If-clause main clause

· Conditional sentences present one event, typically in clause beginning with if (If it rains), as a condition for another event, expressed in a main clause (the roads get dangerous). In real conditionals, the events happen, have happened or are likely to happen (If you work hard, you will finish the project on time). In unreal conditionals, the events have not happened, are not likely to happen or are imaginary (If I had been more careful, I wouldn’t have made such a big mistake).

· The main types of conditionals are: Type 1 (true in the present), Type 2 (untrue in the present) and Type 3 (imaginary).

· Conditionals can be formed by if, unless (= if not – used with the 1^st type conditionals), providing/provided that, so/as long as, suppose/supposing, on condition that, but for (= without), in case, otherwise, or else, what if, even if, only if.

Unless she has a ticket, she won’t get into the cinema. (= if she doesn’t have …)

I’ll phone you providing/provided (that) I have time this afternoon.(…if I have time…)

· After if we normally use were instead of was for all persons in type 2 conditionals.

If I were/was older, I could go to the disco.

We use If I were you … when we’d like to give advice.

If I were you, I would buy that car.

· We do not normally use will, would or should in an if-clause. We can use will or would after it to make a polite request or express insistence, annoyance, doubt or uncertainty. We can also use should after if to talk about something which is possible, but not very likely to happen.

If you will wait for a minute, I will be able to come to you.(Will you please wait … - polite request)

If Ann should come back, ask her to call me. (I don’t know if she comes back … - uncertainty)

· We can omit if and use inversion in Type 1, 2 and 3 Conditionals. Should, were and had come before the subject. This structure is more common in formal English.

If he should come back, tell him to phone me. → Should he come back, tell him to phone me.

If she were more careful, she wouldn’t make so many mistakes. → Were she more careful, she wouldn’t make so many mistakes.

If she had met him, she would have told us. → Had she met him, she would have told us.

Type 0 Conditionals: certainty, general truth

They are used to talk about general truth or habitual activities (If + present tense + present tense). We can use when (=whenever) instead of if. It is also called the “zero conditional”

The important thing about the zero conditional is that the condition always has the same result.

If you mix yellow and blue, you get green.

If I’ m suffering the Web, I use Google.

Type 1 Conditionals: real present

Type 1 conditional sentences are based on fact in real time. They are used to express real or probable situations in the present or future. We are thinking about a particular condition or situation in the future, and the result of this condition. The important thing about the first conditional is that there is a real possibility that the condition will happen.

If you feel lucky, you’ ll expect good things.

If you study, you’ ll pass the test.