Conditionals New
Conditionals New
Conditionals New
This is used when the result always happens. In other words, you can
use this conditional for facts or cause and effects, whether what you’re
speaking about is a scienti c fact or a fact that’s only true for you.
For example:
• If it rains a lot, we don’t need to water the grass in the yard. (Cause
-> Effect)
• If I eat a lot of sweets, I get sick afterwards. (Cause -> Effect)
• If I press the “on” button, the TV turns on. (Fact)
• I eat if I am hungry. (Fact)
The rst conditional is used to talk about things that might happen in the
future if a condition is present. We don’t know if those things will happen
or not, but they are a real possibility.
This is used to talk about things that may happen in the future if a
condition is met. While we can’t predict exactly what will happen in the
future, the First Conditional allows us to talk about what we think will
happen or what we would like to happen.
For example:
• If I get paid today, I will send you the money I owe you.
• If it snows, you will have off of school.
fi
fi
fi
• I will tell her to call you if I see her.
• We will go for a walk later if the weather improves.
• I’ll help you if you need me (NOT if you will need me)
Unless = if (not)
• If you don’t use oil, it tastes awful. (I’m talking about what happens
every time.)
• If you don’t use oil, it will taste awful. (I’m talking about this
particular occasion.)
We call this the “dream clause” because it is used for things that would
happen in the future, but the condition is so unlikely, that the result is
fi
fi
fi
(basically) a dream! Forget it! You can use the Second Conditional to
talk about your wildest dreams, for example, or any “what if” scenarios
(situations, conditions).
•If I won the lottery, I would buy a boat. (Very, very unlikely that you
will win the lottery)
• If you met Elon Musk, he would give you a Tesla. (Also very
unlikely you will meet him.)
The second use of the Second Conditional is to talk about a situation
or scenario in the present (would + in nitive verb), which is impossible
to happen because the condition (if + past simple) isn’t the reality
(untrue). This can also be a hypothetical situation.
For example:
• If he had your number, he would call you. (He doesn’t have your
number (condition is untrue), so he can’t call you (impossible to
happen).)
• If I were you, I wouldn’t go out with her. (I am not you (condition is
untrue), so now I won’t go out with her (impossible).)
• Would you have lived abroad if you had the chance? (You don’t
have the chance, but if you did…)
All in all, the Second Conditional is much more unlikely than the First
Conditional.
The Third Conditional talks about the past. It talks about something
that didn’t happen, but you’re imagining the outcome now, just for fun.
Maybe you regret (feel sorry about something, wish you had done
something else) a decision you made. When you think about it, you feel
maybe stupid that you didn’t do something else.
For example:
• If I had noticed it was sunny this morning, I would have gone for a
walk. (But it’s not morning anymore and I don’t have time now to
go for a walk. Bummer! No walk today.)
• If we had left earlier, we wouldn’t have missed our train. (Bummer!
Now we have to wait for the next train and we will be late to
dinner.)
• I would have started my English training sooner if I had known I
was going to need English in my job! (I could have used my time
better, earlier!)
The Third Conditional is useful when either daydreaming or thinking
about what could have been.
Real/Direct,
If we order 500, can/will you
give us a 5% discount?
If you give us a 5% discount,
we’ll order 500.