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Conditionals: English For Level Iv

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ENGLISH FOR LEVEL IV

CONDITIONALS

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 Usage If clause verb Main clause verb tense


sentence type tense

Zero General truths Simple present Simple present

Type 1 A possible condition and its probable Simple present Simple future
result

Type 2 A hypothetical condition and its probable Simple past Present conditional
result Present continuous conditional
ENGLISH FOR LEVEL IV
Conditional Usage If clause verb Main clause verb tense
sentence type tense

Type 3 An unreal past condition and its probable Past perfect Perfect conditional
result in the past

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.

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


ENGLISH FOR LEVEL IV
If clause Main clause

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.

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.

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
ENGLISH FOR LEVEL IV

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.

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