Conditionals

Что это

Основные разделы

• Zero Conditional
• First Conditional

Zero Conditional(real)

If + present simple, .... present simple

The zero conditional is used when the result will always happen.

• If people eat too much, they get fat.
• If you touch a fire, you get burned.
• People die if they don't eat.
• You get water if you mix hydrogen and oxygen.
• Snakes bite if they are scared.

First Conditional(possible)

If + present simple, ... will + infinitive

The first conditional describes things that I think are likely to happen in the future.

• If it rains, I won't go to the park.
• If I study today, I'll go to the party tonight.
• If I have enough money, I'll buy some new shoes.
• She'll be late if the train is delayed.
• She'll miss the bus if she doesn't leave soon.

Second Conditional(unreal)

If + past simple, ...would/might/could + infinitive

The second conditional talks about things that I don't think will really happen. It's subjective; it depends on my point of view.

We should use only were not was. If I were you.

• If I won the lottery, I would buy a big house.(I probably won't win the lottery).
• If I met the Queen of England, I would say hello.
• She would travel all over the world if she were rich.
• She would pass the exam if she ever studied.(She never studies, so this won't happen).
• If I were rich, I would donate a lot of money to charity.

Third Conditional(impossible)

If + past perfect, ...would/might/could + have + past participle

It talks about the past. It's used to describe a situation that didn't happen, and to imagine the result of this situation.

• If she had studied, she would have passed the exam (but, really we know she didn't study, and so she didn't pass)
• If I hadn't eaten so much, I wouldn't have felt sick (but I did eat a lot, and so I did feel sick).
• If we had taken a taxi, we wouldn't have missed the plane
• She wouldn't have been tired if she had gone to bed earlier
• She would have become a teacher if she had gone to university

Mixed Conditional

If + past perfect, ...would + have + past participle

It combination of Second and Third conditionals.

• If she had studied, she would have passed the exam (but, really we know she didn't study, and so she didn't pass)
• If I hadn't eaten so much, I wouldn't have felt sick (but I did eat a lot, and so I did feel sick).
• If we had taken a taxi, we wouldn't have missed the plane
• She wouldn't have been tired if she had gone to bed earlier
• She would have become a teacher if she had gone to university