CHALLENGE ACADMIA D'IDIOMES

CONDITIONALS
THEORY

PRESENT AND FUTURE CONDITIONS

ZERO CONDITIONAL

2 clauses: if clause + main clause/result clause.

IF CLAUSE can go before or after the result.

Zero conditional = present simple in both clauses.

Things that are always true. Things that can happen at any
time or two or more consecutive events.

When = If

When the lift breaks down, press the alarm button.

If the lift breaks down, press the alarm button.

You have to stop if the traffic light turns red.

PRESENT AND FUTURE CONDITIONS

FIRST CONDITIONAL

if clause = present simple / result clause = will + infinitive.

To talk about the results of a POSSIBLE future action (90%

possible)

If they catch you, they'll call the police.

I'll give you a call if I don't see you at the gym.

WATCH OUT! It talks about the future but it uses present

simple in one clause.

Present Cont. is possible in the "if clause" and then CAN or

MIGHT in the "result clause"

If it's raining tomorrow, we might not go to the

festival.

Also for offers or warnings:

If you wait there for a minute, I'll get you a few

borchures.

PRESENT AND FUTURE CONDITIONS

ALTERNATIVES TO "IF"

UNLESS

IN CASE

Take an umbrella in case it rains. (may or may not

happen)

EVEN IF

I won't wash your car unless you pay me. (if you don't
pay me)

I won't wash your car even if you pay me. (big no)

PROVIDED / AS LONG AS

You can borrow the car provided/as long as I have it

back by six o'clock (given this condition)

UNLIKELY/UNREAL CONDITIONS
SECOND CONDITIONAL

If clause = past simple / result clause = would (not) +

infinitive.

For future situations that are possible but UNLIKELY (40%)

Also for present situations that are imaginary.

I know I've done mistakes at work, but if I got a pay

raise this year, I'd buy a new car (but I'm not going to
get it)

We wouldn't move out if we had a decent government

and more job offers.

Also to give personal advice.

If I were you, I'd do something.

UNLIKELY/UNREAL CONDITIONS
ALTERNATIVES TO "IF"

UNLESS for unlikely situations:

I wouldn't ask for your help unless I needed to.

(CAREFUL! Not for unreal situations)

IMAGINE/SUPPOSE to ask about imaginary situations:

Imagine you had 1 million dollars, what would you do?

Suppose you lived in another country, where would you

live?

You can also use SAY in BrE. = Say you lived in another
country, ...?

PAST CONDITIONS
THIRD CONDITIONAL

If clause = past perfect / result clause = would (not) + have

+ past participle.

Short forms are common with this conditional.

Could/might have is also possible instead of WOULD HAVE.

In AmE you can use WOULD HAVE in both clauses (I would

have spoken to you if I would have seen you)

Use: for unreal or imaginary situations in the past that are

completely opposite to what actually happened.

If he had stolen the company plans, he would have kept

them in his office. (but he didn't steal the plans)

PAST CONDITIONS
THIRD CONDITIONAL

If the past condition happened = negative form.

If the past condition didn't happen = positive form.

If I hadn't got the job, I might have stayed in London / I

wouldn't have moves to Edimburgh.

If I had got the job, I would have moved to Edimburgh / I

couldn't have stayed in London.

Sometimes you can just use the conditional form of the verb
on its own.

I would have liked to meet your friends from Argentina

(... if I had the opportunity.)

Also used for regrets from our past, normally with could
have.

I could have/might have got a better jobif I'd stayed at

uni.

MIXED CONDITIONALS
PAST TO PRESENT CONDITIONAL (3RD/2ND)

if clause = past perfect / result clause = would + infinitive

For present results of an imaginary past condition/action.

If the thied hadn't tricked me, I woulndn't be in prison

now.

If we had missed the train, we wouldn't have arrived on

time for the exam.

You can also use could/might + infinitive in the result

clause.

If you had got the job, we could be in a better economic

position!

MIXED CONDITIONALS
PRESENT TO PAST CONDITIONAL (2ND/3RD)

if clause = past simple / result clause = would + have + past

participle.

For imagined past results of a present condition/situation.

If I didn't believe you, I would have left you.

If I had a better memory, I could have won the

Masterminf Competition.

You can also use could/might have + past participle in the

result clause.

You could have gone to uni if you were a better student.

I WISH, IF ONLY, IT'S TIME...

WISH AND IF ONLY + PAST SIMPLE/WOULD

when we are unhappy with a situation in the present, we

use WISH + PAST SIMPLE.

I wish we were still on holiday.

We wish we didn't like so far away.

If Only means the same but with a little bit more of

emphasis.

Wish or If Only not possible with present tense.

To express a wish about the future you use HOPE + present

tense.

I hope you have a good holiday!

When you want to change someone's bad habit you use

WISH/IF ONLY + WOULD (NOT)

I wish you wouldn't bite your nails!

I WISH, IF ONLY, IT'S TIME...

WISH AND IF ONLY + PAST SPERFECT

to talk about a past situation or action that we regret.

I've failed my exams. I wish I had studied harder.

You don't use it with past simple if you want to talk about
the past.

If only I didn't shout at my boss last week.

If only I hadn't shouted at my boss last week.

I WISH, IF ONLY, IT'S TIME...

IT'S TIME AND WOULD RATHER

Past tense after IT'S TIME or WOULD RATHER.

It's (about) time: when we think that someone should do

something.

It's high time + past simple puts more emphasis to "it's time"

It's high time you started looking for a flat.

To-infinitive.

Come on1 It's time we went home. / It's about time you got
on the car.

It's time to go home / It's time (for you) to go home.

WOULD RATHER: what we prefer.

I'd rather I was at the cinema right now.

We'd rather we tayed at home intead of going out.