Grammar notes: conditionals

Grammar notes: conditionals
General information
In English there are four basic conditional structures, although these can be mixed according to the situation. They can
also be mixed in other languages.
The tenses I've used are the BASIC tenses. However, once you know the general structures you can check what other
verb forms you can use.
Zero conditional
This is used when there is no condition, in other words you could substitute 'if' with 'when'. It is often used when
describing facts or explaining how something works.
Structure: if + present, present
Examples:
If you don't water flowers, they die.
If you turn that switch to the black position, the power gets cut off.
If you mix water with oil, the oil floats.
1st conditional
The first conditional is used for situations based on fact. The condition describes something normal and possible, and
the result is probable and based on the present or the future.
Structure: if + present, future
Examples:
If you study hard, you will pass your exams.
If you click on that icon, you'll lose anything you haven't saved.
If it doesn't rain tomorrow we're going to the beach. (present used as future).
2nd conditional
This conditional is not based on fact. It refers to a situation in the present or future which is unreal, unlikely or
contrary to facts.
To show this unreality, we have to shift the tense from the present to the past, although the condition still refers to
the present or the future.
Structure: if + past, would + infinitive
Examples:
If I won the lottery, I would buy a fast car (but I haven't won the lottery, so I can't buy anything).
If I had some money, I would give you some (but I haven't got any money, so you can't have any).
If Valencia were a good football team I would support them (but they're rubbish, so I don't, and anyway I
hate football).
3rd conditional
The third conditional refers to situations in the past which, because they're in the past, are imaginary or impossible.
You can't change the past.
Structure: if + past perfect, would (could/might) have + past participle
Examples:
If I had studied more, I would have passed my exams (but I went out every night with my friends, didn't
open a book, and I failed).
If I hadn't spent all my money on CDs I could have given some to you (but I did spend it on CDs and I
wouldn't give you any money anyway).
If you had been ready on time, we wouldn't have missed the train and we would have arrived before all the
restaurants closed (but you were too slow and now we're hungry and there's nowhere open).







Conditionals



Fill in each blank by putting the verb (in brackets) into the correct tense.


1 I think you were very rude to her. If I ____(be) you I ______(apologise).


2 Sorry, she's not here at the moment. If I ____(see) her I ______(tell) her you're looking for her.


3 If you ______(do) that again I ____(kill) you.


4 She would never have come to Spain if her brother _____(not be) here.


5 If you ____(be) in my situation, what _______(you/do)?


6 If you ______(not smoke) so many cigarettes, you ______
(not cough) so much.


7 You would find it much easier to get up in the morning if you ____(go) to bed earlier.


8 If she ______(not find) a job in that office, she ________
(not meet) the man she finally married.


9 Today's offer: if you ____(buy) two cheeseburgers, you ______(get) one free.


10 If I ____(not get up) late I ____(not miss)
the train, and if I ___(not miss) the train I ____ (not be) late for work.


11 If it ____(start) raining I ___(not go) to the beach this afternoon.


12 We _____(not be) in this position now if you ____(save)
your money instead of spending it.

the end