Conditionals 0 - 1 - 2 OCT 2023

Conditionals & If Clauses in English Grammar
What is a conditional?
Conditionals are mainly if clauses: they express a situation or condition and its
possible result. An if-clause expresses a condition, while the main clause expresses the
result.
- This presentation needs to be great. If the client likes it, they will invest in the
company.
- Oh no! If I had known that, I wouldn’t have volunteered!
TYPES OF CONDITIONALS: ZERO or REAL; FIRST; SECOND and THIRD
ZERO CONDITIONAL
Zero conditionals are used to talk about facts, such as scientific facts, or when the
result of the condition is always true.
 If you heat ice, it melts

 If you leave milk out, it spoils.
 If you study grammar, it gets easier.
 If I exercise, I feel healthier.
Zero Conditional: If … + simple present , … + simple present.
Examples:
If you leave ice cream in the sun, it melts.
If you heat water, it boils.
Since zero conditionals describe general truths, things that happen all the time, you can
also use “when” instead of “If” in the condition part of the sentence, with the meaning
remaining the same. The use of ‘when’ also adds certainty to something happening.
 When it rains, I always take an umbrella

 When I find a good series on Netflix, I binge watch all weekend!
 When the sun sets, it gets dark.
 When I drink coffee, I don’t sleep.
This conditional is also used to give orders or instructions:
- If you feel sick, go to the doctor.

- Don’t open the door if someone knocks.
NOTE:
REMEMBER THE SIMPLE PRESENT USES THE AUXILIARIES DO AND DOES / DON’T & DOESN’T FOR ALL
THE VERBS EXCEPT FOR THE VERB TO BE. For the verb To Be you must use IS / AM / ARE / ISN’T /
AREN’T / I’M NOT. ALSO, HE /SHE AND IT MUST HAVE AN “S” AT THE END OF THE VERB WHEN THERE
IS NO AUXILIARY PRESENT.
PRACTICE 1:
https://www.liveworksheets.com/worksheets/en/English_as_a_Second_Language_(ESL)/
Zero_Conditional/Zero_conditionals_ls868840pg
PRACTICE 2:
https://www.perfect-english-grammar.com/zero-conditional-exercise-1.html
PRACTICE 3:
https://www.grammarbank.com/zero-conditional-exercise.html
FIRST CONDITIONAL (real conditional)
First Conditional: If … + simple present, … + will
The first conditional, also known as the real conditional, talks about future actions
that can only occur providing that a certain condition (expressed in the if-clause) is fulfilled. It is
known as the real conditional because it refers to realistic possibilities. It can be use for future
plans, warnings, threats, and promises.
Examples:
- If the client likes our presentation, they will invest in our company.
- If the client doesn’t invest, our boss will be angry.
- If you touch my chocolate bar, I’ll kill you.
- If you don’t take care of yourself, you can get sick.
- If you help me, I’ll give you 20 dollars.
 Instead of Will, once can also use: 'can', 'may', 'might', 'must', 'should', 'could'.
UNLESS = A MENOS QUE

I will go to the picnic unless it rains.
Unless you have a valid driver’s license, you won’t drive my car.
I'll attend the meeting unless something urgent comes up.
PRACTICE:
http://www.focus.olsztyn.pl/en-conditional-first-exercises.html#.XicvDiN7k2w
SECOND CONDITIONAL
Second Conditional: If … + simple past, … + would
The second conditional talks about an unlikely or imaginary event and its result. It is
therefore known as the unreal conditional.
Example:
If you had money, we would go to the concert.
If I didn’t have a free summer, I wouldn’t be able to travel.
If you had six weeks off, where would you go?
I wouldn’t relax if I had to buy new bus tickets every day.
If I were you, I would start practicing.
If she won the lottery, she would buy a luxury mansion.
When to use second conditional if-clauses
 We use second conditional if-clauses include: giving advice, asking hypothetical

questions, imagining life as different, making excuses.
Examples:
If I were you, I would go to Europe.
Where would you go if you had six weeks off?
If I lived abroad, I would miss my family a lot.
I’m so sorry, if I didn’t have to work, I would come to your party.
*We can use the modal verbs could and might instead of would. Could introduces the
idea of ability, while might expresses a possibility. We do not use should in the second
conditional.
Example:
If you went to Europe, you could see multiple countries in one day.
Travelling might be easier if you had a bigger budget.
If I were you versus If I was you
When we use the verb be in second conditional if-clauses, we use were instead of was
with I, he, she and it. This allows to change the mood from the indicative to the
subjunctive that is used to express an unreal or hypothetical condition (was is used to
refer to a situation that actually happened in the past).
Examples:
If it were possible, I would stay in five-star hotels for the whole trip.
= If it was possible, …
If it weren’t so busy at the beach, we would go more often.
= If it wasn’t so busy …
The most common structure in this context is if I were you. It is practical for giving
advice.
Example:
If I were you, I would go to Europe.
Commas in the conditionals
We can reverse the order of the clauses with no change in meaning. When the if-clause
comes first, it is followed by a comma. When the clauses are reversed, we do not use a
comma.
Examples:
If I won the lottery, I would retire early. = I would retire early if I won the lottery.
If I did that, the planning would be a nightmare. (comma after the if-clause)
The planning would be a nightmare if I did that. (no comma)
PRACTICE
Complete the second conditional sentences.
1. If you (study) harder, you (get) better marks in your tests.

2. If I (be) rich, I (travel) around the world.
3. She (come) to the market with us if she (not/have) to work.
https://english.lingolia.com/en/grammar/second-conditional/exercises
https://www.perfect-english-grammar.com/second-conditional-exercise-1.html
https://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises/if_clauses/type_2_mix2.htm
NOT INCLUDED IN THIS LEVEL
Third Conditional: past perfect + would have + past participle
The third conditional is also known as the impossible conditional: it looks back at
past situations and their outcome and imagines them as different.
Examples:
If we had known about the presentation sooner, we would have prepared more.
I would have been impressed if he had created the plan himself.
3rd conditional
 If she had studied, she would have passed the exam (but, really we know she
didn't study and so she didn't pass)
 If I hadn't eaten so much, I wouldn't have felt sick (but I did eat a lot, and so I
did feel sick).
 If we had taken a taxi, we wouldn't have missed the plane
 She wouldn't have been tired if she had gone to bed earlier
 She would have become a teacher if she had gone to university
 He would have been on time for the interview if he had left the house at nine

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Conditionals & If Clauses in English Grammar

- Oh no! If I had known that, I wouldn’t have volunteered!

TYPES OF CONDITIONALS: ZERO or REAL; FIRST; SECOND and THIRD

 If you heat ice, it melts

Zero Conditional: If … + simple present , … + simple present.

 When it rains, I always take an umbrella

This conditional is also used to give orders or instructions:

- If you feel sick, go to the doctor.

FIRST CONDITIONAL (real conditional)

First Conditional: If … + simple present, … + will

UNLESS = A MENOS QUE

Second Conditional: If … + simple past, … + would

When to use second conditional if-clauses

 We use second conditional if-clauses include: giving advice, asking hypothetical

Commas in the conditionals

Complete the second conditional sentences.

1. If you (study) harder, you (get) better marks in your tests.

NOT INCLUDED IN THIS LEVEL

Third Conditional: past perfect + would have + past participle

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