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Relative clauses / Nominalisation / Contrasting phrases / Cause and effect structures
Conditionals
Jump to - What are conditionals? / Zero Conditional / First conditional / Second conditional / Third conditional / Mixed conditional
Conditionals are very useful in speaking and writing task 2, but you should not need to use them in writing task 1.
What are conditionals?
Conditionals are about possible situations and the results. There are two main parts to the structure, the condition and the result.
If + condition, (then) result.
If I am sad, I talk to my friends. (zero conditional)
If it is raining, I will take an umbrella. (first conditional)
If I lost my phone, I would be very upset. (second conditional)
If I hadn't met him, then I would never have gotten the job. (third conditional)
Result + if + condition
I talk to my friends if I am sad. (zero conditional)
I will take an umbrella if it is raining. (first conditional)
I would be very upset if I lost my phone. (second conditional)
I would never have gotten the job if I hadn't met him. (third conditional)
Zero conditional - it's a fact!
We use the zero conditionals for things that are 100% true and happen.
Structure:
When/ If + present simple, present simple.
Present simple + when/ if + present simple
Examples:
When water reaches 100 degrees centigrade, it boils.
If water reaches 100 degrees centigrade, it boils.
She feels lonely when she is not with her family.
She feels lonely if she is not with her family.
First conditional - It is possible and/or likely to happen!
We use the first conditional for something that can happen now or in the future. It is not used for the past.
Structure:
If + present simple, (then) subject + modal verb (will/ can/ shall/ may/ might/ must/ should)
Subject + modal verb (will/ can/ shall/ may/ might/ must/ should) + if + present simple.
Examples:
If it rains today, I will need to use my umbrella.
I will need to use my umbrella if it rains today.
If I'm free, I might come.
I might come if I am free.
If you make a mess, you should clean it up.
You should clean the mess if you make it.
Second conditional - it is unlikely or impossible to happen!
We use the second conditional for something that can happen now or in the future. It is not used for the past.
Structure:
If + past simple, (then) subject + modal verb (would/ could/ should/ may/ might/ must)
Subject + modal verb (would/ could/ should/ may/ might/ must) + if + past simple.
Examples:
If I won the lottery, I would quit my job.
I would quit my job if I won the lottery.
If the government made all public transport free, there could be a lot less pollution in the cities.
There could be a lot less pollution in the cities if the government made all public transport free.
If dogs could talk, they might have some very interesting things to say.
Dogs might have some very interesting things to say if they could talk.
Third conditional - it's about how things could have been different in the past!
We use the third conditional to talk about how the past could have been changed by a different situation in the past. It is impossible to happen!
Structure:
If + past perfect, (then) + subject + would/ could + present perfect. (talking about the past)
Subject + would/ could + present perfect + if + past perfect. (talking about the past)
If + past perfect, (then) + subject + modal verb (would/ could/ should/ may/ might/ must). (talking about the present or future)
Subject + modal verb (would/ could/ should/ may/ might/ must) + if + past perfect. (talking about the present or future)
Examples:
If I hadn't been hired, then I would have probably moved to another city.
I would have probably moved to another city if I hadn't been hired.
If iPods had not been invented, then smart phones may have come out a lot later.
Smart phones may have come out a lot later if iPods had not been invented.
If antibiotics had not been created, then many more people would have died in the 20th century.
Many more people would have died in the 20th century if antibiotics had not been created.
Mixed conditionals - how the present could be different!
We use mix conditions by saying how the present or future could be different if the past was different. It is impossible to happen.
Structure:
If + past perfect, (then) + subject + modal verb (would/ could/ should/ may/ might/ must). (talking about the present or future)
Subject + modal verb (would/ could/ should/ may/ might/ must) + if + past perfect. (talking about the present or future)
Examples:
(Present result)
If I hadn't met her, then I might not have this job.
I might not have this job if I hadn't met her.
(Future result)
If I had been hired by that company, then I could one of the people going to prison next year for fraud.
I could be one of the people going to prison next year for fraud if I had been hired by that company.