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2.939v5.667H9.351V9h3.414v1.561h.046c.477-.9 1.637-1.85 3.37-1.85c3.601 0 4.267 2.37 4.267 5.455v6.286zM5.337 7.433a2.06 2.06 0 0 1-2.063-2.065a2.064 2.064 0 1 1 2.063 2.065m1.782 13.019H3.555V9h3.564zM22.225 0H1.771C.792 0 0 .774 0 1.729v20.542C0 23.227.792 24 1.771 24h20.451C23.2 24 24 23.227 24 22.271V1.729C24 .774 23.2 0 22.222 0z\"\u002F>",true,{"id":40,"title":41,"author":42,"body":43,"cefrLevel":825,"date":42,"description":826,"exercises":42,"extension":827,"faqs":828,"gcseTier":42,"intro":42,"language":841,"lastUpdated":42,"meta":842,"navigation":38,"path":843,"seo":844,"stem":845,"verbSlugs":42,"__hash__":846},"pages\u002Fenglish\u002Fgrammar\u002Fconditional-sentences.md","Conditional sentences in English: the four types explained",null,{"type":44,"value":45,"toc":811},"minimark",[46,55,60,63,87,90,109,112,116,228,231,235,238,243,291,304,308,315,320,368,382,386,389,394,442,480,484,491,496,544,562,566,573,578,591,598,602,616,630,651,655,658,752,756,759,793],[47,48,49,50,54],"p",{},"A conditional sentence describes a condition and its result: ",[51,52,53],"em",{},"if"," one thing\nhappens, another thing follows. English has a small set of fixed patterns for\ndoing this, and once you can name the four types, most of the confusion\ndisappears. The trouble is rarely the meaning. It is keeping the tenses in the\nright clause.",[56,57,59],"h2",{"id":58},"the-structure-of-a-conditional","The structure of a conditional",[47,61,62],{},"Every conditional has two parts:",[64,65,66,78],"ul",{},[67,68,69,70,74,75],"li",{},"the ",[71,72,73],"strong",{},"if-clause"," (the condition): ",[51,76,77],{},"if it rains",[67,79,69,80,83,84],{},[71,81,82],{},"main clause"," (the result): ",[51,85,86],{},"I will stay home",[47,88,89],{},"The order can swap with no change in meaning. There is one punctuation rule,\nand it is worth getting right because it is easy and examiners notice it:",[64,91,92,101],{},[67,93,94,97,98],{},[71,95,96],{},"If the if-clause comes first, use a comma."," ",[51,99,100],{},"If it rains, I will stay\nhome.",[67,102,103,97,106],{},[71,104,105],{},"If the if-clause comes second, use no comma.",[51,107,108],{},"I will stay home if it\nrains.",[47,110,111],{},"That is the whole punctuation rule. Now the four patterns.",[56,113,115],{"id":114},"the-four-conditionals-at-a-glance","The four conditionals at a glance",[117,118,119,141],"table",{},[120,121,122],"thead",{},[123,124,125,129,132,135,138],"tr",{},[126,127,128],"th",{},"Type",[126,130,131],{},"If-clause",[126,133,134],{},"Main clause",[126,136,137],{},"Use",[126,139,140],{},"Example",[142,143,144,166,186,207],"tbody",{},[123,145,146,152,155,158,161],{},[147,148,149],"td",{},[71,150,151],{},"Zero",[147,153,154],{},"if + present simple",[147,156,157],{},"present simple",[147,159,160],{},"facts, general truths",[147,162,163],{},[51,164,165],{},"If you heat ice, it melts.",[123,167,168,173,175,178,181],{},[147,169,170],{},[71,171,172],{},"First",[147,174,154],{},[147,176,177],{},"will + base verb",[147,179,180],{},"real, likely future",[147,182,183],{},[51,184,185],{},"If it rains, I'll stay home.",[123,187,188,193,196,199,202],{},[147,189,190],{},[71,191,192],{},"Second",[147,194,195],{},"if + past simple",[147,197,198],{},"would + base verb",[147,200,201],{},"unreal or unlikely present\u002Ffuture",[147,203,204],{},[51,205,206],{},"If I won the lottery, I'd travel.",[123,208,209,214,217,220,223],{},[147,210,211],{},[71,212,213],{},"Third",[147,215,216],{},"if + past perfect",[147,218,219],{},"would have + past participle",[147,221,222],{},"unreal past, regrets",[147,224,225],{},[51,226,227],{},"If I had studied, I'd have passed.",[47,229,230],{},"Read the table top to bottom and you can see the engine: as the situation gets\nless real, the tense in each clause steps one notch further back in time.",[56,232,234],{"id":233},"zero-conditional-facts-and-general-truths","Zero conditional: facts and general truths",[47,236,237],{},"Use the zero conditional for things that