Conditionals

• Engels
• Secundair onderwijs

Today we'll be looking into Conditionals

You will learn how to describe the result of something that might happen (in the present or future) or might have happened but didn't (in the past) .

So what are conditionals? 

 Conditionals describe the result of a certain condition.

The if clause tells you the condition (If you study hard) and the main clause tells you the result (you will pass your exams).

If clauses

We use conditionals to talk about imaginary situations in the past, present and future. We use conditionals for situations that might happen in the future, or situations that might never happen.

Zero Conditional

This conditional is used when the result will always happen. 

So, if water reaches 100 degrees, it always boils.

If + present simple, .... present simple.

If my husband (cook) , he
(burn) the food.

First conditional

If it rains tonight,

1. I don't go out
2. I will not go out
3. I wouldn't have gone out
4. I would go out

If Tim studies hard,

1. He would have passed his exam
2. He will pass his exam
3. He passes him exam
4. He would pass his exam

If there is an earthquake,

1. Buildings will collapse
2. Buildings collapse
3. Buildings would collapse
4. Buildings would have collapsed

......, we will miss our flight.

1. If you will be late
2. If you are late
3. If you had been late
4. If you were late

...., your mom won't buy you a present.

1. If you failed your exam
2. If you failed your exam
3. If you had failed your exam
4. If you fail your exam

Second conditional - Unlikely to happen

Second conditional

An impossible or imaginary situation

If + past simple, would + infinitive

If it rained, it wouldn't be so bad to stay inside. 

(It is sunny now, so imaginary situation) 

If you stopped smoking, you ______ a lot better pretty quickly.

1. feel
2. are feeling
3. will feel
4. would feel

If I won the Lottery, I ______ my job. I love it too much.

1. would leave
2. will leave
3. wouldn't leave
4. won't leave

If my sister .................. (win) a trip to Greece, she ................. (take) me with her.

1. won, would take
2. won’t, would take
3. won, would taken
4. won, would took

If Sandra ............... (buy) a helicopter,
her friends ...................... (be) happy.

1. would buy, were
2. bought, wouldn’t be
3. buyed, would been
4. bought, would be

We ................... (not change) anything
if we ................. (have) a time machine.

1. wouldn’t change, had
2. would change, had
3. wouldn’t changed, had
4. would change, haved

Third Conditional

It talks about the past. It's used to describe a situation that didn't happen, and to imagine the result of this situation.

if + past perfect, ...would + have + past participle

If we had taken a taxi, we wouldn't have missed the plane

If she (study) she
(pass) the exam.

If I _____(be) born in a different country, I (learn) to speak a different language.

SUMMARY

Formation and use of the conditionals

Conditional sentences

• Geeft een voorwaarde aan (als...dan)
• Bestaat uit een hoofdzin en een bijzin
• als if in het eerste deel van de zin staat --> komma gebruiken
• als if in het tweede deel van de zin staat --> geen komma

The Zero Conditional

• Wordt gebruikt bij zaken die absoluut gebeuren: wetenschappelijke feiten en algemene waarheden
• if + present simple, present simple

• If you get too close to the sun, you melt
• If you cross a border, you enter another country
• if you heat up ice, it melts

Zero conditionals

We use zero conditionals to talk about general facts, when one event or action always happens as a logical result of another event or action.

If I put water in the freezer, ...

1. it is going to become ice.
2. it will become ice.
3. it becomes ice.

The First Conditional

• Als iets waarschijnlijk gaat gebeuren, nu of in de toekomst
• will + werkwoord ... if + present simple

• If he gets the day off, we will go to London
• We will be sad if Daniel leaves

First conditionals

We use the first conditionals to talk about a possible future action or situation, and its probable result.

If we
(go) on holiday this summer, we
(go) to Spain

The Second Conditional

• Als het niet waarschijnlijk is dat iets gaat gebeuren, nu of in de toekomst
• if + past simple, would + werkwoord

• If we got the day off, we would go to London.
• We would all be sad if Daniel left

LET OP: In deze conditonal gebruik je bij 'be' altijd WERE

If I were you I would not help him

Second conditionals

We use the second conditionals to talk about hypothetical or unlikely situations, unreal or improbable actions now or in the future

If you (have) a better job, we
(be) able to buy a new car.

The Third Conditional

• Bij zaken die absoluut niet gebeurd zijn in het verleden
• if + past perfect, would have + voltooid deelwoord

• If I had studied for my exams, I would have passed them.
• I would have bought that house if I had won the lottery.

Third conditional

We use the third conditional to talk about imaginary situations that did not happen, when the person is imagining a different past

She (pass) the exam if she
(study) harder.

Exercise 1

Put the sentences in the zero conditional

Type the whole sentence

If you (breathe) chlorine you (die).

If you (add) syrup to water you (make) lemonade.

Exercise 2

Put the sentences in the first conditional

Type the whole sentence

If you (go) out with your friends tonight, I (watch) the football match on TV.

I (earn) a lot of money if I (get) that job.

If she (hurry / not), we (miss) the bus.

Exercise 3

Put the sentences in the second conditional

Type the whole sentence

If he (try) harder, he (reach) his goals.

19. I (buy) these shoes if they (fit).

It (surprise / not) me if he (know / not) the answer.

Exercise 4

Put the sentences in the third conditional

Type the whole sentence

If we (listen) to the radio, we (heard) the news.

If you (switch) on the lights, you (fall/not) over the chair.

She (come) to our party if she (be/not) on holiday.