CONDITIONALS

ZERO CONDITIONALS – USUALLY USED FOR THINGS THAT ARE ALW. TRUE, like a scientific
fact.

 If you don´t eat for 40 days, you die.

 If you heat ice, it melts.

Notice that we are thinking about a result that is always true for this condition.
The result of the condition is an absolute certainty. We are not thinking about
the future or the past, or even the present. We are thinking about a simple fact.
We use the present simple tense to talk about the condition. We also use the
present simple tense to talk about the result. The important thing about the zero
conditional is that the condition always has the same result.

We can also use when instead of if, for example: When I get up late I miss my
bus.

Look at some more examples in the tables below:

IF condition result

present simple present simple

If I miss the 8 o'clock bus I am late for work.

If I am late for work my boss gets angry.

If people don't eat they get hungry.

If you heat ice does it melt?


result IF condition

present simple present simple

I am late for work if I miss the 8 o'clock bus.

My boss gets angry if I am late for work.

People get hungry if they don't eat.

Does ice melt

The structure of a zero conditional sentence

A zero conditional sentence consists of two clauses, an “if” clause and a main
clause (In most zero conditional sentences you can use when or if and the
meaning will stay the same.):

“if” clause main clause

If you heat water to 100 degrees, it boils.

If the “if” clause comes first, a comma is usually used. If the “if” clause comes
second, there is no need for a comma:

main clause “if” clause

Water boils if you heat it to 100 degrees,

We use the same verb form in each part of a zero conditional: the simple
present tense:

“if” clause if + subject + simple present verb

main clause

Using the zero conditional

The zero conditional is used to talk about things which are always true — such
as scientific facts and general truths:

Example Explanation

If you cross an international date This always happens — every time you
line, the time changes. cross a date line.

If it rains, the grass gets wet. This is basically always true — the rain
 makes the grass wet.

Wood doesn't burn if there is no This is a scientific fact — wood needs air in
air. order to burn. No air = no fire.

FIRST CONDITIONALS – USUALLY FOR THINGS THAT HAVE A LOGICAL END

http://www.shertonenglish.com/resources/es/conditionals/type1.php

First Conditional: real possibility

We are talking about the future. We are thinking about a particular condition or
situation in the future, and the result of this condition. There is a real possibility that this
condition will happen. For example, it is morning. You are at home. You plan to play
tennis this afternoon. But there are some clouds in the sky. Imagine that it rains. What
will you do?

IF condition result

present simple WILL + base verb

If it rains I will stay at home.

Notice that we are thinking about a future condition. It is not raining yet. But the sky is
cloudy and you think that it could rain. We use the present simple tense to talk about the
possible future condition. We use WILL + base verb to talk about the possible future
result. The important thing about the first conditional is that there is a real possibility
that the condition will happen. Here are some more examples (do you remember the
two basic structures: [IF condition result] and [result IF condition]?):

IF condition result

present simple WILL + base verb

If I see Mary I will tell her.

If Tara is free tomorrow he will invite her.

 If they do not pass their exam their teacher will be sad.

If it rains tomorrow will you stay at home?

If it rains tomorrow what will you do?

result IF condition

WILL + base verb present simple

I will tell Mary if I see her.

He will invite Tara if she is free tomorrow.

Their teacher will be sad if they do not pass their exam.

Will you stay at home if it rains tomorrow?

What will you do if it rains tomorrow?

Sometimes, we use shall, can, or may instead of will, for example: If you are good today, you
can watch TV tonight.

 If you don´t study, you won´t pass the subject.

Fill in the gaps with the correct form of the verbs in brackets:

1. Joe ...wiil get....................( get) there in time if he ....runs.....................(run).

2. Where .......will.........we ......stay.............(stay) if we don’t find............( not find) a
hotel?
3. If she comes....................(come) today, we are going to go...............(go) to the
cinema.
4. Sally won’t pass .......................( not pass) her exams, if she doesn’t study.............( not
study) hard.
5. He ...will be........................(be) happy if Mary ...tells................( tell) him the truth.

Complete the following sentences using the 1st conditionals:

1. If I have more money, I _______________________________ .

2. If my parents (be) separated, I ________________________________ .

3. If I __________________( not smoke), I _______________________________.

4. If I ________________( win) the lottery, I _______________________________

5. If I _________________( know) how to drive, I __________________________.

1. 1. If you ____________(not study), you ____________(fail) the test.

