Conditionals Havo 4

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• Middelbare school
• havo
• Leerjaar 4

Conditionals

Havo 4

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 enough money, I will buy that house.

If I saved enough money, I would buy that house.

If I had saved enough money, I would have bought that house.

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 your grammar booklet (1-5).

This is your homework for 

Tuesday, 25 May

Write down a conditional sentence.

I understand and am able to use the conditionals