Look at these examples to see how zero, first and second conditionals are used.
If you freeze water, it becomes solid.
If it rains tomorrow, I'll take the car.
If I lived closer to the cinema, I would go more often.
Try this exercise to test your grammar.
- Grammar test 1
Read the explanation to learn more.
Grammar explanation
Conditionals describe the result of a certain condition. The if clause tells you the condition (If you study hard) and the main clause tells you the result (you will pass your exams). The order of the clauses does not change the meaning.
If you study hard, you will pass your exams.
You will pass your exams if you study hard.
Conditional sentences are often divided into different types.
Zero conditional
We use the zero conditional to talk about things that are generally true, especially for laws and rules.
If I drink too much coffee, I can't sleep at night.
Ice melts if you heat it.
When the sun goes down, it gets dark.
The structure is: if/when + present simple >> present simple.
First conditional
We use the first conditional when we talk about future situations we believe are real or possible.
If it doesn't rain tomorrow, we'll go to the beach.
Arsenal will be top of the league if they win.
When I finish work, I'll call you.
In first conditional sentences, the structure is usually: if/when + present simple >> will + infinitive.
It is also common to use this structure with unless, as long as, as soon as or in case instead of if.
I'll leave as soon as the babysitter arrives.
I don't want to stay in London unless I get a well-paid job.
I'll give you a key in case I'm not at home.
You can go to the party, as long as you're back by midnight.
Second conditional
The second conditional is used to imagine present or future situations that are impossible or unlikely in reality.
If we had a garden, we could have a cat.
If I won a lot of money, I'd buy a big house in the country.
I wouldn't worry if I were you.
The structure is usually: if + past simple >> + would + infinitive.
When if is followed by the verb be, it is grammatically correct to say if I were, if he were, if she were and if it were. However, it is also common to hear these structures with was, especially in the he/she form.
If I were you, I wouldn't mention it.
If she was prime minister, she would invest more money in schools.
He would travel more if he was younger.
Do this exercise to test your grammar again.
- Grammar test 2
I have a question regarding conditionals (maybe it is from a higher level than this section).
If we have a sentence "If you were better organized you ............. that problem yesterday!"
and the options were
a. wouldn't have
b. wouldn't have had
c. wouldn't be having
d. wouldn't have been
What would be the correct answer (I put A, because it matches with the second conditional structure, but I think that the correct one is B, even though the structure would not match).
Thank you for your attention.
Hello Kingsman1,
The key word here is 'yesterday'. This tells you that the result is in the past, not the present. Therefore, the answer is B.
"If you were better organized you wouldn't have that problem now!" [a result in the present]
"If you were better organized you wouldn't have had that problem now!" [a result in the past]
The confusing part is that the if-clause uses 'were' rather than 'had been'. In other words, it does not look like a past condition, so having a past result seems illogical. However, If you were... can also have a general time meaning. It describes your general character in the past, present and (probably) in the future as well. Thus it can lead to a past result because it was true in the past.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
I usually see native speakers saying something like the following when they're unclear about a member's question in the forum.
Why don't they say "It will help if you give some context?" Why use past tense instead of present tense?
Hello Plokonyo,
As we have said previously, would is a way of making a request, opinion or suggestion more polite.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello, Peter M. But I don't ask about the use of "would". My confusion is about a conditional sentence. Why does the speaker use a second conditional form instead of a first conditional one?
Hello Plokonyo,
The answer is the same: using this form is more tentative and polite than using present + will in this context.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello, dear teachers and team!
Could you please help me with the following:
2. Call me when you know when you WILL BE free
And my second question is: Do conditionals have to be changed in indirect speech? For example, do I have to say:
2. He told me that I had to call him when I WAS free
3. And, could you, please, also tell me if the following is correct:
He told me that he would buy a new car if he had money
Thank you so much for making our learning expiriences much easier and more interesting! And I am very grateful for the answer to this post beforehand!
Hello howtosay_,
Both are possible and in this context there is no real difference in meaning. I think the second option is more common.
Again, both are possible here.The first sentence suggests that the texting has not happened yet: the person is between 'he told me' and actually being free/sending the text. The second sentence could mean this or it could mean that the time for texting/being free has already passed and the speaker is looking back on it.
Yes, that's fine. I think we'd probably say 'the money' as it suggests 'the money I need to buy it' rather than just 'money' which suggests being wealthy more generally.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello teachers,
Is it possible to say “if it weren’t for the well-paid salary, I wouldn’t accept this job” or should it be “ if it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have accepted this job”? Or both are okay?
Hello trangtran261,
Yes, both of those sentences are correct. The first one describes a hypothetical situation in the present (imaginary present condition and imaginary present result) and the second describes a hypothetical situation in the past (imaginary general time condition and imaginary past result).
Well done!
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team