CONDITIONAL

SENTENCES
with Syeda Rifa Anjum
 3 Types

First, Second and

Third conditional
First Conditional
If I see Andrew at the meeting, I'll give him your message.

PRESENT SIMPLE FUTURE SIMPLE

USE: To talk about something that is quite likely

to happen in the future. It is very possible that I
will see Andrew at the meeting, in which case I'll
give him your message. The condition is quite
likely to be fulfilled. For presenting future plans,
real possibilities, steps in an argument, points in a
procedure, predictable consequences,
instructions.
 Second Conditional
(Hypothetical)
What would happen if…?
If my parents were alive, they would be very proud of me now.

PAST SIMPLE WOULD + INFINITIVE

USE: To talk about a present situation which is

impossible, a hypothetical situation. The situation
cannot be fulfilled because my parents are not alive.
If she changed her job, she'd be much happier.
USE: To talk about a event which is unlikely to
happen. The speaker doesn`t expect her to change
her job. That is, it is unlikely that the condition will
be fulfilled.
 Third Conditional
What would have happened if…?
If she had worked harder, she would have passed her exams.

PAST PERFECT WOULD + PERFECT INFINITIVE

USE:
USE To talk about something that might have
happened in the past, but didn`t. She didn`t work hard
enough and, consequently, she didn`t pass her exams.
It also expresses excuses, regrets and blame for past
events.
 The zero conditional
(factual)
What happens if…?
If I stay out late, I always take a taxi home.

PRESENT SIMPLE PRESENT SIMPLE

USE: To describe something that is generally true. The use of if

here is very similar to when. For presenting habits, general truths,
rules, typical patterns, correlations.

We can also use the past simple in the two clauses.

If I stayed out late, I always got a taxi home.
 Conditional Sentences:
Variations in tenses
First Conditional: The if clause is usually in the present simple.
However, we can also use:
Present continuous:
If he's still waiting for you, he'll be very angry.
Present perfect simple:
If Rob's received your letter, he'll phone you.
 Present perfect continuous:
If it's been raining all night, you'll have to wear boots.
 Can: If I can finish work early, I'll help you.
 Should: If I should see him, I'll tell him the news.
The main clause usually has the verb will / shall. But we
can also use:
 Going to:
If Helen passes her exams, I'm going to buy her a present.
 Future continuous:
If we book this holiday, we'll be lying on the beach in two weeks` time.
 Future perfect:
If they win the next match, they'll have won every match in the season.
 Imperative:
If you need me, call me.
 Can / could, may / might, should / ought to, must
If you don't eat your dinner, you can't have an ice cream.
 Tense variations in conditional 2
The if clause usually takes the past simple. However,
it is also possible to use:

 Past continuous:
If you were coming with me, I`d give you a lift.

 Could
If I could have the day off, I`d go with you.

Were / was to:

If you were to ask Steve, I`m sure he would do it.
The main clause usually has the modal would + infinitive. However, the
modals could and might are also used and the infinitive can be in the
continuous form:

• If we had more money, we wouldn`t be living here.

• If we had more money, we could go out more.
• If you asked Tony, he might do it for you.
 Tense variations in conditional 3
The if clause is usually in the past perfect simple. However, we can also use the
past perfect continuous or could + perfect infinitive.

If he had been travelling in the car, he would have been

killed too.

If we could have got a taxi, we would have come round to

see you.
The main clause usually has the modal would + perfect infinitive. However,
we can also use the modals could and might + perfect infinitive.

If I had known there was no more work to do, I could have stayed in bed.

If the ambulance had come sooner, he might have been saved.

 MIXED CONDITIONALS
C
 If-clauses can be mixed provided that they make sense within a context.

If-clause Main clause

Type 3 If she had worked harder She would have a degree Type 2
at university, now.

(she didn`t work hard at so she doesn`t have a

university degree now. )
Type 2 If I were faster, I would have won the Type 3
race.
(I´m not fast so I didn´t win the race.)

Type2 If they were studying all they will be tired now. Type 1
morning,
(they were studying so they are tired now.)
 Words other than if
Unless I won`t go out unless he comes too.
Even if Even if it rains, we`ll go to the match.
If only If only I had money, I would go out more.
As/so long as You can use the car as long as you take care of
it.
On condition I`ll lend you the car on condition that you take
(that) care of it.

Provided / I`ll lend you the car provided that you take care
providing of it.
(that)
Assuming Assuming that you take care of the car, I`ll lend
(that) it to you.
In questions….
Suppose / Suppose you had a lot of
supposing (that) money, would you give up
work?
What if What if you had a lot of
money, would you give up
work?
Imagine Imagine you had a lot of
money, would you give up
work?
 IMPLIED CONDITIONALS
Conditions are not always expressed in the form of
conditional clauses, particularly in spoken English.
They can be expressed in another way or they
may be evident from the context. The rules for the
verb usage are still followed in the result clause
(main clause).

He committed the crime, otherwise he wouldn’t have been

arrested. (implied conditional)
If he hadn’t committed the crime, he wouldn’t have been arrested.

I would have stayed longer, but he didn’t ask me to.

(implied conditional)
I would have stayed longer if he had asked me to.
 Inversion
• If the first verb in a conditional if clause is should,
were or had, we can leave out if and put the verb at
the start of the clause. We do this particularly in
formal or literary English.
 Should any of this cost you anything, send me the bill (If
any of this should…)

 It would be embarrassing were she to find out the truth.

(… if she were to find out…)

Had they not rushed to hospital, Dan would have died. (If
they hadn`t rushed…)
We use if it was / were not for + noun to say that one
situation is dependent on another situation.

 If it wasn`t / weren`t for the fireman, my dog would have died

in the fire.
 If it hadn`t been for my parents, I wouldn`t have gone to
university.

We also use but for + noun with a similar meaning:

 But for Jim`s support, I wouldn`t have got the job.

• In real conditional sentence, we use
If… happen to,
If … should,
If … should happen to
to talk about something that may be possible
but is not very likely:
 If you happen to be in our area, drop in and
see us.
If you should be in our area, …
 If you should happen to be in our area, …
 Polite requests
We can use if… will in requests:
oIf you will take your seats, ladies and
gentlemen, we can begin the meeting.

 if you want to make a request more

polite, you can use if…would:
o If you would take your seats, …
THANK
YOU