1. What are the 5 Types of Conditional Sentences?
The 5 Conditional Sentences in English Grammar are:
a. The Zero Conditional
b. The First Conditional
c. The Second Conditional
d. The Third Conditional
e. The Mixed Conditional
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2. What is a 'Conditional' sentence?
a. It has a conditional clause (situation) + a main clause (result).
(action) (result)
e.g. If I wear bright colours, I feel happy.
b. We use different verb tenses to talk about the types of actions / conditions which could be : true, likely, unlikely or impossible.
3. The 5 Conditionals Type & Tenses Use - Example
1. If I wear bright colours, I feel happy. (zero conditional)
2. If you go now, you will make it in time. (first conditional)
3. If I had more money, I would work less. (second conditional)
4. If they had taken a taxi, they would have reached the restaurant by now.
(third conditional)
5. If I had bought the blue dress, I would be the prettiest person in this room.
(mixed conditional)
4. How to Use the 5 Types of Conditional Sentences - Example Situations
Let's look at the 5 Conditional types, one at a time... Pay attention to the different tenses & sentence patterns used:
(A) The Zero Conditional (the 'real' conditional)
- We use the Zero Conditional to talk about general truths & facts.
Example Sentence
(Conditional) (action) (result)
- If / When I drink too much coffee, I get headaches.
(i). How to form the Zero Conditional - Verb Tense
Form: (Both parts of the sentence are in the Present Simple):
- [If / When + Present Simple] + [Present Simple]
Example Sentence
(Conditional) (Present Simple) (Present Simple)
- If / When I drink too much coffee, I get headaches.
(Action) (Result)
(Result) (Action)
- I get headaches if / when I drink too much coffee.
Note!
i. the 'if'-clause can be at the beginning or end of a sentence
ii. when the 'if'-clause is at the beginning, we use a comma to separate
iii. we can use both 'if' & 'when' in Zero Conditionals, the meaning is the same
(ii) The Zero Conditional - More Example Sentence
Form: [If / When + Present Simple] + [Present Simple]
i. If I don't eat breakfast, I can't focus.
ii. When you eat a balanced meal, you feel healthier.
iii. If you freeze water, you get ice.
iv. Butter melts if you heat it.
v. If you jog in the mornings, it's not too hot.
(B). The First Conditional - (future 'real' conditional)
- We use the First Conditional to talk about a possible or definite action with a likely future result
We can use 'if' or 'when':
-'if' (when we're not sure what the result is)
-'when' (when we think the result is more likely)
Example Sentence
(possible action) (future result)
If I practise harder, my English will improve.
If I see you, I'll tell you the good news.
When I see you, I'll tell you the good news.
(i). How to form the First Conditional - Verb Tense
Form: [If / When + Present Simple] + [Future 'will']
Example Sentence
(Conditional) (Present Simple) (Future 'will')
If I practise harder, my English will improve.
If I see you, I'll tell you the good news.
When I see you, I'll tell you the good news.
*when - (more likely to happen)
Note!
i. the 'if' & 'when' -clause can be at the beginning or end of a sentence
ii. when the 'if' 'when'-clause is at the beginning, we use a comma to separate
iii. we can use both 'if' & 'when' in First Conditionals but the meaning is slightly different
(ii). The First Conditional - More Example Sentence
Form: [If / When + Present Simple]+ [will + verb (base form)]
i. If it rains, I'll stay home.
ii. If I finish work early, we'll meet for drinks
iii. If you go now, you will make it to the show.
iv. If I tell you, will you promise not to laugh?
v. I will cook if you do the dishes.
(C). The Second Conditional - ('unreal' conditional)
- We use the 2nd Conditional to talk about an unlikely or unreal situation
with an unlikely or unreal result.
Example Sentence
(unlikely / unreal action) (unlikely result)
If I had a million dollars, I would go for a long vacation.
(i). How to form the Second Conditional - Verb Tense
Form - [If + Past Simple ] + [would / could + verb (base form)]
Example Sentence
(Conditional) (Past Simple) (would / could + base form)
If I had a million dollars, I would go for a long vacation.
