Conditional Statements.

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Zero conditional.(Unconditional.)

When we use the zero conditional we are talking about something that has happened before and will always happen in future if the conditions are right.

Zero conditional = If + present simple (not question form), present simple any form.

E.g. If we heat water to one hundred degrees, it turns to steam.

E.g. If ice is not kept in the freezer on a hot day, it melts.

E.g. If butter is left outside on a hot day, does it melt?

Reverse = Present simple any form + if + present simple (not question form)

E.g. Water turns to steam if we heat it to one hundred degrees.

E.g. Ice melts if it is not kept in the freezer on a hot day.

E.g. Does butter melt if it is left outside on a hot day?

E.g. What happens to butter if it is left outside on a hot day?

First conditional.

We use the first conditional to say what we will do if something happens in the future. We use this to talk about plans we make. The plans are likely to happen.

First conditional = If + present simple or present continuous(not question form), future simple any form

E.g. If you tell John, he will be happy.

E.g. If you don't tell John, he will be upset.

E.g. If you see John, will you tell him?

Reverse = future simple any form + if + present simple or present continuous(not question form)

E.g. John won't mind if you are driving.

E.g. Will you tell John if you see him?

E.g. What will John say if you tell him?

E.g. I won't come if John is invited.

Click here for a quiz on the zero and first conditionals.

We use the second conditional to talk about what might happen in a situation. We are talking about what could happen. We don't know if it will happen. There are no plans for it.

If + past simple or past continuous (not question form), there/noun/pronoun + would + base form of verb...

E.g. If I were you, I would tell him.

We say "If I were you..." not "If I was you..."

E.g. If Dan was here, he would love it.

E.g. If it was cheaper, I would buy it.

Reverse = There/Noun/Pronoun + would + base form of verb if + past simple or past continuous(not question form)...

E.g. There would be a lot of interest if the company was put up for sale.

E.g. The house would look much nicer if it was painted white.

E.g. The house would look much nicer if it was not painted dark blue.

With "would not":

If + past simple or past continuous(not question form), there/noun/pronoun + would not + base form of verb....

E.g. If I were you, I would not do that.

E.g. If the car was smaller, she would not be able to pick you up.

E.g. If he studied harder, he would not have trouble passing his exams.

Reverse = There/Noun/Pronoun + would not + base form of verb + if + past simple or past continuous(not question form)......

E.g. There would not be much interest if the company was put up for sale.

E.g. The house would not look much nicer if it was painted white.

E.g. The boss would not be happy if he knew about it.

In a question:

If + past simple or past continuous(not question form)...., ....would + there/..../noun/pronoun + base form of verb..?

E.g. If Rebecca was here, would you do that?

E.g. If the car was faster, would he buy it?

E.g. If he studied harder, would he pass the exam?

E.g. If we went to the cinema, which film would you watch?

E.g. If Chelsea won tomorrow, what would happen then?

Reverse = ....would + noun/pronoun/..../there + base form of verb + if + past simple or past continuous(not question form)....?

E.g. Would there be much interest if the company was put up for sale?

E.g. Would the house look nicer if it was painted white?

E.g. Would the boss be happy if he knew about it?

E.g. Who would win if Chelsea played Arsenal?

Passive voice after would:

If + past simple or past continuous(not question form), there/noun/pronoun + would be + past participle +.....

E.g. If the shop was not making money, it would be sold.

E.g. If he was more polite, he would be helped much more.

E.g. If he spoke louder, he would be heard.

Reverse = There/Noun/Pronoun + would be + past participle + if + past simple or past continuous(not question form)....

E.g. The shop would be sold if it was not making money.

E.g. He would be helped more if he was polite.

E.g. He would be heard if he spoke louder.

Passive voice after would not:

If + past simple or past continuous(not question form), noun/pronoun + would not be + past participle +......

E.g. If it was making money, the shop would not be sold.

E.g. If we did not call the waiter, we would not be served.

E.g. If he spoke quietly, he would not be heard.

Reverse = Noun/Pronoun + would not be + past participle + if + past simple or past continuous(not question form)....

E.g. The shop would not be sold if it made money.

E.g. We would not be served if we did not call the waiter.

E.g. He would not be heard if he spoke quietly.

Passive voice after would with a question:

If + past simple or past continuous(not question form), ......would + there/...../noun/pronoun + be + past participle +.....?

E.g. If the shop made a loss this year, would it be closed down?

E.g. If we did not call the waiter, would we be served?

E.g. If he spoke quietly, would he be heard?

Reverse = .....would + there/..../noun/pronoun + be + past participle + if + past simple or past continuous(not question form)....?

E.g. Would the shop be sold if it made money?

E.g. Would we be served if we did not call the waiter?

E.g. Would he be heard if he spoke quietly?

Click here for a quiz on the second conditional.

Third Conditional: what would have been done. It will never happen because we are talking about things that did not happen in the past.

If + past perfect simple or past perfect continuous (not question form), There/Noun/Pronoun + would have + past participle.

E.g. If I had been there, they would have been angry.

E.g. If I had not been there, they would have been angry.

Reverse = There/Noun/Pronoun + would have + past participle + if + past perfect simple or past perfect continuous(not question form).

E.g. They would have been angry if I had been there.

E.g. They would have been angry if I had not been there.

After would not:

If + past perfect simple or past perfect continuous(not question form), There/Noun/Pronoun + would not have + past participle.

E.g. If I had been there, they would not have been angry.

E.g. If I had been there, they would not have minded.

Reverse = There/Noun/Pronoun + would not have + past participle + if + past perfect simple or past perfect continuous(not question form).

E.g. They would not have been angry if I had been there.

E.g. They would not have minded if I had been there.

In a question:

If + past perfect simple or past perfect continuous(not question form), ...would + there/..../noun/pronoun + have + past participle....?

E.g. If I had been there, would they have been upset?

E.g. If I had not been there, would they have minded?

E.g. If I had been there, what would have happened?

Reverse = .....would + there/..../noun/pronoun + have + past participle + if + past perfect simple or past perfect continuous (not question form)....?

E.g. Would they have been upset if I had been there?

E.g. Would they have minded if I had been late?

For the passive voice we simply put "been" between "have" and the past participle.

E.g. They would have been served earlier if the manager had been here.

E.g. If it hadn't been for you, they would not have been told anything.

E.g. Would she have been given the job if she had had more experience?

Click here for a quiz on the third conditional.

Help.

To learn about the past participle and the passive voice, click here.

To learn about the future simple tense, click here.

To learn about the present simple tense, click here.

To learn about the present continuous tense, click here.

To learn about the past simple tense, click here.

To learn about the past continuous tense, click here.

To learn about the past perfect simple tense, click here.

To learn about the past perfect continuous tense, click here.

A noun is a name. A pronoun is a word we use to replace a name. To learn about pronouns, click here.

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