Zero Conditional

In the zero conditional, we use the present simple in both parts of the sentence and it is used to speak about "general truths". Example: Q: What do you do if you get a headache? A: I go to bed and drink warm milk. Practice exercise! ask and answer the questions.

The first conditional The structure of the first conditional is: if + present simple tense + modal verb with future reference (e.g. will/shall/may).

In the first conditional, a speaker or writer predicts a likely result in the future if the condition is fulfilled. There must be at least some chance of the condition being fulfilled: If Sally comes too, therell be five of us. We wont have enough time if we want to do some shopping too.
Will and shall are used in the main clause, not the if-clause: If he moves to Manchester, he will have to sell his house in Bristol. (If he will move to Manchester, he will have to sell his house in Bristol.)

The second conditional The structure of the second conditional is: if + simple past tense + modal verb with future-in-the-past reference (e.g. would/could/might).

In the second conditional, a speaker or writer responds to a possible or hypothetical situation by indicating a possible outcome. The speaker or writer states that the condition must be fulfilled for the present or future to be different: If I knew what you wanted, maybe I could help you. I would do a computer course if I had the time.

The third conditional The structure of the third conditional is: if + past perfect tense + modal verb with future-in-the-past reference (e.g. would/could/might) + have + -ed participle.
In the third conditional, the speakers or writers attitude to an imagined past situation is described. Here the speaker or writer is talking about a past event which did not happen, and therefore things are different from how they might have been: If I had seen you walking, I could have offered you a lift. Tessa would have been furious if she had heard him say that.

You will continue an if clause by suggesting a possible result. Then the student next to you will start a new sentence by taking the result, reforming it into a condition and suggesting a further result, and so on. e.g. A. If I had a million dollar, I would buy a yacht. B. If I bought a yacht, I would go for a sail. C. If I went for a sail, there would be a storm. D. If there were a storm, my yacht would sink.

1. What will you do if? 2. Hed have more friends if he 3. If I hadnt mended the TV, we 4. You wouldnt have felt ill if you 5. If she didnt gossip about her friends, she 6. Will you forgive me if? 7. What would happen if I? 8. If he had listen to my advice, he 9. She would have won the competition if she 10.They wouldnt have minded if we

Use the second conditional to describe hypothetical situations, so, for each action, think of possible justifications for doing them. e.g. Why might you jump of the window? If the classroom suddenly caught fire, and if I could not get to the door, I would jump out of the window.

Why might you

steal money? deliberately break a glass? pretend to be someone else? take off all your clothes in a public place? cheat in an exam? drive a car on the wrong side of the road? jump off the top of a cliff? set fire to your house? paint yourself green?