ZERO CONDITIONAL
IF CLAUSE
MAIN CLAUSE
If + Present Simple
Present Simple
If you freeze water
It turns into ice.
We use the so-called zero conditional when the result of the condition is always true, like a
scientific fact.!
IF
CONDITION
RESULTS
Present Simple
Present Simple
If
I miss the 8 oclock bus
I am late for work.
If
People dont eat
They get hungry.
If
I am late for work
My boss gets angry.
RESULT
IF
Present Simple
CONDITION
Present Simple
I am late for work
If
I miss the 8 oclock bus.
People get hungry
If
They dont eat.
My boss gets angry
If
I am late for work.
We can also use when instead of if, for example: When I get up late I miss my buss.!
Se emplea esta construccin para hablar sobre hbitos y verdades universales, en este
caso, if= whenever (siempre que).!
If I have a big lunch, it makes me sleepy. (= Wherever I have a big lunch ...)!
If you mix yellow and blue, you get green. (= Wherever you mix yellow and blue ...)!
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FIRST CONDITIONAL: REAL POSSIBILITY
IF CLAUSE
MAIN CLAUSE
If + Present Tense
WILL / CAN / MAY / MUST + Infinitive
If it rains today,
I will stay at home.
!
IF
CONDITION
RESULTS
Present Simple
Will + infinitive
If
You dont do more work,
You will fail the exam.
If
I see Mary
I will tell her.
If
It rains tomorrow
I will stay at home.
!
RESULT
IF
Will + Infinitive
CONDITION
Present Simple
He will be late for work
If
He doesnt hurry up.
He will invite Tara
If
She is free tomorrow.
I will stay at home
If
It rains tomorrow.
Sometimes, we use shall, can or may instead of will, for example:!
If you are good today, you can watch TV tonight.!
!
USES:!
- Se emplea para la construccin cuando existe la posibilidad de que la situacin iniciada
en la oracin con IF suceda en el futuro.!
If I go out, I will buy a newspaper. ( Puede que salga, puede que no)!
- Tambin se emplea cuando existe la posibilidad de que la situacin indicada en la
oracin con IF sea cierta en el presente.!
If youre hungry, Ill make you something to eat. (Puede que tengas hambre, o no)!
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SECOND CONDITIONAL: UNREAL POSSIBILITY OR DREAM
IF
IF CLAUSE
MAIN CLAUSE
If + Past Simple
WOULD / COULD / MIGHT+ Infinitive
If I had more money
I would buy a bigger house.
CONDITION
RESULTS
Past Simple
Would / could + infinitive
If
He spoke English
He could get a job.
If
I married Mary
I would be happy.
If
I were you
I would buy a new computer.
RESULT
IF
Would + Infinitive
CONDITION
Past Simple
I would get on better with my parents
If
I didnt live with there
I would be happy
If
I married Mary.
Would you be surprised
If
It snowed next July?
Sometimes, we use should, could or might instead of would, for example: !
If I won a million dollars, I could stop working. !
USES: !
- Se emplea para hablar sobre situaciones presentes o futuras hipotticas.!
If I had a lot of money, I would travel round the world. (Pero no lo tengo)!
If I didnt feel so tired, I would come out with you. (Pero estoy muy cansado)!
- Tambin se emplea para hablar de situaciones presentes o futuras poco probables.!
If she really loved you, she wouldnt be so horrible to you. !
If I won a lot of money, I would like a long holiday.!
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THIRD CONDITIONAL: NO POSSIBILITY
IF CLAUSE
MAIN CLAUSE
If + Past Perfect
WOULD / COULD / MIGHT+ have + Past Participle
If I had won the lottery,
I would have traveled around the world.
IF
CONDITION
RESULTS
Past Perfect
Would / could + have + Past Participle
If
I had won the lottery
I would have bought a car.
If
Tara had been free yesterday
I would have invited her.
RESULT
IF
Would have + Past Participle
CONDITION
Past Perfect
I would have invited Tara
If
She had been free yesterday.
Their teacher would have been sad
If
They had not passed their exam.
We would had won
If
Our best player handt been injured.
!
USES: !
- Se emplea para hablar sobre situaciones imposibles por referirse al pasado.!
If the weather had been nice yesterday, I would have gone to the beach. (Pero el tiempo
no fue bueno)!
Other Forms:
En la oracin se puede emplear verbos modales: might y could en lugar de would.
If you had taken the exam, you might have passed the exam. (= ... Quiz habras
aprobado)
I could have repaired the car, if Id had the right tools. (= Habra podido arreglar el
coche si....)
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CONDITIONALS: SUMMARY
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PROBABILITY
CONDITIONAL
EXAMPLE
TIME
100%
Zero conditional
If you heat ice, it melts.
Any time
50%
First conditional
If it rains, I will stay at home.
Future
10%
Second
conditional
If you won lottery, I would buy a
car.
Future
0%
Third conditional
If I had won the lottery, I would
have bought a car.
Past
!
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WHEN OR IF
Se emplea if para cosas que no sabemos con seguridad si van a suceder:
If I see Sarah, I will invite her to the party. (Puede que la vea, puede que no)
I will visit Martin if I go to Manchester. (Puede que vaya a Manchester, o no vaya)
Se emplea when para cosas que estamos seguros que van a suceder:
When I see Sally, I will invite her to the party. (Estoy seguro de que ver a Sally)
I will visit Martin when I go to Manchester. (Estoy seguro que ir a Manchester)
!
!
CONDITIONALS WITHOUT IF
En las oraciones condicionales se pueden emplear otras palabras en lugar de IF:!
UNLESS:!
- Se puede emplear con el significado de if.......not (si no ...)!
Unless you put on some suncream, youll get sunburnt. (= Si no te echas bronceador....)!
I wont go to the party unless you go too. (= ... si no vas t tambin)!
- Tambin se emplea con frecuencia en amenazas y advertencias:!
Unless you stop making that noise, I will scream!!
Youll be hungry unless you eat now. !
AS / SO LONG AS, PROVIDED / PROVIDING (that):!
Se emplea as/so long as y provided/providing (that) con el significado de if but only if
(slo si / siempre que).!
I will go to the party provided you go too.(= ...Slo si tu vas/siempre que vayas t tambin)!
AND , OR (else)!
- A veces se emplea and para unir dos ideas en una oracin con IF.!
Stay in bed for a few days and you will be fine. (= If you stay in bed for a few days youll
be fine.)!
- Se puede emplear or (else) con el significado de if not (si no) o otherwise (en caso
contrario).!
Dont try to lift that box or (else) you will hurt yourself.!
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