Conditional Sentences

A conditional sentence is a type of complex sentence that expresses a condition and its potential result. 

Why is it called "conditional sentence"?

It is called conditional sentence because it conveys the idea that something will happen or could happen only if a certain condition is fulfilled.

Structure: A conditional sentence consists of two clauses:

1. the "if" clause (or condition clause) and
2. the "main" clause (or result clause).

The "if" clause introduces the condition, and the "main" clause states the consequence or result that would occur only if the condition is met. 

1. If you mix red and blue, you get purple.
2. If water reaches 0 degrees Celsius, it freezes.
3. If she studies hard, she will pass the exam.
4. If it doesn't rain, we'll have a picnic.

1. Zero conditional
2. First conditional
3. Second conditional, and
4. Third conditional

Each type indicates a different time and conveys a different level of probability.

Structure: If + present simple + present simple

[In the zero conditional, both the "if" clause and the "result" clause are in the present simple tense.]

Time Frame: 

The zero conditional describes present time.

Examples:

1. If you touch ice, you feel cold.
2. If you heat ice, it melts.
3. If you mix blue and yellow, you get green.
4. If you press that button, the light turns on.

Structure: If + simple present + will/can/may

[In the first conditional, the "if" clause contains simple present and the "result" clause contains will/can/may.]

Time Frame

• The first conditional describes future time.

Example:

1. If it rains, we shall play the game of chess.
2. If it rains tomorrow, I will stay indoors and read a book.
3. She will be late for the meeting if she doesn't leave soon.
4. If you study hard, you will pass the exam with flying colors.
5. I'll call you if I need any help with the project.
6. If they don't catch the early flight, they will miss the conference opening session.

Structure: If + simple past + would/could/might

[In the second conditional, the "if" clause contains simple past and the "result" clause contains would/could/might.]

Time Frame

• The first conditional describes present time.

Example:

If I won the lottery, I would buy a house.

• (This suggests a hypothetical or unreal present situation. The person doesn't currently win the lottery, but if they did, they would use it to buy a house.)

If it rained tomorrow, I would stay indoors.

• (This is an example of a hypothetical or unreal future situation. The person is speculating about what they would do if it were to rain the next day.)

If you started today, you would reach there tomorrow.

• (This is a hypothetical or unreal present situation. It implies that the person is not currently starting, but if they were to do so, they would reach there by next day.)

If I had enough time, I would learn classical music.

• (This expresses a hypothetical or unreal present situation. The person doesn't currently have enough time, but if they did, they would use it to learn classical music.)

If we won the championship, we would celebrate all night.

• (This is an example of a hypothetical or unreal future situation. The person is imagining what they would do if they were to win the championship.)

Structure: If + past perfect tense (had + past participle), + subject + would/could/might + have + past participle.

[In the third conditional, the "if" clause contains past perfect and the "result" clause contains would/could/might + have + past participle.]

Time Frame

• The third conditional describes past time.

Examples

The third conditional is commonly used to express regrets, speculate about different outcomes, or imagine alternative scenarios in the past. Here are some examples showing the usage of the third conditional:

If I had studied harder, I would have passed the exam.

• (In this example, the condition "if I had studied harder" expresses an unreal situation in the past because the person didn't study hard enough. The consequence "I would have passed the exam" is a hypothetical outcome that did not occur due to the lack of studying.)

If I had got the scholarship, I would have studied at Harvard.

• (This implies that the person did not get the scholarship, but they are imagining what they would have done if they had got.)

If you had told me earlier, I would have helped you with your project.

• (This suggests that the person did not receive earlier notification, but they would have provided assistance if they had known about it.)

If they had listened to the advice, they wouldn't have faced such difficulties.

• (This indicates that they did not listen to the advice, and as a result, they encountered difficulties.)

If she hadn't missed the test, she would have passed.

• (This means that she did miss the test, resulting in her failure.)

If we had taken the earlier flight, we would have avoided the storm.

• (This implies that they didn't take the earlier flight, and as a consequence, they encountered the storm.)

Remember!

Punctuation Note

The If-clause is at the beginning of the above sentences and there is a comma (,) between the clauses. If we wish, we can also write the if-clauses after the main clause. Then no comma (,) is needed between the clauses.

1. You will pass if you read.
2. You will suffer in future If you waste your time.
3. Your mother will be unhappy if you fail.