are always true. The result is not a\nprediction; it is a law of how the world works. Both clauses are in the present\nsimple.",[47,239,240],{},[71,241,242],{},"if + present simple, present simple",[117,244,245,253],{},[120,246,247],{},[123,248,249,251],{},[126,250,131],{},[126,252,134],{},[142,254,255,267,279],{},[123,256,257,262],{},[147,258,259],{},[51,260,261],{},"If you heat ice,",[147,263,264],{},[51,265,266],{},"it melts.",[123,268,269,274],{},[147,270,271],{},[51,272,273],{},"If you don't water plants,",[147,275,276],{},[51,277,278],{},"they die.",[123,280,281,286],{},[147,282,283],{},[51,284,285],{},"If you press this button,",[147,287,288],{},[51,289,290],{},"the machine stops.",[47,292,293,294,296,297,300,301],{},"You can usually replace ",[51,295,53],{}," with ",[51,298,299],{},"when"," here without changing the meaning,\nbecause the result happens every time: ",[51,302,303],{},"when you heat ice, it melts.",[56,305,307],{"id":306},"first-conditional-real-future-situations","First conditional: real future situations",[47,309,310,311,314],{},"Use the first conditional for a future situation you think is realistic or\nlikely. The condition is in the present simple, and the result uses ",[51,312,313],{},"will",".",[47,316,317],{},[71,318,319],{},"if + present simple, will + base verb",[117,321,322,330],{},[120,323,324],{},[123,325,326,328],{},[126,327,131],{},[126,329,134],{},[142,331,332,344,356],{},[123,333,334,339],{},[147,335,336],{},[51,337,338],{},"If it rains,",[147,340,341],{},[51,342,343],{},"I'll stay home.",[123,345,346,351],{},[147,347,348],{},[51,349,350],{},"If she calls,",[147,352,353],{},[51,354,355],{},"I'll tell her.",[123,357,358,363],{},[147,359,360],{},[51,361,362],{},"If we leave now,",[147,364,365],{},[51,366,367],{},"we'll catch the train.",[47,369,370,371,374,375,378,379],{},"Note the present tense in the if-clause. The condition is in the future in your\nhead, but English uses the present simple to express it. You can soften the\nresult with ",[51,372,373],{},"might"," or ",[51,376,377],{},"could"," when you are less sure: ",[51,380,381],{},"if it rains, I might\nstay home.",[56,383,385],{"id":384},"second-conditional-unreal-or-unlikely-present-and-future","Second conditional: unreal or unlikely present and future",[47,387,388],{},"Use the second conditional for situations that are imaginary, unlikely, or\ncontrary to fact right now. The condition is in the past simple, but the meaning\nis present or future, not past.",[47,390,391],{},[71,392,393],{},"if + past simple, would + base verb",[117,395,396,404],{},[120,397,398],{},[123,399,400,402],{},[126,401,131],{},[126,403,134],{},[142,405,406,418,430],{},[123,407,408,413],{},[147,409,410],{},[51,411,412],{},"If I won the lottery,",[147,414,415],{},[51,416,417],{},"I would travel the world.",[123,419,420,425],{},[147,421,422],{},[51,423,424],{},"If I had more time,",[147,426,427],{},[51,428,429],{},"I would learn the piano.",[123,431,432,437],{},[147,433,434],{},[51,435,436],{},"If he lived closer,",[147,438,439],{},[51,440,441],{},"we would see him more.",[47,443,444,445,448,449,452,453,456,457,460,461,464,465,468,469,374,471,473,474,456,477],{},"With the verb ",[51,446,447],{},"be",", the standard second-conditional form is ",[71,450,451],{},"were"," for every\nsubject, not ",[51,454,455],{},"was",": ",[51,458,459],{},"If I were you, I would wait. If she were here, she would\nknow."," You will hear ",[51,462,463],{},"if I was"," constantly in speech and it is widely accepted,\nbut ",[51,466,467],{},"if I were"," is the form to use in writing and exams. As with the first\nconditional, ",[51,470,377],{},[51,472,373],{}," can replace ",[51,475,476],{},"would",[51,478,479],{},"if I won the lottery, I\ncould buy a house.",[56,481,483],{"id":482},"third-conditional-the-unreal-past","Third conditional: the unreal past",[47,485,486,487,490],{},"Use the third conditional to talk about a past situation that did not happen, and\nto express regret about it. Both clauses look further back: past perfect in