Conditionals 0 - 1 - 2 - 3

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• vmbo lwoo
• Leerjaar 3

CONDITIONALS

What's a conditional?

CONDITIONALS

If this happens, then that happens.

Look out for the ,!

ZERO CONDITIONAL

If you drop an apple, it falls to the ground.

 Water turns into ice if you freeze water.

to talk about things which always happen.

general / scientific facts

Write out the rule to use the
ZERO CONDITIONAL.

Your turn! 

Complete the next sentence 

with a zero conditional.

If you don't eat food for two days, ........

FIRST CONDITIONAL

If the man takes another step,

1. The penguin will hug the man
2. The penguin will jump in the air
3. The penguin will attack the man
4. The penguin will do a somersault

If the toy cat starts waving,

1. The cat will attack the toy.
2. The cat will mimic the toy.
3. The cat will run away.
4. The cat will attack its owner.

If the door opens,

1. The dogs will act like nothing happened.
2. The dogs will run away.
3. The dogs will attack each other.
4. The dogs will keep barking to each other.

When the cat sees the dog,

1. The cat will jump on top of the dog.
2. The cat will scare the dog away.
3. The cat will run away.
4. The cat will lock the door.

FIRST CONDITIONAL

If/when the man takes another step, the penguin will attack him. 

If/when the toy cat starts waving, the cat will mimic it. 

If/when the door opens, the dogs will act like nothing happened.

If/when the cat sees the dog, the cat will lock the door.

FIRST CONDITIONAL

 If Juan leaves, Bella will be very sad.

IF + simple present , WILL + infinitive

to talk about things which are likely to happen, 

it's not 100% true.

SECOND CONDITIONAL

If I were a boy ...

(complete with an example from the song.)

If I were a boy, I would roll out of bed in the morning and 

                            throw on what I wanted. 

If I were a boy, I would be a better man.

If I were a boy, I would listen to her.

If I were a boy, I would turn off my phone.

If I were a boy, I would put myself first.

SECOND CONDITIONAL

If I were you, I would tell her.

I would travel around the world if I won the lottery.

to talk about things that are unlikely to happen.

Your turn! 

Complete the next sentences 

with a second conditional.

If I won the lottery, ...

Time for a game!

Which conditionals 

are they?

write 0 - 1 - 2

I would buy you a present if you gave me a hug every day.

If you dance in the rain, I will join you.

If it snows, it is very cold.

Zero conditional (100% waar):

This form is used for: 

- facts /  real (factual) situations in the present

- commands / the imperative form

How to make:  use a present simple in both parts

If water freezes, it becomes ice.

If you want to be better at English, pay attention (imperative)

In this conditional, you can replace the word 'if' with 'when' without changing the meaning.

 First conditional (erg waarschijnlijk, bijna 100% waar)

The type 1 conditional is used to refer to:

- the present or future where a situation is real

- a possible condition and its likely result

How to make: use a present simple in the if-clause

and the future simple in the main clause.

Future simple: will +  infinitive (full verb)

If you are late, she will be very angry.

Second conditional (onwaarschijnlijk, maar niet onmogelijk) 

The type 2 conditional is used to refer to:

- a hypothetical condition and its probable result (aka: 

its unlikely to happen, but not impossible)

How to make: use a past simple in the if-clause

and would + infinitive in the main clause.

If I learned to play the guitar, I would be  rock star.

If I were famous, I would post on Instagram every day!

In the if-clause, were is often used instead of was

Third conditional (onwaar, niet meer te veranderen)

The type 3 conditional is used to refer to:

- a time in the past and a situation that is the opposite

of the present.

- an unreal past condition and its probable result  

How to make: use a past perfect in the if-clause

and would/could/should have + past participle in 

the main clause

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

(but you didnt study hard, so you failed)

Extra exercise: fill in the right tense

1. If you give him a hand he …( thank)  you. 
2. If I … (be) you, I would call home. 
3. If he … (find) out the truth sooner, he would have reported you to the police himself. 
4. If she lived in Amsterdam she … (go) to the Albert Cuyp every week. 
5. If you mix blue and yellow you … (get) green. 
6. If they take the 8 o’clock train in Amersfoort they … (arrive) in time for the meeting. 
7. If she had not forgotten her purse she … ( buy) a new winter coat. 
8. If you … (heat) up water to 100 degrees Celsius it …(boil). 
9. If he won the lottery, he … (move) to a tropical island. 
10. If the boys behave better, their parents … (allow) them to stay home alone. 

Answers

1. If you give him a hand he will thank…( thank)  you. 
2. If I were… (be) you, I would call home. 
3. If he had found… (find) out the truth sooner, he would have reported you to the police himself. 
4. If she lived in Amsterdam she would go… (go) to the Albert Cuyp every week. 
5. If you mix blue and yellow you …get (get) green. 
6. If they take the 8 o’clock train in Amersfoort they …will arrive (arrive) in time for the meeting. 
7. If she had not forgotten her purse she would have bought… ( buy) a new winter coat. 
8. If you heat up water to 100 degrees Celsius it …boils(boil). 
9. If he won the lottery, he …would move (move) to a tropical island. 
10. If the boys behave better, their parents …will allow (allow) them to stay home alone. 

if + past simple + would/could/might- for general truths or the result of a situation/action

if/unless + present simple + will/ won't might - for a future possibility

if + past perfect + would have + past participle - for hypothetical situations in present or future, suggestions and advice

if/when + present simple + present simple - for hypothetical situations in the past or regrets about the past

Zero conditional

first conditional

second conditional

third conditional

If Cosimo hadn't built a treehouse first, Francesco probably wouldn't have bothered

When we think about a living space, we imagine a 'normal ' house, flat or hotel.

if you saw this treehouse, you'd think it was something out of a fairytale.

If I were you, I'd try it one day!

If you have a space you can go to, then you might find that your mind becomes freer.

Things like this won't happen unless you live in the countryside.

Zero conditional

first conditional

second conditional

third conditional