CONDITIONAL SENTENCES

CONDITIONAL

Conditional tenses are used to speculate about what could happen, what might have happened, and what we wish would happen. In English, most sentences using the conditional contain the word if. Many conditional forms in English are used in sentences that include verbs in one of the past tenses. This usage is referred to as "the unreal past" because we use a past tense but we are not actually referring to something that happened in the past. There are five main ways of constructing conditional sentences in English. In all cases, these sentences are made up of an if clause and a main clause. In many negative conditional sentences, there is an equivalent sentence construction using "unless" instead of "if".

Conditional sentence type	Usage	If clause verb tense	Main clause verb tense
Zero	General truths	Simple present	Simple present
Type 1	A possible condition and its probable result	Simple present	Simple future
Type 2	A hypothetical condition and its probable result	Simple past	Present conditional or Present continuous conditional
Type 3	An unreal past condition and its probable result in the past	Past perfect	Perfect conditional
Mixed type	An unreal past condition and its probable result in the present	Past perfect	Present contditional

THE ZERO CONDITIONAL

The zero conditional is used for when the time being referred to is now or always and the situation is real and possible. The zero conditional is often used to refer to general truths. The tense in both parts of the sentence is the simple present. In zero conditional sentences, the word "if" can usually be replaced by the word "when" without changing the meaning.

If clause	Main clause
If + simple present	simple present
If this thing happens	that thing happens.
If you heat ice	it melts.
If it rains	the grass gets wet.

Read more about how to use the zero conditional.

TYPE 1 CONDITIONAL

The type 1 conditional is used to refer to the present or future where the situation is real. The type 1 conditional refers to a possible condition and its probable result. In these sentences the if clause is in the simple present, and the main clause is in the simple future.

If clause	Main clause
If + simple present	simple future
If this thing happens	that thing will happen.
If you don't hurry	you will miss the train.
If it rains today	you will get wet.

Read more about how to use the type 1 conditional.

TYPE 2 CONDITIONAL

The type 2 conditional is used to refer to a time that is now or any time, and a situation that is unreal. These sentences are not based on fact. The type 2 conditional is used to refer to a hypothetical condition and its probable result. In type 2 conditional sentences, the if clause uses the simple past, and the main clause uses the present conditional.

If clause	Main clause
If + simple past	present conditional or present continuous conditional
If this thing happened	that thing would happen. (but I'm not sure this thing will happen) OR that thing would be happening.
If you went to bed earlier	you would not be so tired.
If it rained	you would get wet.
If I spoke Italian	I would be working in Italy.

Read more about how to use the type 2 conditional with the present conditional and how to use the present continuous conditional in type 2 conditional sentence.

TYPE 3 CONDITIONAL

The type 3 conditional is used to refer to a time that is in the past, and a situation that is contrary to reality. The facts they are based on are the opposite of what is expressed. The type 3 conditional is used to refer to an unreal past condition and its probable past result. In type 3 conditional sentences, the if clause uses the past perfect, and the main clause uses the perfect conditional.

If clause	Main clause
If + past perfect	perfect conditional or perfect continuous conditional
If this thing had happened	that thing would have happened. (but neither of those things really happened) OR that thing would have been happening.
If you had studied harder	you would have passed the exam.
If it had rained	you would have gotten wet.
If I had accepted that promotion	I would have been working in Milan.

Read more about how to use the type 3 conditional with the perfect conditional tense, and how to use the perfect continuous conditional in type 3 conditional sentences.

MIXED TYPE CONDITIONAL

The mixed type conditional is used to refer to a time that is in the past, and a situation that is ongoing into the present. The facts they are based on are the opposite of what is expressed. The mixed type conditional is used to refer to an unreal past condition and its probable result in the present. In mixed type conditional sentences, the if clause uses the past perfect, and the main clause uses the present conditional.

If clause	Main clause
If + past perfect or simple past	present conditional or perfect conditional
If this thing had happened	that thing would happen. (but this thing didn't happen so that thing isn't happening)
If I had worked harder at school	I would have a better job now.
If we had looked at the map	we wouldn't be lost.
If you weren't afraid of spiders	you would have picked it up and put it outside.

                

Read more about MIXED CONDTIONALS

MIXED CONDITIONAL

It is possible for the two parts of a conditional sentence to refer to different times, and the resulting sentence is a "mixed conditional" sentence. There are two types of mixed conditional sentence.

PRESENT RESULT OF A PAST CONDITION

FORM

In this type of mixed conditional sentence, the tense in the 'if' clause is the past perfect, and the tense in the main clause is the present conditional.

If clause (condition)	Main clause (result)
If + past perfect	present conditional
If this thing had happened	that thing would happen.

As in all conditional sentences, the order of the clauses is not fixed. You may have to rearrange the pronouns and adjust punctuation when you change the order of the clauses, but the meaning is identical.

EXAMPLES

• If I had worked harder at school, I would have a better job now.
• I would have a better job now if I had worked harder at school.
• If we had looked at the map we wouldn't be lost.
• We wouldn't be lost if we had looked at the map.
• If you had caught that plane you would be dead now.
• You would be dead now if you had caught that plane.

FUNCTION

This type of mixed conditional refers to an unreal past condition and its probable result in the present. These sentences express a situation which is contrary to reality both in the past and in the present. In these mixed conditional sentences, the time is the past in the "if" clause and in the presentin the main clause.

EXAMPLES

• If I had studied I would have my driving license. (but I didn't study and now I don't have my license)
• I would be a millionaire now if I had taken that job. (but I didn't take the job and I'm not a millionaire)
• If you had spent all your money, you wouldn't buy this jacket. (but you didn't spend all your money and now you can buy this jacket)

In these mixed conditional sentences, you can also use modals in the main clause instead of would to express the degree of certainty, permission, or a recommendation about the outcome.

EXAMPLES

• If you had crashed the car, you might be in trouble.
• I could be a millionaire now if I had invested in ABC Plumbing.
• If I had learned to ski, I might be on the slopes right now.

PAST RESULT OF PRESENT OR CONTINUING CONDITION

FORM

In this second type of mixed conditional sentence, the tense in the 'if' clause is the simple past, and the tense in the main clause is the perfect conditional.

If clause (condition)	Main clause (result)
If + simple past	perfect conditional
If this thing happened	that thing would have happened.

As in all conditional sentences, the order of the clauses is not fixed. You may have to rearrange the pronouns and adjust punctuation when you change the order of the clauses, but the meaning is identical.

EXAMPLES

• If I wasn't afraid of spiders, I would have picked it up.
• I would have picked it up if I wasn't afraid of spiders.
• If we didn't trust him we would have sacked him months ago.
• We would have sacked him months ago if we didn't trust him.
• If I wasn't in the middle of another meeting, I would have been happy to help you.
• I would have been happy to help you if I wasn't in the middle of another meeting.

FUNCTION

These mixed conditional sentences refer to an unreal present situation and its probable (but unreal) past result. In these mixed conditional sentences, the time in the if clause is now or always and the time in the main clause is before now. For example, "If I wasn't afraid of spiders" is contrary to present reality. I am afraid of spiders. "I would have picked it up" is contrary to past reality. I didn't pick it up.

EXAMPLES

• If she wasn't afraid of flying she wouldn't have travelled by boat.
• I'd have been able to translate the letter if my Italian was better.
• If I was a good cook, I'd have invited them to lunch.
• If the elephant wasn't in love with the mouse, she'd have trodden on him by now.