CONDITIONALS

ZERO CONDITIONAL
A conditional sentence is a sentence with an IF-clause.
In a Zero Conditional sentence, we use IF to explain a condition that is generally or always true:
If it is 3pm in New York, it is 2am in Tokyo.
With this meaning, there is no difference if we use WHEN instead of IF:
When it is 3pm in New York, it is 2am in Tokyo.
The sentence can be written in two ways:
If you heat water, it boils.
Water boils if you heat it.
*Note that we use a comma when the sentence begins with IF.

FIRST CONDITIONAL
There are several types of sentence structure that we can form using the conditional word if. The
First Conditional is one of these.
1. The first conditional is used to talk about something in the future that will happen IF
something else happens.
2. A First Conditional sentence has two parts:
If George gets married, he will spend less time with his friends.
It can be written (or spoken) the other way around:
George will spend less time with his friends if he gets married.
*note that we use a comma to separate the two parts when the sentence begins with if.
3. Lets see another example:
If I have time, I will go to the gym.
The part of the sentence joined to IF is written in the present tense:
If I have time
The other part is written in future form:
I will go to the gym.
But the sentence is talking about a future event.
4. In spoken English, we almost always contract the WILL:

If I have time, Ill go to the gym.

5. Sometimes WILL is replaced by CAN:
If you pay me, I can fix it for you by tomorrow.
6. We dont use WOULD. That is the second conditional and carries a slightly different meaning.

SECOND CONDITIONAL
1. A second conditional sentence is a sentence that contains an IF WOULD clause:
If I had more money, I would buy a Porsche.
2. We use the second conditional to describe animaginary situation:
If I was a superhero, I would call myself Wonderman.
3. Sometimes we use it to describe a possible, but highly unlikely situation:
I would be so sad if my wife left me. (seen as an unlikely or imaginary situation)
4. Occasionally, we use it as a polite form:
I would be so happy if you could attend my party.
5. The structure of the second conditional:
IF + Past tense clause + COMMA + WOULD clause
If your father was here, he would be angry
If Tom became President, we would all be in trouble
The order can be reversed (note there is no comma):
Your father would be angry if he was here,.
We would all be in trouble if Tom became President.
6. The spoken form is usually reduced:
Written: We would all be in trouble if Tom became President.
Spoken: Wed all be in trouble if Tom became President.
7. In the second conditional, you can use were in place of was:
Correct: If I was a doctor, I would be getting a better salary.
Correct: If I were* a doctor, I would be getting a better salary. (*Slightly old-fashioned)

THIRD CONDITIONAL
1. A Third Conditional Sentence has the following structure:
IF + HAD + past participle (Past Perf Struct) + WOULD HAVE + past participle

If I had been a doctor, I would have been able to help him.

If I had locked my car, I would have kept the thief out.
2. We use the 3rd Conditional to talk about anunreal situation in the past. This means that we are
talking aboutsomething which did not happen(just to imagine the consequences).
3. We often use this conditional to express regret:
If I had given her more love, she would still be my wife. (She is no longer my wife)
If I had taken your advice, I would have been safe. (I wasnt safe)
4. Sometimes we use COULD instead of WOULD:
If we had taken the other route, we could have been there by now.
5. Sometimes we express the second part as a present consequence, and the structure is different:
If I had taken your advice,I would have been safe.
If I had taken your advice,I would be safe.