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
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
I think if you take your studies seriously you will do better in ur exams. We are living in a cruel world if you don't learn to work for yourself none will come to push you. Hafsa could have all she wanted if she could be calm, next time don't same mistake like she did. How can you be a good girl if you don't attend the church? Can you share with me your opinion on these sentences.
please i have a question
Choose the correct answer:
If you throw a stone in water, ..................?
1- does it sink?
2- will it sink?
3- would it sink?
which one is correct and can "a" and "b" work her?
thanks in advance
Hello Mohamed Tawfeek,
Both (1) and (2) are possible here. Answer (1) is about what happens in general terms while answer (2) is about predicting a particular result. Answer (3) is not possible as it does not agree with the first part of the sentence - you cannot mix a real situation (in the first part) with 'would', which is used to describe hypothetical results.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
The correct answer is "will it sink?" because it expresses a future possibility or question about a potential action.
Hello,
The first conditional structure is: if/when + present simple >> will + infinitive.
However, I have noticed that there are two examples that are written in the 1st conditional section that do not match the 1st conditional structure. These two examples did not use '' Will'', as follow:
You can go to the party, as long as you're back by midnight.
Please, why these examples did not use ''will'', which means they did not match the structure?
Thank you,
Omar
Hi Omar,
Please note that our explanation says:
unless is another way of saying if not, so the sentence you ask about could be written as
It's very common for the other verb to be will, but as you can see here, other tenses like the present simple are possible.
In reality, we can use many different verb forms with if -- what is important is that the verb forms express situations that are possible and make sense. Since this can be complicated for people learning the language, teachers often refer to the most common structures with terms like 'first conditional', etc.
I hope this helps you make sense of this.
Best wishes,
Kirk
LearnEnglish team