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 LearnEnglish Team,
How to form real and unreal conditional sentencse with present condition and future result?
Thank you.
Hello ShetuYogme,
For real/likely/plausible present conditions with future results we use if + present for the condition and a future form for the result. The future form can be a modal verb such as will or might, or it can be another form with future meaning like going to. The information regarding 'first conditonal' is relevant here.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello again Peter,
The same structure is used for conditional sentences with future condition and future results.
The condition is in the future and so is the result.
How do I know whether the condition is in the present or the future?
Thank you.
Hello ShetuYogme,
You're correct in this. This construction can refer to the present or future. Only the context makes it clear. But the same can be said of 'will', for example, which can be used for predictions about the present or the future:
Right now she'll be on the bus. [a prediction or guess about the present]
This time tomorrow she'll be on the bus. [a prediction or guess about the future]
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello. I'd like to use this sentence, but I don't know what tense I should use for the relative clause in bold:
If we know that the children of a wealthy politician are going to inherit a fortune that had obviously been stolen or embezzled, it makes sense to tax the money.
Hello J_Morales,
I think the sentence as you have it is fine. You could also use the present perfect: ...that has obviously been... as you can see the theft as an action which took place in the past (had been stolen) or you can see the money money as being stolen money in the present (has been stolen). Both make sense in this context.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Thank you, Peter.
My textbook (MyGrammarLab, Mark Foley, Diane Hall) says this:
"We can use the present perfect for completed actions in the past if they may happen again, i.e. if the time period in which the actions took place has not ended."
Having read this rule, I was choosing between the past perfect and simple past. I thought since the politician passed away in the past, I needed to place the action of embezzlement before that, hence the past perfect. I'm a bit puzzled now.
You can find the rule here: https://freeimage.host/i/33H4M8B
Hello again J_Morales,
The present perfect has several uses. One is to describe an action in an unfinished time frame, as the rule in your book says. Another is to describe the present result of a past action.
In your example, you can focus on the stealing of the money. This is an action in a finished past time frame and so the past perfect is appropriate, as I said. However, you can also focus on the money itself and describe it as stolen money. Now you are describing the present result (the existence of the pile of money) of a past action (stealing).
These are two different ways of looking at the same situation. One looks at an action in a finished time frame and the other at the present result of a past action. Both are correct; the choice depends on the speaker.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Thank you, Peter.
Helloo, I have a question regarding the first conditional examples: I don't want to stay in London unless I get a well-paid job/You can go to the party, as long as you're back by midnight.
When it comes to these sentences, how can they be first conditional if they lack a modal verb and have a present simple verb instead? I understand that their meaning follows the rules of first conditional but when the form is of zero conditional how can that be explained? Thanks