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English Conditionals Guide

The document discusses different types of conditionals in English grammar: zero conditional, first conditional, second conditional, third conditional. It provides examples and explanations of each conditional and common mistakes made in using conditionals.

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13 views7 pages

English Conditionals Guide

The document discusses different types of conditionals in English grammar: zero conditional, first conditional, second conditional, third conditional. It provides examples and explanations of each conditional and common mistakes made in using conditionals.

Uploaded by

usman soomro
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Conditionals

ARIF ANJUM
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH, UNIVERSITY OF KARACHI
Zero Conditional
 Structure: IF + clause in Present Simple , + clause
Present Simple.
 Examples:
i. If you heat water to 100 degrees, it boils.
ii. If people eat too much, they get fat.
iii. If you touch a fire, you get burned.
iv. If I drink too much coffee, I can't sleep at night.
 We use Zero Conditional to talk about universal
truths or routines, things that will always happen.
First Conditional
 Structure: IF + clause in Present Simple , + clause
in Future Simple.
 Examples:
i. If it rains tomorrow, I'll take the car.
ii. If you study hard, you will pass your exams.
iii. You will pass your exams if you study hard.
iv. If you go out of that door, I’ll call you father.
 We use first conditional to talk about things that
will happen in future if the other condition is met.
First Conditional
 Common Mistakes
 Many Pakistani students use Future Simple in
both of the clauses, while they should use
Present Simple in the IF clause.
 If you will go out, I will tell dad.
 Sometimes, people add then after the first
clause. If you go out then I will tell dad.
 This is not entirely wrong but it is tautology, an
unnecessary word or phrase.
Second Conditional 5

Second Conditional: If + subject + past simple, +


Future Simple with would
 If I became president, I would change the social
security system. (Said by a schoolboy:
improbable)
Compare: If I become president, I will change the social security system. (Said
by a presidential candidate)

 If I knew his name, I would report him to the


police. (‫)اﮔﺮ ﻧﺎم ﻣﻌﻠﻮم ﮨﻮ ﺟﺎﺋﮯ‬
Second Conditional 6

If I were …
This is a sort of Special Construction used for both
past and present
 If I were you, I would work hard.
 If I were you I would give him a befitting reply.
 What would you do, if you were me?
Unreal Past: The Third Conditional 7

If + subject + had | I wish + subject + had


 I wish I had never disobeyed my parents.
 If I had helped them, they would have survived.
Special construction: Had + subject (but it’s not a
question)
 Had I helped them, they would have survived.
 Had he won the lottery, he would have been a
rich man.

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