THE CONDITIONALS
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• We can make a zero
conditional sentence with two
ZERO CONDITIONAL present simple verbs (one in
the 'if clause' and one in the
'main clause’):
• If + present simple, .... present
simple.
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If babies are hungry, they cry.
If people eat too much, they get fat.
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This conditional is used when the result
will always happen:
If water reaches 100 degrees, it boils.
FUNCTION
It's a fact. I'm talking in general, not
about one particular situation.
The result of the 'if clause' is always the
main clause.
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• The first conditional has the
present simple after 'if', then
the future simple in the
FIRST CONDITIONAL
other clause:
• if + present simple, ... will +
infinitive.
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If it rains, I won't go to the park.
If I study today, I'll go to the party tonight.
If I have enough money, I'll buy some new shoes.
She'll be late if the train is delayed.
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• It's used to talk about
things which might happen
in the future.
FUNCTION • Of course, we can't know
what will happen in the
future, but this describes
possible things, which
could easily come true.
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FIRST VS. ZERO CONDITIONAL
The first conditional describes a particular situation, whereas the zero
conditional describes what happens in general.
If you sit in the sun, you get burned. ________________
If you sit in the sun, you'll get burned. ________________
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The first conditional describes a particular situation, whereas the zero
conditional describes what happens in general.
If you sit in the sun, you get burned. Zero conditional.
(here I'm talking about every time a person sits in the sun - the burning is a
natural consequence of the sitting)
If you sit in the sun, you'll get burned. First conditional.
(Here I'm talking about what will happen today, another day might be different)
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The second conditional uses the past
simple after if, then 'would' and the
infinitive:
SECOND
CONDITIONAL if + past simple, ...would + infinitive
(We can use 'were' instead of 'was'
with 'I' and 'he/she/it'.This is mostly
done in formal writing).
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• To talk about things in the
future that are probably not
going to be true. Maybe I'm
imagining some dream for
2 USES : example.
• To talk about something in
the present which is
impossible, because it's not
true.
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If I won the lottery, I would buy a big house.
(I probably won't win the lottery)
If I had his number, I would call him.
(I don't have his number now, so it's impossible for
me to call him).
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FIRST VS. SECOND CONDITIONAL
• If I had enough money I • If I have enough money, I'll
would buy a house with buy some new shoes.
twenty bedrooms and a
swimming pool.
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FIRST VS. SECOND CONDITIONAL
• If I had enough money I • If I have enough money, I'll buy
would buy a house with some new shoes.
twenty bedrooms and a • (It's much more likely that I'll have enough
money to buy some shoes)
swimming pool
(I'm probably not going to have this much
money, it's just a dream, not very real)
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FIRST VS. SECOND CONDITIONAL
• If I had enough money I would buy a • If I have enough money, I'll buy some
house with twenty bedrooms and a new shoes.
swimming pool.
This kind of conditional sentence is different from
the first conditional because this is a lot more
unlikely.
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