Conditionals
If the world stops to exist, … First conditional If the world stops to exist, …
First conditional If the world stops to exist, … If + present simple, … will + infinitive
First conditional Use: POSSIBILITY
If the world stopped to exist, … Second conditional If the world stopped to exist, …
Second conditional If the world stopped to exist, … If + past simple, … would + infinitive
IMPROBABILITY / IMPOSSIBILITY Second conditional Use: IMPROBABILITY / IMPOSSIBILITY
Second conditional Note: were instead of was e.g. If I were an astronaut I would want to float in space.
If the world had stopped to exist, … Third conditional If the world had stopped to exist, …
Third conditional If the world had stopped to exist, … If + past perfect, … would have + infinitive
Third conditional Use: IMPOSSIBILITY (but referring to the past)
Zero conditional If the world explodes, …
If the world explodes, … If + present simple, … present simple Zero conditional If the world explodes, … If + present simple, … present simple
Zero conditional Use: CERTAINTY
Time clause When the world runs out of resources, … As soon as we manage to change our ways, …
Time clause Use: CERTAINTY
Summary probability conditional example time 100% zero (or time clause) If you heat ice, it melts. any 50% 1st If I win the lottery, I will buy a car. future 10% 2nd If I won the lottery, I would buy a car. 0% 3rd If I had won the lottery, I would have bought a car. past Don’t take the 50% and 10% too literally. They are just there to help.