2. We __________(die) if we ___________(not get) help soon!
3. If you ___________(look) in the fridge, you ___________(find) some
cold drinks.
4. If there ___________(be) no oil in the engine, the car ________(break)
down.
5. I __________(lend) you my umbrella if you ________(need) it.
6. The sea level __________(rise) if the planet ----------(get) hotter.
7. If you ___________(eat) your sandwiches now, you _________(not
have) anything for lunch!
8. You _________(be) safe in an accident if you _________(wear) your
seatbelt.
9. If he ____________(save) all his money, he ___________(be able to
go) on holiday to Canada.
10. I _______________(not come) with you if you _________(not bring)
John!
 1. If Clare ___________________ late again, the hockey trainer will be furious. (to arrive)

2. You'll be sorry if you ___________________ for your exams. (not to revise)

3. We ___________________ if the weather's good. (to go)

4. They ___________________ you if you wear a wig and dark glasses. (to recognise)

5. If the bus ___________________ on time, I won't miss the football. (to be)

6. If you ___________________ your homework now, you'll be free all tomorrow. (to do)

7. We___________________ out if there's no food at home. (to eat)

8. You'll find life much easier if you ___________________ more often. (to smile)

9. If it's hot, we___________________ for a swim. (to go)

10. You'll do it better if you ___________________ more time over it. (to take)

11. If she ___________________ practising, she'll get better. (to keep)

12. Mum will be very sad if Jim ___________________ Mother's Day again. (to forget)

13. I___________________ so happy if I pass the exam. (to be)

14. You'll be really tired tomorrow if you ___________________ to bed soon. (not to go)

15. The government ___________________ the next election if they continue to ignore
public opinion. (to lose)

16. If Valencia FC win the Spanish football league, I___________________ my hair blue.
(to dye)

17. If someone ___________________ you a bike, you can come with us. (to lend)

1) If I ________(go) out tonight, I ___________(go) to the cinema. Check Show Answer

2) If you ________(get) back late, I _________(be) angry. Check Show Answer

3) If we _________(not/see) each other tomorrow, we _______(see) Check Show Answer

each other next week.
4) If he ___________(come) , I _________(be) surprised. Check Show Answer

5) If we ___________(wait) here, we __________(be) late. Check Show Answer

6) If we _________(go) on holiday this summer, we _______(go) to Check Show Answer

Spain.
7) If the weather __________(not/improve) , we ________(not/have) Check Show Answer
a picnic.
8) They ___________(go) to the party if they _________(be) invited. Check Show Answer

9) If I _________(not/go) to bed early, I ________(be) tired

tomorrow.
10) If we __________(eat) all this cake, we __________(feel) sick. Check Show Answer

11) She __________(stay) in London if she _________(get) a job. Check Show Answer

12) If you ___________(not/want) to go out, I __________(cook) Check Show Answer

dinner at home.
13) I ____________(come) early, if you __________(want). Check Show Answer

14) He ______________(not/get) a better job if he Check Show Answer

__________(not/pass) that exam.
15) I _____________(buy) a new dress if I ________(have) enough Check Show Answer
money.
16) She _____________(cook) dinner if you __________(go) to the Check Show Answer
supermarket.
17) They ___________(go) on holiday if they ___________(have) Check Show Answer
time.

18) We ___________(be) late if we ____________(not/hurry).

Check Show Answer

19) She _______________(take) a taxi if it _____________(rain). Check Show Answer

20) I ________________(not/go) if you _____________(do not

come/not/come) with me.

The second conditional (also called conditional type 2) is a structure used for
talking about unreal situations in the present or in the future. This page will
explain how the second conditional is formed, and when to use it.

1. The structure of a second conditional sentence

Like a first conditional, a second conditional sentence consists of two clauses,

an "if" clause and a main clause:

IF clause main clause

If I had a million dollars, I would buy a big house.

If the "if" clause comes first, a comma is usually used. If the "if" clause comes
second, there is no need for a comma:

main clause IF clause

I would buy a big house if I had a million dollars.

We use different verb forms in each part of a second conditional:We use

different verb forms in each part of a second conditional:

http://www.shertonenglish.com/resources/es/conditionals/type2.php

Second Conditional: unreal possibility or dream

The second conditional is like the first conditional. We are still thinking about the
future. We are thinking about a particular condition in the future, and the result of this
condition. But there is not a real possibility that this condition will happen. For
example, you do not have a lottery ticket. Is it possible to win? No! No lottery ticket, no
win! But maybe you will buy a lottery ticket in the future. So you can think about
winning in the future, like a dream. It's not very real, but it's still possible.

IF condition result

past simple WOULD + base verb

If I won the lottery I would buy a car.

Notice that we are thinking about a future condition. We use the past simple tense to
talk about the future condition. We use WOULD + base verb to talk about the future
result. The important thing about the second conditional is that there is an unreal
possibility that the condition will happen.

Here are some more examples:

IF condition result

past simple WOULD + base verb

If I married Mary I would be happy.

If Ram became rich she would marry him.

If it snowed next December would you be surprised?

If it snowed next July what would you do?

result IF condition

WOULD + base verb past simple

I would be happy if I married Mary.

She would marry Ram if he became rich.

Would you be surprised if it snowed next July?

What would you do if it snowed next July?

Sometimes, we use should, could or might instead of would, for example: If I won a million
dollars, I could stop working.