Conditionals 3 TTO

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• havo, vwo
• Leerjaar 3,4

Conditionals

3AT

Monday, 24 October 2022

The goal of today's lesson:

to understand and be able to use the conditionals in English.

Conditionals

WHAT? Conditional tenses are used to speculate about what could happen, what might have happened, and what we wish would happen.

There are 4 main ways of constructing conditional sentences.

zero, first, second and third conditional

If this thing happens, then that thing happens.

Condition consequence or result

There are 4 main ways of constructing conditional sentences in English. In all cases, these sentences are made up of an if clause and a main clause. 

There are 4 main ways of constructing conditional sentences in English. In all cases, these sentences are made up of an if clause and a main clause. 

If I save, I have extra money. (Zero conditional)

IfI save enough money, I will buy that house. (1st cond.)

If I saved enough money, I would buy that house. (2nd)

If I had saved enough money, I would have bought that house.
(3rd)

Zero conditional

Function:

General truth (scientific facts)

Real and possible situation 

Now or always

Examples: 

If water reaches 100 degrees, it boils.

If it rains, the grass gets wet.

If clause (condition)	Main clause (result)
If + present simple	present simple

The zero conditional is used for when the time being referred to is now or always and the situation is real and possible. The zero conditional is often used to refer to general truths. The tense in both parts of the sentence is the simple present. In zero conditional sentences, the word "if" can usually be replaced by the word "when" without changing the meaning.

Also used when giving instructions.

If you are not sure what to do, ask Pete. 

If he ___ (touch) a fire, he ___ (get) burned.

If you ___(freeze) water, it ___ (become) a solid.

First conditional

Function:

Describes a particular situation

Possible condition and its

probable result

Examples: 

If you don't drop the gun, I will shoot!

If you drop that glass, it will break.

If clause (condition)	Main clause (result)
If + present simple	will + infinitive

The type 1 conditional is used to refer to the present or future where the situation is real. The type 1 conditional refers to a possible condition and its probable result. In these sentences the if clause is in the simple present, and the main clause is in the simple future (will +verb).

If you ___ (make) trouble, I ___(send) you to the principal.

If Liz ___ (forget) her homework, the teacher ___ (give) her a low mark.

Second conditional

Function:

Unlikely or hypothetical

condition and its probable result

Present or future

Examples: 

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

If I was the Queen of England, I would give everyone a present.

If clause (condition)	Main clause (result)
If + past simple	would + infinitive

The type 2 conditional is used to refer to a time that is now or any time, and a situation that is unreal. These sentences are not based on fact. The type 2 conditional is used to refer to a hypothetical condition and its probable result. In type 2 conditional sentences, the if clause uses the simple past, and the main clause uses the present conditional.

If I ___ (have) enough money, I ___ (buy) a big house.

If you ___ (have) a better job, we ___ (be) able to buy a new car.

Third conditional

Function:

Impossible condition in the past 

and its probable result 

Hypothetical and unreal

Examples: 

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

If I had known you were coming, I would have baked a cake. 

If clause (condition)	Main clause (result)
If + past perfect	would have + past participle

The type 3 conditional is used to refer to a time that is in the past, and a situation that is contrary to reality. The facts they are based on are the opposite of what is expressed. The type 3 conditional is used to refer to an unreal past condition and its probable past result. In type 3 conditional sentences, the if clause uses the past perfect, and the main clause uses the perfect conditional.

These sentences are truly hypothetical and unreal, because it is now too late for the condition or its result to exist. There is always some implication of regret with type 3 conditional sentences.

If we ___ (arrive) earlier, we ___ (see) John.

If I ___ (be) born in a different country, I ___ (learn) to speak a different language.

Practice

Do the exercises in Gold Experience:  Page 28: 1/1, 2, 3

Grammar unit 23

I wish/ If only:

Expressing wishes, regrets and complaints

Watch the video

• Watch the video on the next slide and take notes. 
• Mark down when to use I wish/If only and for which situations.
• Note down an example sentence as well, it will make it easier to remember the rules. 

After you've done this, we will quickly go over the rules together.

I wish/If only

Expressing a wish, a regret, or to complain

There are three distinct types of I wish / if only sentences:

1. Wish, wanting change for the present or future with the simple past.

2. Regret with the past perfect.

3. Complaints with would + verb.

Expressing a wish

If only / I wish + simple past (example: worked/was/gave)

Example: If only I knew how to use a computer. (I don’t know how to use a computer and I would like to learn how to use it)

Use:

• To express a wish in the present or in the future.

• The simple past here is an unreal past.

• When you use the verb to be the form is “were”.

Hope vs Wish

I hope & I wish are often confused in English. Keep the following in mind:

• Hope usually takes a present tense and speaks of the future. In this case, we don't know or can't tell the outcome: I hope my flight arrives on time or I will miss the last train.
• Wish does know the facts and they are often the opposite of what want (we want them to be different, but they are not): I wish my flight arrived on time. Now I've missed the last train.

Complaints

Form:

I wish / if only + would + verb (example: would work/would be/would give)

Example: I wish you wouldn't arrive so late all the time (I'm annoyed because you always come late and I want you to arrive on time)

Use:

• To complain about a behaviour that you disapprove.

• Expressing impatience, annoyance or dissatisfaction with a present action.

IT’S TIME / I’D RATHER / I’D PREFER

IT'S (HIGH) TIME + PAST SIMPLE

It's (high) time + past simple expresses that something should be done and that it is already a bit late:

It's time you went to bed. You'll have to get up early tomorrow.

It's high time I bought a new pair of jeans.

It's about time this road was completed. They've been working on it for months.

It's time to say goodbye.

It's time for breakfast.

IT'S (HIGH) TIME + INFINITIVE

When we say that the right time has arrived for something and we are still in time, we can use the following patterns:

It's time (for you) to go to bed.

It's time to say goodbye.

It's time for breakfast.

Would prefer, would rather:

expressing specific preference

When we speak about a specific preference, would rather and would prefer have the same meaning and are interchangeable.

We went to the theatre yesterday. Today I would rather go to the cinema.

We went to the theatre yesterday. Today I would prefer to go to the cinema.

Would prefer, would rather:

expressing specific preference

Would rather can be abbreviated to 'd rather.

Would prefer can be abbreviated to 'd prefer.

I'd rather go to the cinema.

I'd prefer to go to the cinema.

Would prefer, would rather:

expressing specific preference

Would rather is followed by the infinitive without 'to'.

Would prefer is followed by to + infinitive or a noun. I'd rather have fruit juice.

I'd prefer to have fruit juice.

I'd prefer fruit juice.

Would prefer, would rather:

expressing specific preference

We use a past tense after would rather when we speak about the actions of other people, even though that action may be in the present or future.

I'd rather you took a taxi (instead of walking) – it's not safe on the streets at night.

The film is quite violent. I'd rather our children didn't watch it.

Would prefer, would rather:

expressing specific preference

We say:

would rather . . . than
It's such nice weather – I'd rather sit in the garden than watch TV.

We say:

would prefer . . . rather than / instead of

It's such nice weather – I'd prefer to sit in the garden rather than watch TV.