simple, present simple
Usage: Used for general truths, facts, or situations that are always true.
Example: If you heat water to 100 degrees Celsius, it boils.
If a person works hard, he succeeds.
If you go into the water, you get wet.
If you work more next week, you get less days off.
If I wake up early in the morning, I feel tired.
If I watch TV at night, I feel tired in the morning.
First Conditional:
Structure: If + present simple, will + base form(1st form of the verb)
Usage: Used for possible future situations or events based on a present condition.
Example: If it rains, I will stay at home.
If Mary doesn’t come, I won’t go tonight.
If my sister is still sick I will stay with her.
If my mother comes to Croatia with me, I will stay with her a little longer.
If Maelle wants to go to the park, I will go with her.
If Ivan doesn’t answer his phone, he won’t know who is calling him.
If I buy a car, I will visit you in your city.
If I go to work earlier, I will come home earlier as well.
Second Conditional: (Unless)
Structure: If + past simple, would/might/(Modal verbs)+ base form (1st form)
Usage: Used for hypothetical or unreal situations in the present or future.
Example: If I had a million dollars, I would travel around the world.
If I worked hard, I would get the job of my dreams.
If it was the end of the world, I would spend more time with my grandmother.
If I got sick, I wouldn’t travel anymore around the world.
If I broke my leg, I wouldn’t be able to go to work anymore.
If I went to USA before, I wouldn’t wan to go again.
If my car broke down, I wouldn’t be able to visit you.
If the weather was bad, I wouldn’t go skiing.
If I lived in Russia, I would have my own apartment.
Third Conditional:
Structure: If + past perfect, would(might, could) Present perfect (have + past participle)
Usage: Used for situations that did not happen in the past but you wish it happened.
Example: If she had studied harder, she would have passed the exam.
If I had helped her, she might have finished on time at work.
If I had listened to my stepfather, I might have finished my doctoral now.
If I had decided to keep the house, I couldn’t have been in Australia.
If I had played more tennis, I might have been a good player now.
If I had decided to come to Australia earlier, I could have been in another country already.
If I had worked harder and had learned more about my profession and English, I would have
gotten a good job and salary.
If I had gone to Mexico before, I could have been fluent in Spanish already.
If I had worked hard, I would have been tired.
If I had been not a banker, I would have been a sportsman.
If I had not lived in Italy, I would have lived in Switzerland.
If you had told me
Mixed Conditionals:
Combine elements of different conditional types.
Example: If it had been sunny yesterday, I would be at the beach now.
Mixed conditionals combine elements of different conditional types within the same sentence.
They often involve a present or ongoing condition with a past result or vice versa. Here are
two common patterns for mixed conditionals:
Present Result of a Past Condition (Present/Past):
Structure: If + past perfect, would + base form (present result)
Example: If she had taken the earlier train, she wouldn't be late now.
Past Result of a Present Condition (Past/Present):
Structure: If + past simple, would(Past perfect) have + past participle (past result)
Example: If I had more time today, I would have finished the project.
If my father hadn’t moved from my hometown, I wouldn’t have to drive for 1 hour to reach
his city.
If I hadn’t taken some holidays during march, I wouldn’t have been able to celebrate my
birthday.
That’s keeping me going.