Conditionals – If clause – English Grammar

Conditional sentences have two parts.

1. If clause
2. Main clause

E.g: If you come, I will ready to dance.

In above sentence ‘If you come’ is the if clause and ‘I will ready to dance’ is the main clause. If clause introduces a condition. The main clause is the result of that condition.

Types of Conditionals:

There are mainly four types of conditional sentences. They are as following.

1. First conditional
2. Second conditional
3. Third conditional
4. Zero conditional

First conditional

First conditional is used for talking about possibilities in the present or in the future. We can’t know what will happen in the future, but this describes possible things, which could easily come true. First conditional is also called conditional type 1 or If clause 1

Formula: If + Simple present, ….. will + verb.

Examples:

1. If it rains, I will cancel the meeting.
2. If you study, you will pass the exam.
3. She will miss the train if she come late.
4. If I see her, I will give invitation.
5. If I have money, I will buy a mobile.

Second conditional

The second conditional is used to talk about things which are unreal. Hypothetical or unlikely situations. Unreal or impossible situations in present or in the future. Second conditional is also called conditional type 2 or if clause 2.

Formula: If + simple past, …… would + verb.

Examples:

1. If cats had wings, they would be able to fly.
2. If I won the lottery, I would buy a car.
3. If she studied hard, she would pass the exam.
4. We could go walk, if we had a garden.
5. If she fell, she would hurt herself.

Third conditional

Third conditional refer to an impossible condition in the past and its probable result in the past. These sentences are unreal, because it is now too late for the condition or its result to exist. Third condition is also called conditional type 3 or if clause 3.

Formula: If + past perfect, ……. Would have + past participle.

Examples:

1. If you had studied, you would have passed the exam.
2. If you had worked harder, you would have got full wages.
3. If it had rained, you would have get wet.
4. If I had more time, I would have finished it.
5. If I had left earlier, I wouldn’t have missed the bus.

Zero conditional

Zero conditional is used to talk about general truths or scientific facts. This is also used to give instructions, using the imperative in the main clause.

Formula: If + simple present, …… simple present.

Examples:

1. If you heat ice, it melts.
2. If it rains, the ground gets wet.
3. If you freeze water, it becomes ice.
4. If people eat too much, they get fat.
5. If you touch a fire, you get burned.

To know more about this topic watch the following video. All rules and examples are discussed in this video. Click on the following video.