Conditional Clauses

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0 Conditional

1st Conditional

2nd Conditional

3rd Conditional

Conditional Clauses

Conditional Clauses

A clause is a group of words that tells you two things: 

First, it has a subject: that's who or what is doing something. 

Second, it has a predicate: that's the action the subject is taking. E.g.:

They run.

The plant grows.

Conditional tenses speculate (guess):

- what could happen

- what might have happened

- what we wish would happen

(also refers to a general truth)

Remember:

'IF' + Verb Tense (E.g.: If + Present Simple)

0 Conditional

Usage:  When referring to general truths.

If clause (condition) = If + present simple	Main Clause (result) = present simple
If this thing happens	That thing happens

If you heat ice,	it melts .
If it rains ,	the grass gets wet.

If dogs get angry,	they growl .
If you d on't water plants,	they die .

1. 'When' can replace 'If'. 

2. Sentences are not fixed (if clause and main clause can switch)

1. When you heat ice,	it melts.
When it rains,	the grass gets wet.

0 Conditional

2. If you heat ice, 

it melts.

Ice melts if you heat it. 

If it rains,

the grass gets wet.

The grass gets wet, if it rains.

I bike to work.

I go to bed early.

you need a pen.

It scares the cat.

If the weather is nice,

If I am tired,

When you take a test,

If the dog barks,

I take a painkiller.

It dies.

I stay in the office until late.

It boils.

If I get a headache,

If you don’t water a flower,

If I have a lot of work,

If you heat water to 100 degrees,

1st Conditional

Usage:  refers to a possible condition and its probable result.

If clause (If + simple present)	Main Clause (simple future)
If this thing happens	That thing will happen

If you don't hurry ,	you will miss the train.
If it rains today,	you will get wet.

If Sally is late again,	I will be mad.
If you drop that glass,	it will break .

Complete the sentence using the 1st Conditional:
__ I ___ to London, I ______ my aunt.

Create your own sentence using the 1st Conditional:

2nd Conditional

Usage: refers to a hypothetical condition and its probable result.

If clause (If + past simple)	Main Clause ( would + verb)
If this thing happened	that thing would happen OR that thing would be happening

If you went to bed earlier,	you would not be so tired.
If I had a spaceship,	I would travel to Mars.

If I saw a ghost,	I would scream .
If I met a bear in the woods,	I would walk back slowly.

Select the correct ending to the sentence:
If I won a lot of money...

1. ...you will sleep outside with the dog.
2. ...I would have passed the exam.
3. ...I would buy a big house in the country.
4. ...I will buy you an ice cream.

Select the correct ending to the sentence:
If I had a garden...

1. ...I would have passed the exam.
2. ...you will sleep outside with the dog.
3. ...I wouldn’t have been so upset.
4. ...I would get a dog.

3rd Conditional

Usage: used to refer to an unreal past condition and its probable past result.

If clause (If + past perfect)	Main Clause ( would + have + PP )
If this thing happened	that thing would have happened OR would have been happening.

If you had studied harder,	you would have passed the exam.
If you had stolen the car,	you would have gone to jail.

If I had arrived earlier,	I would have made the flight.
If I had studied Spanish,	I would have moved to Spain.

Select the correct ending to the sentence:
If I had found the address..

1. ... I would visited my childhood friend.
2. ... I would have visited my childhood friend.
3. ... I will have visited my childhood friend.
4. ... I would visit my childhood friend.

Select the correct ending to the sentence:
I would have taken the train.

1. If I knew the weather was that bad...
2. If I had know the weather was that bad...
3. If I had known the weather was that bad...
4. If I know the weather is that bad...

Now let's practice!