V4 Unit 1: All Conditionals revision

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Unit 1

Grammar: All conditionals

Unit 1: Conditionals (if-zinnen)

Conditional sentences are statements discussing known factors or hypothetical situations and their consequences. Complete conditional sentences contain a conditional clause (often referred to as the if-clause) and the consequence. Consider the following sentences:

If a certain condition is true, then a particular result happens.

I would travel around the world if I won the lottery.

When water reaches 100 degrees, it boils.

Unit 1: Conditionals 

In short, keep in mind the following about conditionals:

• There are four types of conditional sentences.
• It’s important to use the correct structure for each of these different conditional sentences because they express varying meanings.
  
• Pay attention to verb tense when using different conditional modes.
  
• Use a comma after the if-clause when the if-clause precedes the main clause.

Unit 1: Conditionals 

What Are the Different Types of Conditional Sentences? There are four different types of conditional sentences in English. Each expresses a different degree of probability that a situation will occur or would have occurred under certain circumstances.

1. Zero Conditional Sentences
2. First Conditional Sentences
3. Second Conditional Sentences
4. Third Conditional Sentences

Let’s look at each of these different types of conditional sentences in more detail.

Zero conditional:

If/when + present simple  |  present simple

Zero conditional sentences express general truths—situations in which one thing always causes another. When you use a zero conditional, you’re talking about a general truth rather than a specific instance of something. Consider the following examples:

If you don’t brush your teeth, you get cavities.

When people smoke cigarettes, their health suffers.

The words if and when can both be used in these sentences. This is because the outcome will always be the same, so it doesn’t matter “if” or “when” it happens.

First conditional:

If/when + present simple  |  will + infinitive

First conditional sentences are used to express situations in which the outcome is likely (but not guaranteed) to happen in the future. Look at the examples below:

If Real Madrid’s captain doesn’t play, they won’t win the match.

If I get an I-phone 5 for Christmas, I will be very happy

Note that we use the simple present tense in the if-clause and simple future tense in the main clause —that is, the clause that expresses the likely outcome. This is how we indicate that under a certain condition, a specific result will likely happen in the future. Use the zero conditional only when a certain result is guaranteed. 

Second conditional

If + past simple  |  would/could/should/might + infinitive

Second conditional sentences are useful for expressing outcomes that are completely unrealistic or will not likely happen in the future. 

If I had a daughter, I would teach her Russian. (unreal present)

If I started my own business, I wouldn’t work on Friday afternoons (hypothetical future)

Notice the correct way to structure second conditional sentences is to use the simple past tense in the if-clause and an auxiliary modal verb (e.g., could, should, would, might) in the main clause 

Mind: the second conditional with "to be" uses "were" instead of "was" in formal contexts

Third conditional

If + past perfect  |  would have/could have/should have/might have + past participle 

Third conditional sentences are used to explain that present circumstances would be different if something different had happened in the past. Look at the following examples:

If you had told me you needed a ride, I would have left earlier.

If I had cleaned the house, I could have gone to the movies. 

These sentences express a condition that was likely enough, but did not actually happen in the past. The speaker in the first sentence was capable of leaving early, but did not. Along these same lines, the speaker in the second sentence was capable of cleaning the house, but did not. These are all conditions that were likely, but regrettably did not happen

Mind: 

Unless means “if not” and cannot be followed by a negative verb form: 

Unless I tell you otherwise, you don’t have to come to class next week.

Exceptions:

Use of the Simple Future in the If-Clause

Generally speaking, the simple future should be used only in the main clause. One exception is when the action in the if-clause will take place after the action in the main clause. For example, consider the following sentence:

If aspirin will ease my headache, I will take a couple tonight.

The action in the if-clause is the aspirin easing the headache, which will take place only after the speaker takes them later that night.

“Were to” in the If-Clause

The verb phrase were to is sometimes used in conditional sentences when the likely or unlikely result is particularly awful or unthinkable. In this case, were to is used to place emphasis on this potential outcome. Consider these sentences:

If I were to be sick, I would miss another day of work.

If she were to be late again, she would have to have a conference with the manager.

If the rent were to have been a penny more, they would not have been able to pay it.

Note that the emphatic “were to” can be used to describe hypothetical scenarios in the present, future, and past.

Mixed conditionals:

It is possible for the two parts of a conditional sentence to refer to different times, and the resulting sentence is a "mixed conditional" sentence. There are two types of mixed conditional sentence.

Present result of a past condition

In this type of mixed conditional sentence, the tense in the 'if' clause is the past perfect (third conditional), and the tense in the main clause is the second conditional (would/could etc. + inf.):  

If I had studied I would have my driving license now. (but I didn't study and now I don't have my license)

I would be a millionaire now if I had taken that job. (but I didn't take the job and I'm not a millionaire)

There is an unreal past condition and its probable result in the present. These sentences express a situation which is contrary to reality both in the past and in the present. In these mixed conditional sentences, the time is the past in the "if" clause and in the present in the main clause.

Mixed conditionals:

Past result of present or continuing condition

In this mixed conditional sentence, the tense in the 'if' clause is the simple past (second conditional), and the tense in the main clause is the third conditional (would/could etc. + past participle).

If she wasn't afraid of flying she wouldn't have travelled by boat.

I would have been able to translate the letter if my Italian was better.

These mixed conditional sentences refer to an unreal present situation and its probable (but unreal) past result. In these mixed conditional sentences, the time in the if clause is now or always and the time in the main clause is before now. For example, "If she wasn't afraid of flying"  is contrary to present reality: She is afraid of flying. "She wouldn't have travelled by boat" is contrary to past reality: She would have travelled by plane.

Now get ready to answer some questions

For next week:

• Watch the video on mixed conditionals (next slide) & take notes! Write down when to use each both types.
• Make an overview for yourself including each type of conditional, when to use it and which combinations of tenses + would/will/would have you need to use.

Now you try!

Mixed conditionals test:

https://test-english.com/grammar-points/b2/mixed-conditionals/

All conditionals mixed test:

https://test-english.com/grammar-points/b2/all-conditionals-mixed-conditionals-alternatives-if-inversion/

Make sure you do all 3 pages & note down your scores!