(ii). the Second Conditional - More Example Sentence
Form: [If + past simple] + [would / could + verb (base form)]
i. If Sheila wasn't so exhausted, she would join you for the office party.
ii. If she stayed home, she could binge-watch movies all day.
iii. If my best friend lived near here, we could meet up every day.
iv. If they bought a house in the country, we could spend our holidays there.
v. I'd live in Tokyo if I worked in Japan.
Vocabulary Check!
Meaning: binge-watch (verb) = to watch many episodes of a TV / Netflix series one after another
(D). The Third Conditional - (the unreal past conditional)
We use the 3rd Conditional to talk about :
i) an unreal past situation
ii) a regret about the past (because of another past action)
Example Sentence
(unreal past action) (unreal past result)
If you had told us earlier , we would have taken the express train.
(i). How to form the Third Conditional - Verb Tense
Form: [If + Past Perfect ] + [would /could /might + have + Past Participle]
Example Sentence
(Conditional) (Past Perfect) (would have + Past Participle)
If you had told us earlier , we would have taken the earlier train.
(ii). the Third Conditional - More Example Sentence
Form: [If + Past Perfect]+ [would / could / might have + Past Participle]
i. If you had called earlier, she could have joined you for drinks.
ii. If I hadn't bought that new coat, I would have spent the money on food.
iii. If Tom hadn't offered to help us, we'd have walked all the way to the inn.
iv. If they hadn't invited us to go fishing, we might've stayed indoors.
v. I would have lived in Tokyo if I had worked in Japan.
Vocabulary Check!
Meaning:
could have = would have been able to
might have = would perhaps have
(E). the Mixed Conditional - ( a mix of 2nd & 3rd Conditionals)
We use the Mixed Conditional to talk about an unreal present result of an unreal past action.
A Quick Recap!
(the Second Conditional)
- to talk about present unreal situations
(past simple) (would + verb - base form)
If I didn't cook, I would order sushi.
(the Third Conditional)
- to talk about past unreal situations
(past perfect) (would have + past participle)
If I had known about the rain, I would have packed my raincoat.
(i). How to form the Mixed Conditional - Verb Tense
- to talk about unreal present results of unreal past actions
- Example Sentence
(unreal past) (unreal present)
If we hadn't taken the wrong bus, we would be singing at the karaoke now.
(past perfect) would + verb (base form)
(ii). the Mixed Conditional - More Example Sentence
Form: [if + past perfect] + [would + verb (base form)]
i. If my parents had not stopped me, I would have more than 10 cats by now.
ii. If we hadn't helped our elderly neighbour, she wouldn't be eating any meals today.
iii. Bob and Sheila wouldn't be a couple today if they hadn't met at a wedding.
iv. If I had made dinner, we would be enjoying it now.
v. If you had passed your driving test, we would be going for a drive today.
There you have it.
Tip!
Please note that these are not the only ways we can use 'if' in sentences. There are other structures & patterns where 'if' is used in conjunctions.
Let's recap!
The 5 Types of Conditional Sentences - Uses & Examples:
1. the Zero Conditional -( to talk about general truths)
(action) (result)
Form: [If / When + Present Simple] [Present Simple]
2. the First Conditional - (to talk about 'unreal' action that is likely to happen)
(action) (result)
Form: [If / When + Present Simple] [will + verb (base form)]
3. the Second Conditional - (to talk about 'unreal' present situation)
(action) (result)
Form: [If + Past Simple] [would + verb (base form)]
4. the Third Conditional - (to talk about 'unreal' past situation)
(action) (result)
Form: [If + Past Perfect] [would / could / might + have + Past Participle]
5. the Mixed Conditional - (talk about 'unreal' present results of 'unreal' past situations)
(action) (result)
Form: [If + Past Perfect ] [would + verb (base form)]
Tip!
Take your time to keep practising the 5 Conditionals and really use it. You may read more or try to listen out for more spoken English in movies or songs to a get a real feel for the spoken grammar & language.
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