Conditionals

Zero conditional

Form If-clause (condition) main clause (result)
If/when present present
Meaning If/When I do this, the result always happens.
Examples

If/When I go for a run, I stretch my muscles first.

If you pour oil on water, it floats.

Iron goes red when it gets very hot.

If I drink milk, I get sick because I have lactose intolerance.

If I don’t take vitamin C regularly, I often catch a cold.

When I watch a romantic movie, I always cry.

Note:

  • If you want to talk about things that are generally true, there’s little difference in meaning between if and when.
  • If you start with the if/when-clause, remember to follow it with a comma.

Exercises

Exercise 1.1

Make sentences with if/when according to the example below:

You heat ice (cause). It melts (effect)

  • If you heat ice, it melts.
  • Ice melts, if you heat it.

Lab equipment breaks (effect). You don´t handle with care (cause).

  • If you don´t handle lab equipment with care, it breaks.
  • Lab equipment breaks, if you don´t handle it with care.

Exercise 1.2

Make sentences by putting the words in the correct order:

First conditional

Form If-clause (condition) main clause (result)
If present WILL
Meaning If I do this, the result will probably happen.
Examples

If temperatures rise again, there will be further outbreaks of fire in the south of the country.

If you submit your essay after the deadline, it will not be marked.

If you don’t give people regular information about the hurricane, they will not leave the affected areas in time.

Note:

  • Remember to use the present tense in the if-clause!
  • Unlike the zero conditional, there is a difference between if and when in the first conditional.
    • If/When plants don’t get enough water, they die. (= zero conditional: this is what happens if you don’t water plants)
    • If I see Tom, I’ll tell him about the conference. (= first conditional: I don’t know if I’m going to see him, but I know it’s a possibility.)
    • When I see Tom, I’ll tell/I'm going to tell him about the conference. (= I know I’m going to see him)
  • Unless = if...not
    • I’ll go to the conference unless I’m too busy. = (I’ll go to the conference if I am not busy.)
  • Other time expressions which are followed by the present tense:
    • after (=at a later time)
      • After we finish the report, we will go to the gym.
    • as soon as (=at the same time or in a very short time after)
      • Don't worry. As soon as I open the letter with my exam results, I'll call you.
    • before (=earlier than something)
      • I think I'll prepare for school before I go to bed.
    • until (=up to a particular point in time)
      • We will be working on the assignment until it's finished.
    • in case (=in order to be prepared for future situations)
      • I'll read the lecture notes once again in case the teacher asks about it tomorrow.

Exercises

Exercise 2.1

Decide which answer in the drop-down menu best fits each gap:

Exercise 2.2

Complete the sentences with a time expression from the box below. Some of them have to be used more than once:

Second conditional

If-clause (condition) main clause (result)
Form If + subject + past subject + WOULD
Full form If I won the lottery, I would study at Berkeley.
Contracted form If I won the lottery, I´d study at Berkeley.
Meaning

If I did this, the result would happen.

To talk about imagined or unreal situations in the present or future.
Examples

If developing countries had greater control of commodity prices, they would be able to plan their economies more efficiently. (= but they don't)

If I won the lottery, I would travel round the world (= I don't think it's very probable I'll win the lottery)

What do you think would happen, if Earth lost its moon? (= but it won't because it's impossible)

If I were you, I would study much harder. The exam is not as easy as you think. (= but I'm not you and never will be)

If you weren't making so much noise, I could concentrate better.

I wouldn't have a car, if I didn't live in the country.

Note:

  • the past tense after if does not refer to the past; it refers to the present or future
  • In unreal conditions, use WERE, not was
    • If I were you (= I am not you and I never will be), I wouldn’t do it.
  • However, in other situations, it's OK to use either was or were (= were is more formal):
    • If I were/was a student of history (= I am not, but I could be), I would focus on Ancient Egypt.

Exercises

Exercise 3.1

Read the text and decide which answer in the drop-down menu best fits each gap:

Exercise 3.2

Complete the gaps with the right form of the verb in brackets:

Questions
Indirect/reported speech