P6 Contional If

CONDITIONAL
SENTENCES
3 MAIN 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 future 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.
USE:
SE 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.
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 (that) I`ll lend you the car on condition that you
take care of it.
Provided / I`ll lend you the car provided that you take
providing (that) care of it.
Assuming (that) Assuming that you take care of the car, I`ll
lend 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…)
 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:

o If 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, …
Now let's sing some
conditionals!

P6 Contional If

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CONDITIONAL

First, Second, and Third

If I see Andrew at the meeting, I'll give him your message.

PRESENT SIMPLE FUTURE SIMPLE

PAST SIMPLE WOULD + INFINITIVE

USE: To talk about a present situation which is impossible, a

If she changed her job, she'd be much happier.

USE: To talk about a future event which is unlikely to happen. The

PRESENT SIMPLE PRESENT SIMPLE

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

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

Were / was to:

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

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

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

If I had known there was no more work to do, I

If the ambulance had come sooner, he might

If-clause Main clause

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

Suppose / Suppose you had a lot of

What if What if you had a lot of money,

Imagine Imagine you had a lot of money,

Conditions are not always expressed in the form of

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

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

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

We can use if… will in requests:

 if you want to make a request more polite, you

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