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Conditionals 1-2-3

This document explains the first, second, and third conditionals in English grammar. [1] The first conditional refers to possible present and future situations using an if clause in the present simple and a main clause in the future simple. [2] The second conditional refers to unlikely present and future situations using an if clause in the past simple and a main clause in the present conditional. [3] The third conditional refers to impossible past situations using an if clause in the past perfect and a main clause in the past conditional.

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Sahire Arslan
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19 views

Conditionals 1-2-3

This document explains the first, second, and third conditionals in English grammar. [1] The first conditional refers to possible present and future situations using an if clause in the present simple and a main clause in the future simple. [2] The second conditional refers to unlikely present and future situations using an if clause in the past simple and a main clause in the present conditional. [3] The third conditional refers to impossible past situations using an if clause in the past perfect and a main clause in the past conditional.

Uploaded by

Sahire Arslan
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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FIRST CONDITIONAL

If the weather is nice, we will go for a walk.


If you don’t apologize, she will never trust you again.

If clause: Main clause:


PRESENT SIMPLE FUTURE SIMPLE

The first conditional refers to the present and future.

It expresses a possible condition and


its probable result in the future.
SECOND CONDITIONAL

Jack wants to buy a house but he can’t do this


because he doesn’t have any money.

If I had a lot of
money,
I would buy a big
house.
SECOND CONDITIONAL

Susan wants to phone Paul but she can’t do


this because she doesn’t know his number.

If I knew his number,


I would phone him.
SECOND CONDITIONAL

If I had a lot of money, I would buy a big house.


If I knew his number, I would phone him.

if-clause: main clause:


PAST TENSE SIMPLE PRESENT CONDITIONAL
would + infinitive

The second conditional refers to the present and future.


It expresses an unreal situation and its probable result.
The situation or condition is improbable, impossible,
imaginary, or contrary to known facts.
FIRST v. SECOND CONDITIONAL

If John runs fast, he will win the race.


This is still possible to happen.

If John ran fast, he would win the race.

This is unlikely to happen because John doesn’t run fast.

THE DIFFERENCE: FIRST and SECOND CONDITIONAL


Both conditionals refer to the present and future.
The difference is about probability, not time.
First conditional: real and possible situations
Second conditional: unlikely to happen
THIRD CONDITIONAL

Jack wanted to buy a house last year but he


couldn’t do that because he didn’t have any money.

If I had had a lot of money,


I would have bought
a big house.
THIRD CONDITIONAL

Yesterday, Susan wanted to phone Paul but she


couldn’t do that because she didn’t know his number.

If I had known his


number,
I would have phoned him.
THIRD CONDITIONAL

If I had had a lot of money, I would have bought a big house.


If I had known his number, I would have phoned him.

if-clause: main clause:


PAST PERFECT SIMPLE PAST CONDITIONAL
would + have + past participle

The third conditional refers to the past and


it is not based on facts. It expresses the a situation
which is contrary to reality in the past.
SECOND v. THIRD CONDITIONAL

If I saw a car accident, I would call an ambulance.

But I don’t see an accident now. This is unlikely to happen.

If I had seen a car accident, I would have called an ambulance.

But I didn’t see an accident yesterday.

This is contrary to the fact in the past.


THE DIFFERENCE: SECOND and THIRD CONDITIONAL
The difference is about time.
Second conditional: refers to the present and future
Third conditional: refers to the past situations

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