Conditionals
Teacher Marta
Zero conditional
If + present simple, present simple
If you touch fire, you get burnt.
If you warm water to 100ºC, the water boils.
We use zero conditional when we are talking about scientic or
universal facts.
First conditional
If + present simple, future simple
If you study, you will pass the exam.
If he comes early, we will have dinner all together.
We use first conditional when we are talking about possible future
situations and consequences (predictions).
To talk about probability in the future, we use might:
If you are intending to learn bachata, this is an academy that
you might want to attend.
Second conditional
If + past simple, would
If I were you, I would go to that amazing trip.
If he won the lottery, he would buy a new car.
We use second conditional when we are talking about an
imaginary present, a dream/ desire or unlikely situation in the
future.
Verb to be in the 2nd conditional = were (all subjects)
not was
Third conditional
If + past perfect, would/could + have past
participle
If you had studied, you would have passed the exam.
I would have gone to the party if someone had told me about it.
We use third conditional when we are talking about regrets or
something that we can’t change from the past.
Advanced conditional
forms
Supposing: imaginary situations
Unless: if not
Provided (that)/ as long as: only if
In case: used in a future development
Even if: a result that will happen in the
future
Mixed conditionals
Mixed third/second conditional
We use this combination to talk about a hypothetical condition happening
in the past (third conditional) with a present result (second conditional). We
use past perfect in the if clause and would/could/might + infinitive in the
main clause.
If I had been elected, I would be the president now.
If I had won the lottery, I would be rich.
I might have a better job now if I hadn’t dropped out of school.
Mixed conditionals
Mixed second/third conditional
We use this combination to talk about a hypothetical condition happening in
the present (second conditional) with a past result (third conditional). We use
past in the if clause and would/could/might + have + past participle in the main
clause.
If I didn’t have so much work, I would have gone to the party last night.
I would have understood them if I spoke German.
Inverted conditionals
In more formal contexts, we can leave out if and invert the order of the
subject and the auxiliary/modal verb. This is only possible with had, were
and should.
If I were to tell you... : Were I to tell you...
If you should be in our neighbourhood... : Shoud you be in out
neighbourdhood.
If they had told me... : Had they told me...
Wish / If only
Teacher Marta
We use wish and if only to talk about things that we would like to be
different in either the present or the past. If only is usually a bit
stronger than wish.
In the present
We can use wish/if only + a past form to talk about a present situation
we would like to be different.
I wish you didn't live so far away.
If only we knew what to do.
He wishes he could afford a holiday.
In the past
We can use wish/if only + a past perfect form to talk about
something we would like to change about the past.
They wish they hadn't eaten so much chocolate. They're feeling very
sick now.
If only I'd studied harder when I was at school.
Expressing annoyance
We can use wish + would(n't) to show that we are annoyed with
what someone or something does or doesn't do. We often feel
that they are unlikely or unwilling to change.
I wish you wouldn't borrow my clothes without asking.
I wish it would rain. The garden really needs some water.
She wishes he'd work less. They never spend any time together.
