Conditional sentences

 CONDITIONALS

The zero conditional

This conditional is used when the result will always happen.

IF	CONDITION	RESULT
If	Present simple	Present simple

We can use this type with laws and rules.

Examples:

1.- If you heat ice, it melts.

2.- If water reaches 100 degrees, it boils.

3.- If the sun goes down, it gets dark.

We can use when instead of if and the meaning doesn’t change.

And we can change the order of the two parts and the result is the same.

4.- I am happy when I eat.

5.- You get burned if you touch a fire.

The first conditional

It’s used to talk about things which might happen in the future.

IF	CONDITION	RESULT
If	Present simple	Will + Infinitive

Examples:

1.- If it doesn’t rain tomorrow, we will go to the beach.

2.- If he comes to the party, I will be angry.

3.- If she comes home, I will tell her about the exam.

4.- When I finish work, I will call you.

5.- I will you buy a car if I sell my house.

It is also common to use this structure with: 

unless, as long as, as soon as or in case instead of if.

6.- I won't stay in London unless they raise my salary.

7.- We'll work as long as they pay us.

8.- I’ll leave as soon as the babysitter arrives.

9.- I’ll give you a key in case I'm not at home.

The second conditional

We can use it to talk about things in the future that are probably not going to be true.

IF	CONDITION	RESULT
If	Past simple	Would + infinitive

Examples:

1.- If I won a lot of money, I would buy a big house in the country.

2.- If I were you, I wouldn’t worry.

3.- If you didn’t live so far away, I would visit you more often.

The third conditional

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

IF	CONDITION	RESULT
If	Past perfect	Would + have + Past participle

Examples:

1.- If she had studied, she would have passed the exam. 

2.- If I hadn't eaten so much, I wouldn't have felt sick.

3.- If we had taken a taxi, we wouldn't have missed the plane.

4.- She would have become a teacher if she had gone to university.

5.- He would have been on time for the interview if he had left the house at nine.

6.- If I hadn't been ill, I would have gone to the party.

7.- If I had understood the instructions properly, I would have passed the exam.

The mixed conditional

1. Past/Present 

Here's a sentence imagining how a change in a past situation would have a result in the present.

IF	CONDITION	RESULT
If	Past perfect	Would + infinitive

Examples:

1.- If I hadn't got the job in Tokyo, I wouldn't be with my current partner.

2.- If I hadn’t gone to Córdoba to do my military service, I wouldn’t be with my partner right now.

3.- If you hadn't gone to bed so late, you wouldn't feel sleepy now.

4.- If I had taken the underground, I wouldn't be in a traffic jam.

 

2.- Present/Past

Here's a sentence imagining how a different situation in the present would mean that the past was different as well.

IF	CONDITION	RESULT
If	Past simple	Would + have + past participle

Examples:

1.- It's really important. If it wasn't, I wouldn't have called you on your holiday.

2.- If I had more willpower, I would have given up smoking long ago.

3.- If I were fitter, I would have finished the race.