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Conditionals in English

Zero conditional

used to

*Talk about universal truths.

*Give instructions or orders.

Structure

if + subject + present simple

if+subject

Examples

if you don’t wash your socks, they smell bad. If you don’t put suncream, you burn yourself. if I sleep for 8 hours, I feel fresh.

You can also start the phrase with 'when' in the zero conditional and turn the sentences around , with this and everyone, but in this case without a comma

if you come late, don’t make noise. If she calls again, tell her I am busy.

First conditional

It is used to talk about

Probable, real situations in the future. Structure

Structure

if+subject+ present simple subject+will/won't+infinitive

Examples

If you don’t clean the house, you‘ll (will) sleep on the sofa.

if I sleep on the sofa, I won’t (will not) sleep well.

Remember to use the contractions: I'll, you'll, he'll, she'll, it'll, we'll, you'll they'l

Second conditional

Used to

- Talk about the future, but in this case the condition is hypothetical, it is very unlikely to occur.

- Express impossibility (to talk about situations in the present that cannot be given because they are impossible).

- To give advice.

Structure

if+subject+past simple subject + would/wouldn't+infinitive

Examples

if I won the lottery, I would move to Japan. If he were his father, I wouldn’t allow such behaviour. If I were a man, I would wear colourful ties.

Warning

If the verb 'to be' is in the conditional sentence, we use ' were' and not 'was' for all singular and plural persons.

In this case it is not the past simple, but the subjunctive

Third conditional

It is used to talk about

- An imaginary situation in the past.

- Repentance.

Structure

if+subject+past perfect subject+would have+past participle

Examples

if you hadn't been looking at your phone, you wouldn't have burnt my toast. If I hadn't left you in charge of breakfast, you wouldn't have burnt my toast.

Mixed conditional

3rd+2nd

2nd+3rd

If you had remembered to feed your cat, he wouldn't be so hungry now.

f you weren't so lazy, you would have got a better mark on your English exam. If my workplace weren't so far away, I wouldn't have bought a car.