1. By Mª Mercedes Sánchez Year 2012- 13
Conditional Clauses
By Mª Mercedes Sánchez
Year

2. What is a conditional ?
A conditional sentence has two clauses:the condition and the result or main clause.
EX. If you study hard, you will pass the exam.
The if-clause can come before or after the result clause. If it comes before, it is separated by a comma. If it comes after, no comma is needed.
EX. You will pass the exam if you study hard.

3. Present or zero conditional
If + simple present, simple present
Use: to describe real situations that can happen at any time or an event that always follows another. If can be replaced by when.
EX. When/If you heat ice, it melts.

4. First Conditional (future or real conditional)
If + present simple, will+ bare infinitive.
When you think something is likely to happen or you want to talk about the results of a possible future condition.
EX. If you study hard, you will pass the exam.
The If-clause refers to the future but using a present tense.
You can also use the present continuous in the if-clause, and a modal or an imperative in the main clause.
EX. If it’s raining tomorrow, they might not go for a picnic.
EX. If you arrive late, don’t call me.

5. Alternatives to if UNLESS (=if…not) IN CASE
EX. Unless you study hard, you won’t pass the exam.(If you don’t study hard)
IN CASE
EX. Take the umbrella in case it rains.
(It might/ might not rain but you will be prepared)
EVEN IF/ THOUGH (=emphasis)
EX. Even if/though I become a millionaire, I will always be a socialist.
PROVIDED/ PROVIDING/AS LONG AS
Ex. You can borrow my bike providing/provided you bring it back at 11:00. (=you must give it back by 11:00)

6. Second Conditional (Unreal, hypothetical)
If +simple past, would+bare infinitive.
We use the second conditional for:
Future situations that are possible but unlikely.
EX. If I won the lotto, I would buy a Ferrari.
Also, for present situations that are unreal.
EX. If we had the key, we would open the door.
And to give advice, we use the expression:If I were you, …
Were is used with the first and the third person singular, although was is also used in spoken English
Could or might can be used in the main clause instead of would.
EX. If they were friends, they could go out together.

7. Alternatives to if
We can also introduce unreal conditional clauses with:
UNLESS (for unlikely conditions but not unreal conditions)
I wouldn’t ask you for help unless I needed it.
*I wouldn’t be more active unless I had artritis. (=it doesn’t exist)
IMAGINE/ SUPPOSE (to ask about imaginary situations)
Imagine you were a fairy, what would you do?
Suppose you had the opportunity, would you give her away?

8. Third Conditional (Impossible)
If + past perfect, would have+ p. participle.
We use the third conditional to imagine situations or actions in the past that we know are the opposite of the facts.
EX. If I had known that you were in hospital, I would have visited you. =(that’s impossible now)
Or talk about regrets from our past (often with could have)
EX.If I had studied harder, I could have passed the exam. (=I should have done it, but I didn’t)
Could/ might +have + p. participle can be used in the main clause instead of would have+ p. participle.
EX.If I hadn’t broken my leg skiing, I could/ might have been a footballer.

9. Mixed Conditionals
Mixed past to present conditional: we use them to talk about present results of an imagined past action
If +past perfect, would/could/might+bare infinitive.(If+3rd, 2nd)
EX. If I had missed the train, I wouldn’t be here now.
Mixed present to past conditional: We use them to talk about imagined past results or a present situation.
If + past simple, would/could/might + have+p.participle.(If+ 2nd, 3rd)
EX. If I didn’t study, I couldn’t have passed the exam.
EX. If you were a better student, you could have gone to university.
Mixed present to past conditional: We use them to talk about present results of a past action.
If + past simple, will + bare infinitive.(If+2nd, 1st)
EX. If nobody phoned him, he won’t come to the meeting.