the\ncondition, ",[51,488,489],{},"would have"," plus a past participle in the result.",[47,492,493],{},[71,494,495],{},"if + past perfect, would have + past participle",[117,497,498,506],{},[120,499,500],{},[123,501,502,504],{},[126,503,131],{},[126,505,134],{},[142,507,508,520,532],{},[123,509,510,515],{},[147,511,512],{},[51,513,514],{},"If I had studied,",[147,516,517],{},[51,518,519],{},"I would have passed.",[123,521,522,527],{},[147,523,524],{},[51,525,526],{},"If we had left earlier,",[147,528,529],{},[51,530,531],{},"we would have caught the train.",[123,533,534,539],{},[147,535,536],{},[51,537,538],{},"If she had asked,",[147,540,541],{},[51,542,543],{},"I would have helped.",[47,545,546,547,550,551,554,555,558,559],{},"Everything here is hypothetical, because the past is fixed. ",[51,548,549],{},"If I had studied, I\nwould have passed"," tells you the speaker did not study and did not pass. Again,\n",[51,552,553],{},"could have"," and ",[51,556,557],{},"might have"," are available: ",[51,560,561],{},"if I had studied, I might have\npassed.",[56,563,565],{"id":564},"mixed-conditionals","Mixed conditionals",[47,567,568,569,572],{},"Sometimes the condition and the result sit in different times. The most common\nmix is a ",[71,570,571],{},"past condition with a present result",": something that did or did not\nhappen in the past still affects now.",[47,574,575],{},[71,576,577],{},"if + past perfect, would + base verb",[64,579,580,586],{},[67,581,582,585],{},[51,583,584],{},"If I had taken the job, I would be richer now."," (Past decision, present\nconsequence.)",[67,587,588],{},[51,589,590],{},"If she had studied medicine, she would be a doctor today.",[47,592,593,594,597],{},"The reverse also exists - a present condition with a past result - but it is\nrarer: ",[51,595,596],{},"if he weren't so careless, he wouldn't have lost the keys."," The point is\nthat you are free to mix the clauses when the timeline genuinely crosses; you do\nnot have to keep both halves in the same conditional.",[56,599,601],{"id":600},"unless-and-other-ways-in","Unless, and other ways in",[47,603,604,607,608,611,612,615],{},[51,605,606],{},"Unless"," means ",[51,609,610],{},"if not",". It introduces the condition under which the result will\n",[71,613,614],{},"not"," happen:",[64,617,618,624],{},[67,619,620,623],{},[51,621,622],{},"I'll stay home unless it stops raining."," (= if it does not stop raining)",[67,625,626,629],{},[51,627,628],{},"Unless you hurry, we'll miss the train."," (= if you do not hurry)",[47,631,632,633,636,637,640,641,644,645,554,647,650],{},"It takes the same comma rule and the same tense pattern as a normal if-clause.\nYou can also begin conditions with ",[51,634,635],{},"as long as",", ",[51,638,639],{},"provided that",", and ",[51,642,643],{},"in case",",\nbut ",[51,646,53],{},[51,648,649],{},"unless"," carry the vast majority of the work.",[56,652,654],{"id":653},"common-mistakes","Common mistakes",[47,656,657],{},"Ranked by how often learners actually make them.",[659,660,661,699,712,722,740],"ol",{},[67,662,663,671,672,374,674,676,677,680,681,684,685,688,689,692,693,695,696,698],{},[71,664,665,666,374,668,670],{},"Putting ",[51,667,313],{},[51,669,476],{}," in the if-clause."," This is the big one. The\ncondition never takes ",[51,673,313],{},[51,675,476],{},". ",[51,678,679],{},"If I will see him, I'll tell him","\nshould be ",[51,682,683],{},"If I see him, I'll tell him."," And ",[51,686,687],{},"If I would have known, I would\nhave come"," should be ",[51,690,691],{},"If I had known, I would have come."," Keep ",[51,694,313],{}," and\n",[51,697,476],{}," in the result clause only.",[67,700,701,97,704,707,708,711],{},[71,702,703],{},"Mixing up the second and third conditional.",[51,705,706],{},"If I would have studied, I\nwould have passed"," blends the two. The third conditional needs the past\nperfect in the condition: ",[51,709,710],{},"If I had studied, I would have passed."," Use the\nsecond for the unreal present, the third for the unreal