Conditional Clauses

if-clause 0. talking about general truth: present 1. expressing possibility: 2. expressing unlikability: 3. expressing impossibility: present past past perfect

main clause present will future conditional I conditional II

EXAMPLES: 0. If you break the law you are an offender.

There is not really a condition linked to this statement. It is true for everyone.

If they lose weight during the medical therapy, they regain it afterwards.
General statement based on experience.

1. If the weather is as sunny tomorrow as it was today, we will go surfing.

Talking about things which may possibly happen in the future.

I will call you if I need any help.

Referring to a possible future event.

2. If I had any money I would lend it to you.

Talking about things that are unlikely to happen.

They wouldn't believe me if I told them the truth.

Expressing personal doubts.

MIND: 'were' is often used instead of 'was', esp. after 'I'

If I were you I wouldn't do this.

3. If I had seen the car earlier, I wouldn't have stepped onto the road.
Talking about things in the past that could have happened, but that didn't actually happen.

I would have called him if I had known he was so depressed.

Impossible to change because over.