by Liz Walter
We use conditional sentences to talk about what will, might or could happen in various circumstances. There are three main conditionals which we call first, second and third. This post is intended as a brief reminder of how we choose which conditionals to use, and how we form them.
We use the first conditional for things that are likely or possible in the future:
If I pass my exam, my parents will be pleased.
We won’t go to the beach if it rains.
Note that the part of the sentence that starts with if uses a present simple verb and the other part uses will/won’t + infinitive. It is a common mistake to use will/won’t in the wrong part of the sentence, or to use it twice.
If Dad will get the job, we will move to London.
If Dad gets the job, we will move to London.
We use the second conditional for present or future situations that are unlikely or impossible.
If I had a million dollars, I wouldn’t drive a car like this!
What would you do if you lost your job?
The part of the sentence that starts with if uses a past simple verb and the other part uses would/wouldn’t + infinitive. As with the first conditional, make sure you use would/wouldn’t in the correct part of the sentence and only once.
We use the third conditional for events in the past where we imagine things that didn’t happen:
If they had arrived any later, they would have missed the first half of the show.
I would have been very angry if you hadn’t told me the truth.
The part of the sentence that starts with if uses a past perfect verb and the other part uses would have/wouldn’t have + past participle.
It is very common to see and hear the third conditional formed in other ways, for example using would have/wouldn’t have + past participle in both parts of the sentence. People with English as their first language often do this (and my impression is that this tendency is increasing), but if you are writing a formal document or taking an English exam, you should definitely use the ‘standard’ structure I’ve shown above.
Finally, remember the punctuation of conditional sentences! If the if part of the sentence comes first, you need a comma before the other part. No comma is needed if the if part comes second.
This is the basic information you need to use conditionals correctly, but as always in English, there are a few more complex points to learn, and I will cover those in my next post.
In teaching we stick to the rule no WILL nor WOULD in the IF-Clause. If you apply this rule, your conditionals will be correct. If you don’t (regardless the tendency), your conditional stucture will be incorrect.
“you don’t (regardless the tendency), your conditional stucture will be incorrect.”
Careful! I’d say MIGHT be incorrect as it’s certainly possible to have ‘will’ or ‘would’ in a conditional clause.
Yes, Dan’s rule is a useful general one, but you can have ‘will’ and ‘would’ in the conditional clause if they are part of the main verb, e.g. I’ll clean the house if you will help me./If my parents would let me, I’d sleep in a tent every night.
Ok
Not sure how you came to that conclusion.
1st conditional is with “will” e.g If I try hard, I will succeed.
2nd conditional is with “would” e.g If I could drive, I would go everywhere.
Useful as always! Thank you Liz!
Very useful and easily understood
Thank you Liz
Nice post. Thanks Liz
Thanks for this brief reminder ❤️
Thank you very much to the author! It’s a very clear explanation.
I’m looking forward to read the next article.
And I had no idea about the punctuation, by the way.
“you can have ‘will’ and ‘would’ in the conditional clause if they are part of the main verb, e.g. I’ll clean the house if you will help me./If my parents would let me, I’d sleep in a tent every night.”
I’m confused now. Do “I’ll clean the house if you help me” and “I’ll clean the house if you will help me” mean the same or not? Why is one of the sentences then called “conditional” and the other one not?
They do, but I’m rather regretting adding that now – it’s a very subtle and advanced point. The second version slightly emphasizes that you mean ‘if you are willing to help me’. If you stick to Erik’s rule (sorry, I said Dan’s above), then you will be sure to be OK!
Excellent summary. Thanks!
“This is the basic information you need to use conditionals correctly, but as always in English, there are a few more complex points to learn…”
‘always’
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/always
Yes, I agree that Erik’s rule is a useful general one, but – depending on your learners – you may want to go into a bit more detail and/or be ready to account for conditional structures that flout the “rule”. This is especially true if you exclusively use authentic materials with yours learners.
It’s also worth keeping in mind that those rules are are nothing but an attempt to turn the highly complex system of English tense and aspect into a teachable unit. I remember reading an article where the author had analysed large corpora and identified 365 (IIRC) different combinatorial possibilities. Teaching types 0/1 to three is, therefore, always going to be somewhat reductive.
it’s helpful, easy to understand
Well explained in simple and easy language. It is quite comprehendable.
Please help me : would be +past participle .like
The cost that would be charged .
The amount that would be earn when goods are sold in a market in a orderly transaction .
Why in these sentences would be +past participle are used ?
Because this is a passive construction.
Love this article and the discussion 🙂
As always, to reduce complexity, teachers (and parents, psychologist, priests, coaches, consultants …) give simple, often pictorial rules to those we consider still incompetent. If (or when) they leave the cave 😉 (develop), they might be able to sustain without these rules. Unfortunately, some don’t.
I’m not understanding what you mean or trying tobsay.i don’t do puzzles well. Mean what you say..and say what you mean
Teachers- If you are looking for a fun activity for students, The Bare Naked Ladies, a 90s band, has a song entirely sung using the second conditional titled “If I had a million dollars…” It is a quick and effective task allowing students to recognize the “I’d contraction in speaking, as well as hammer home 2nd conditional formatting at its most basic level. The tune is exceptionally catchy, so well worth the 5 minutes needed to create a gap text connected to the lyrics. It also easily segues into a discussion about personal goals, their likelihood of success and how that plays a roll in distinguishing between which conditional is needed. Have fun!
How about the following sentence I copy it from the news: “Had I not been vaccinated, I wouldn’t be here” ? It seems to be the third conditional, but simple past tense is used in the second part instead of perfect tense. Is it normal or another tendency?
This is a rather formal way of saying the same thing. It’s an inversion of a conditional sentence.
You are having difficulties using these structures in English!?, I have been using that song “If I had a Million Dollars” for years to teach it in Spanish…when my English speaking students look at me weird when I start using words like Passive Voice, Conditional, tenses, clauses, etc. Thanks for the tips though. English is a nightmare for me (Spanish speaker)
You ar wall both correct, I think so