Conditionals

Which sentence/s
describe(s) a situation/s
that can or could
possibly happen?
If I knew the President personally, I would work for him.

If Mrs Carlos invites Ted to run for office, he might.

If you water the plant, it grows.

If Ellen had been rich, she would have studied abroad.

 Possible Situations Impossible Situations
If I knew the president
If you water the plant,
personally, I would
it grows.
work for him.
If Mrs Carlos invites If Ellen had been rich,
Ted to run for office, she would have studied
he might. abroad.
 Conditionals
Are the results likely to happen?

Yes No
only if conditions are conditions
conditions are impossible to were/will never
conditions are
sure to be met satisfy be met
met
 Zero Conditional
Are the results conditions are sure
Yes
likely to happen? to be met

• express scientific facts,

generally unchanging truth, and
other factual information
 Zero Conditional
Are the results conditions are sure
Yes
likely to happen? to be met

• express relationships based on

habits in the present or
in the past
 Zero Conditional
Condition Result
If + simple simple
present present
tense of the tense of the
verb verb
 Zero Conditional
•The plant will grow if we
water it.

result condition
 Zero Conditional
•If I wear blue, my best friend
wears red.
condition result
 First Conditional
Are the results only if conditions
Yes
likely to happen? are met
•express an action in the future
that is dependent on a condition
that is likely (but is not certain)
to happen
First Conditional: Certainty
Condition Result
If + simple
present future tense
tense of the of the verb
verb
First Conditional: Certainty
•If Zeny stops eating sweets,
she will lose weight.

result condition
First Conditional: Possibility
Condition Result
If + simple might +
present present
tense of the tense of the
verb verb
First Conditional: Possibility
•If Manny arrives early,
he might come with me to
the party.
result
condition
First Conditional: Permission
Condition Result
If + simple may +
present present
tense of the tense of the
verb verb
First Conditional: Permission
•If the rain is strong, classes
may be cancelled.

result
condition
First Conditional: Obligation
Condition Result
If + simple should +
present present
tense of the tense of the
verb verb
First Conditional: Obligation
•If there is heavy flooding,
classes should be cancelled.

result
condition
 Second Conditional
Are the results likely conditions are
No
to happen? impossible to satisfy

•provides an imaginary result

because the situation is
improbable
 Second Conditional
Condition Result

If + past would +
tense of base form
the verb of the verb
 Second Conditional
•If I owned an airplane,
I would fly around the
world every year.
condition result
 Second Conditional
Condition Result

would +
If + were base form
of the verb
 Second Conditional
•If I were the richest man,
I would buy houses
for the poor.
condition result
 Third Conditional
Are the results likely to conditions were
No
happen? never/will never be met

•expresses situations that are

completely impossible to happen
because the conditions were never
met in the past hence, imaginary
 Third Conditional
Condition Result

If + past would + have +

perfect tense past participle
of the verb of the verb
 Third Conditional
•If Louie had not been too
ambitious, he would have
gotten the job.
condition result
How can conditionals
help express real and
unreal situations clearly?