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CONDITIONAL SENTENCE
What is a Conditional Sentence? A conditional sentence in English language is used in
speculating about:
-What would happen?
-What might have happened?
-What we wish would happen?
Xtics
-Conditional Sentences contained the word “if “
-It comprises of 2 fundamental parts. If clause (conditional) and the main clause (the
consequence). The sentence begins with the word ‘if’ and is called if clause describing a
possible situation and the second part is called the main clause which describes the
consequence. For example:
-The main clause can only occur if the if clause is fulfilled
We can also invert the two parts of a conditional sentence so that the ‘if’ part comes second,
and this is especially common in questions. For example:
-What will you do if you miss the train?
-How can you finish the project if you don’t have a computer?
-What happens if the students don’t pass an exam?
-If you touch fire, you get burn.
-If people eat too much, they get fat.
-They will die if they don’t eat
-If it rains, we’ll get wet.
-If you heat water at 20degree centigrade, the water boils.
types of conditional sentences
There are four types of conditional sentences:
0 – The zero conditional
1 – The first conditional
2 – The second conditional
3 – The third conditional
4 –The mix conditional
It is also possible to mix the second and third conditional. Let’s look at each conditional to
see how they function.
The Zero Conditional
We use the zero conditional to talk about permanent truths, such as scientific facts, and
general habits. The structure is simple:
IF CLAUSE MAIN CLAUSE
IF + PRESENT SIMPLE PRESENT SIMPLE
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50% POSSIBILITY 100% CERTAINTY
IF + PRESENT SIMPLE, + PRESENT SIMPLE or
PRESENT SIMPLE + IF + PRSENT SIMPLE
Here are some examples:
-If you heat water to 100°, it boils.
-If you eat a lot, you put on weight.
-If it doesn’t rain for a long time, the earth gets very dry.
-If we go out with friends, we normally go to a restaurant.
-If I’m tired, I go to bed early.
NB: we can start the sentence with the main clause and in this case this no comma
-Water freezes if the temperature is below 32F.
The First Conditional
We use the first conditional to talk about a realistic situation in the present or future or
things that might happen in the future or describing possible things which could easily come
truex. The structure of the first conditional is as follows:
IF CLAUSE MAIN CLAUSE
IF + PRESENT SIMPLE SIMPLE FUTURE
50% POSSIBILITY 100% CERTAINTY
Here are some examples:
If you don’t hurry, you will miss the train.
If it rains today, you will get wet.
If you’re free later, we can go for a walk.
If they’re hungry, I’ll make some sandwiches.
If you’re not back by 5pm, give me a ring.
If he studies hard, he’ll do well in the exam.
If we arrive late, we must get a taxi.
He’ll call if he needs help.
Take a break if you’re tired.
Another way to make first conditional sentences is to use ‘unless’ which means ‘only if’ or
‘except’. As with ‘if’, the word ‘unless’ can never be followed by ‘will’ but only by the
present simple. For example:
Unless you hurry up, you won’t catch the bus.
I’ll carry on doing this work, unless my boss tells me to do something else.
We’ll stay at home unless the weather improves.
The Second Conditional
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We use the second conditional to talk about improbable or impossible situations in the
present or future. Here is the structure:
IF CLAUSE MAIN CLAUSE
IF + SIMPLE PAST PRESENT CONDITIONAL OR
PRESENT CONTINUOUS
CONDITIONAL
50% POSSIBILITY 100% CERTAINTY
For example:
If you went to bed earlier, you would not be so tired.
If it rained, you would get wet.
If I had more time, I’d exercise more. (But I don’t have more time so I don’t.)
If I were rich, I’d spend all my time travelling. (But I’m not rich so I can’t.)
If she saw a snake, she’d be terrified.
If he didn’t have to work late, he could go out with his girlfriend.
What would you do if you were offered a job in Canada?
You wouldn’t have to walk everywhere if you bought a bike.
A common expression used to give advice has the second conditional structure. The
expression is ‘If I were you, I’d’, meaning ‘in your situation, this is what I would do’. For
example:
A: I’ve got a headache.
B: If I were you, I’d take an aspirin.
A: I don’t understand this.
B: If I were you, I’d ask your teacher for help.
A: This order won’t be delivered on time.
B: If I were you, I’d phone the customer to let them know.
The Third Conditional
Third conditional sentences are used to refer to an unreal past situation and its past result.
Sentences that use the third conditional contain two clauses:
We often use the third conditional to describe regrets.
The structure is:
IF CLAUSE MAIN CLAUSE
If + Past perfect Perfect conditional or perfect continuous
conditional
50% POSSIBILITY 100% CERTAINTY
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Here are some examples:
If you had studied harder you would have passed the exam.
If I had accepted that promotion I would have been working in Milan.
If we had left earlier, we would have arrived on time.
If you hadn’t forgotten her birthday, she wouldn’t have been upset.
If they had booked earlier, they could have found better seats.
If I hadn’t learnt English, I wouldn’t have got this job.
What would you have studied if you hadn’t done engineering?
They wouldn’t have hired you if you hadn’t had some experience abroad.
You could have helped me if you’d stayed later.
Mixed Conditionals
The mixed type conditional is used to refer to a time that is in the past, and a situation that is
ongoing into the present. It’s possible to combine the second and third conditional in one
sentence when we want to make a hypothesis about the past that has a consequence in the
present .The mixed type conditional is used to refer to an unreal past condition and its probable
result in the present.
IF CLAUSE MAIN CLAUSE
If + Past perfect/past simple Present/perfect conditional: WOULD OR
COULD
0% POSSIBILITY 100% CERTAINTY
-If we had last looked at the map, we wouldn’t be lost.
-If I had worked harder at school, I would have a better job now.