Grammar

Conditional sentences

What is a conditional sentence?

•A conditional sentence is refering to a two-part sentence, where one part begins with if and it is called the if-clause. The
other part is called the main clause or the the consequence clause.

If the weather is fine, we will go on a picnic.

If-clause main clause/ or consequence clause.

•Conditional sentences allow us to talk about POSSIBLE and IMPOSSIBLE/ UNREAL situations and their CONSEQUENCES.

•There are four main types of conditional sentences in English:

Conditional type 0, type 1, type 2 and type 3.

Conditional type 0

Form:
If + present simple, + present simple.
Present simple + if + present simple.

Example:
If you put water in the freezer, it becomes ice.
If you heat ice, it melts.
People die if they don't eat.
If you mix oil and water, the oil floats.
If babies are hungry, they cry.

Use:
Conditional type 0 is used for situations or conditions that are always true. For example, scientific facts and
general truths.
 Conditional type 1
Form:
If + present simple, + future simple (will do)
Future simple + if + present simple.

Examples:
If I have money, I will travel with my friends.
If the weather is fine, we will go on a picnic.
We’ll go swimming if it is sunny.
If you study hard, you will succeed.
He will come to school tomorrow if he is better.

Use:
Conditional type 1 is used for present and future situations which are really possible.

Conditional type 2
Form: If + past simple, + would + infinitive.
Would + infinitive + if + past simple.

Examples:
If I lived in casablanca, I would go to the cinema more often.
If I went to live in England, I would learn English very quickly.
If I had money, I would travel with my friends.
I would go out with you if I had time.
He would buy that castle if he were a millionaire.

Use:
Conditional type 2 is used for present or future situations that are unreal or impossible.
 Conditional type 3
Form: If + past perfect, + would have + past participle.
Would have + past participle + if + past perfect.

Examples:
If I had revised my lessons well, I would have got a good mark.
If I had seen him, I would have invited him to the party.
He wouldn’t have had that accident, if he had been more careful.
If I had known he was sick, I would have visited him.
If I had got the visa, I would have spent the summer in England.

Use:
Conditional type 3 is used for past situations that did not happen. They are just unreal and imagined situations
about the past.
It is also used to express regret.

Practice
Match the following parts of sentences:

He won’t be able to buy those books. I would go on a diet.

If she had been more careful, she would have been able to vote.

If I were you, if we don’t lend him the money.

They will do it, if she isn’t more careful.

If she had been older, she wouldn’t have fallen of the wall.

If they had had time, if she were older.

She will have an accident they would have done it.

She would be able to travel alone, if they have time.

Complete the sentences:

1-I stayed in the sun all day. My face has got sunburnt.
hadn’t stayed
If I ……………………………………….. wouldn’t have got
in the sun all day, my face …………………………………………. Sunburnt.

2-I was fired because I had an argument with the manager.

hadn’t had
If I ……………………………………… wouldn’t have been
an argument with the manager, I …………………………………………… fired.

3-I didn’t win the race. I didn’t train well.

had trained
If I ………………………………… would have won
well, I ………………………………………… the race.

4-I wasn’t careful enough and I have cut my finger.

had been
If I ……………………………………. wouldn’t have cut
more careful, I ………………………………………… my finger.

5-I didn’t wake up on time. I didn’t catch the bus.

had woken
If I …………………………………. would have caught
up on time, I …………………......................... the bus.