past.",[67,713,714,717,718,721],{},[71,715,716],{},"Comma errors."," A comma is needed only when the if-clause comes first. ",[51,719,720],{},"I\nwill stay home, if it rains"," is wrong; drop the comma when the condition\ncomes second. And do not forget the comma when it does come first.",[67,723,724,97,733,736,737],{},[71,725,726,727,729,730,732],{},"Using ",[51,728,455],{}," instead of ",[51,731,451],{}," in the second conditional.",[51,734,735],{},"If I was rich","\nis informal at best. In careful English it is ",[51,738,739],{},"If I were rich.",[67,741,742,97,745,748,749],{},[71,743,744],{},"Confusing zero and first.",[51,746,747],{},"If you heat ice, it will melt"," turns a general\ntruth into a one-off prediction. For a fact, keep both clauses present: ",[51,750,751],{},"if\nyou heat ice, it melts.",[56,753,755],{"id":754},"practice","Practice",[47,757,758],{},"Choose or complete the correct form. Answers are below.",[659,760,761,769,775,781,787],{},[67,762,763,764,768],{},"If you ",[765,766,767],"code",{},"___"," (mix) blue and yellow, you get green.",[67,770,771,772,774],{},"If it ",[765,773,767],{}," (rain) tomorrow, we will cancel the picnic.",[67,776,777,778,780],{},"If I ",[765,779,767],{}," (be) you, I would take the job.",[67,782,783,784,786],{},"If she had left earlier, she ",[765,785,767],{}," (catch) the train.",[67,788,789,790,792],{},"I won't forgive him ",[765,791,767],{}," he apologises.",[47,794,795,798,799,801,802,804,805,807,808,810],{},[71,796,797],{},"Answers:"," 1. mix (zero conditional - a general truth) 2. rains (first\nconditional - present simple in the if-clause, never ",[51,800,313],{},") 3. were (second\nconditional - standard ",[51,803,451],{}," for all subjects) 4. would have caught (third\nconditional - ",[51,806,489],{}," + past participle) 5. unless (",[51,809,649],{}," = if not)",{"title":812,"searchDepth":813,"depth":813,"links":814},"",2,[815,816,817,818,819,820,821,822,823,824],{"id":58,"depth":813,"text":59},{"id":114,"depth":813,"text":115},{"id":233,"depth":813,"text":234},{"id":306,"depth":813,"text":307},{"id":384,"depth":813,"text":385},{"id":482,"depth":813,"text":483},{"id":564,"depth":813,"text":565},{"id":600,"depth":813,"text":601},{"id":653,"depth":813,"text":654},{"id":754,"depth":813,"text":755},"B1-B2","A clear guide to conditional sentences in English. The zero, first, second and third conditionals, plus mixed conditionals, comma rules and the mistakes to avoid.","md",[829,832,835,838],{"q":830,"a":831},"What are the four types of conditional sentences?","The zero conditional (if + present simple, present simple) is for facts and general truths. The first conditional (if + present simple, will + base) is for real future situations. The second conditional (if + past simple, would + base) is for unreal or unlikely present and future situations. The third conditional (if + past perfect, would have + past participle) is for unreal past situations and regrets.",{"q":833,"a":834},"Do I put a comma in a conditional sentence?","Yes, when the if-clause comes first: If it rains, I will stay home. When the if-clause comes second, you do not use a comma: I will stay home if it rains. The comma marks the break between the two clauses only when the condition leads.",{"q":836,"a":837},"Why is it wrong to say If I will see him?","The if-clause never takes will or would. The condition uses a present or past tense; the result clause carries will or would. So it is If I see him, I will tell him, not If I will see him. The same rule blocks If I would have known: use If I had known.",{"q":839,"a":840},"Is it If I was or If I were in the second conditional?","If I were is the standard form in the second conditional for all subjects: If I were you, I would wait. If I was is common in speech and is widely accepted, but If I were is the safer choice in writing and in exams.","english",{},"\u002Fenglish\u002Fgrammar\u002Fconditional-sentences",{"title":41,"description":826},"english\u002Fgrammar\u002Fconditional-sentences","Wg0UxN4EF-nn5GdSp8jVQxRyWTUSGxxlvdzvkUUbuwQ"]