Conditional Sentences in English Grammar
FAQ:-
What is meant by conditional sentence?
What is a conditional sentence?
What is the conditional in grammar?
What is the first conditional sentence?
The Condition Sentence
Zero Conditional or Open Conditional
Factual : If + present simple tense, + present simple
tense.
Example:
If we heat water enough, it begins to boil.
If he gives you a book, make sure you read it.
If he gives you a book, it is to be read
If the temperature falls below 32 degrees F., water freezes
Future conditional: If + present simple tense, will +
bare infinitive
The if clause is in the present and the result clause is in the
future with will or be going to. They are often used to make
predictions, plans, offers, suggestions requests.
Example:
If they offer a good price, I will buy the whole consignment.
If it continues to rain, there will be a flood.
If it rains tomorrow, we won’t go to the pool.
If you study, you’ll pass the test.
If you go to New York next week, you’ll see the show.
In a sentence with an if-clause we can use the imperative, or
other modal verbs, instead of will + infinitive
Example:
If you hear from Rajesh today, tell him to ring me.
If the traffic is bad, We may get home late.
1st conditional is usually used in such cases:
Considering events that may/may not occur
Example:
If I feel better, I’ll try reading one of our reports.
2nd Present Unreal Conditionals:
- Are used to talk about conditions that are not true in the present and about the imagined results of these conditions.
- Present unreal conditionals have a past form of the verb in the if clause and would/could/might + base form in the result clause.
If we had a car, we would drive to the mall.
If I were you, I would watch the weather forecast.
If I had time, I would study another language.
Note: Were is used for all persons of be in the if clause.
(I, you, she, he, we, they were)
If I were the teacher, I’d give a lot of less homework.
If I were a cat, I would sleep all day.
If I were you, I wouldn’t worry.
2nd Present Unreal Conditionals:
If + past tense, would + infinitive
can be used to refer to less probable or impossible
situations.
Example:
If I knew his number, I would send him an email.
I would send him an email if I knew his number.
If I were 25 years younger, I would take the job.
As long as it was well paid, I’d accept this proposal.
If you were coming tonight, we could go to a movie (highly unlikely, but possible)
3rd Past Unreal Conditionals
have a past perfect form of the verb in the if clause and
would/could/might + have + past participle of the verb in the result clause(It used when talking about things that didn’t happened in the past.
They express the imagined result of an imagined condition in the past
The if clause of the past unreal conditional expresses a condition that was not true in the past.
The result clause tells what would have happened if the untrue condition had been true.
If I had studied, I would have passed the test.
If you had come last night, we could have gone to a movie. (impossible; you didn’t come last night.)
Conditional Sentences in English Grammar
3rd Past Unreal Conditionals
If + past perfect tense, would /should / could / might +
present perfect
Example:
If he’d known it was a formal party, He wouldn’t have gone
wearing jeans and a jumper. He would have worn a suit.
Positive and negative: When we use the 3rd conditional we
are imagining the opposite situation. If what actually
happened was negative, we use a positive form. If what
actually happened was positive, we use a negative form:
Example:
If my client had given me his Email number, I wouldn’t
have had to post a letter to him.
Conditionals: if, unless, in case, provided that, as long as, so that If and unless
Unless means the same as if … not. It always refers to the
conditional part of the sentence and not the result part of
the sentence:
Example:
If she doesn’t get here soon, we will have to start the meeting without her.
Unless she gets here soon, we will have to start the
meeting without her.
I will pass my exam only if I study.
I will fail my exam unless I study.
Only if it rains, will we cancel the picnic?
Only if he asks do I help her.
Whether I pass or not, I am going to Columbia in June.
As long as he ‘s going to be there, I’ll be there too.
We often use not + unless, which means only … if, when
We want to emphasize a condition:
Example:
- a) Jain will only sign the contract if I give him an additional discount.
- b) Jain won’t sign the contract unless I give him an additional discount.
If and in case
We use in case to talk about precautions we will take
before a problem happens. :
Example: We are going to ensure the goods in case the
goods get damaged in transit.
Note: that in a sentence within the case, we often use going to
rather than will because we are often talking about
something that we have already decided to do.
We use if to talk about what we will do after a problem
happens
If the goods get damaged in transit, we’ll make a claim.
This form refers to present or future time:
Example:
If these sheets were not so expensive, I would buy them.
If I hired a lawyer, I would recover my debts more easily.
Unusual circumstances
Example:
We would / might join the army, if there was a war.
First or second conditional
If we think that future event is reasonably likely, we use
first conditional
Example:
If the market grows at 10% a month, it will involve new
investment rapidly.
Other forms of conditionals
“Mixed Conditionals”: conditions in one time can relate to results in another time
If I had studied something practical, I could be making more money now.
Inverted conditionals
(more formal): The if is omitted and were, should, or had is moved before the subject.
If I were happy = Were I happy
If he should call = should he call
If I had known = had I known
Conditional Sentences in English Grammar
If so, if not: The condition is clear from a previous sentence. It is not necessary to repeat the entire condition
I should pass all my courses this semester. If not, I’ll enroll in summer school.
Hope: is about what is possible (like factual and future conditionals)
I hope I can come to the picnic.
Wish: is about what is not likely or not possible.
Wish about the present or future:
wish + past form of verb or would or could + base form
He wishes he had more money.
Wish about the past: wish + past perfect
We wish you had been here.
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