CONDITIONAL SENTENCES DEFINITION IF Clause a condition Main

CONDITIONAL SENTENCES

DEFINITION - IF Clause (a condition) + Main Clause (a result). If s/he doesn’t call me, I won’t talk to her/him again if s/he doesn’t call me. - Position of the “If Clause”: It can go first or at the end of the sentence; but if it goes first, it’s followed by a comma.

ZERO CONDITIONAL �The zero conditional talks about an event/situation that is a general truth/fact. If/when have the same meaning in this sentence. . If human beings don’t drink, they die. ▪ If + subject + present simple, subject + present simple. �To give orders and advice. (Imperative) If you want to lose weight, go on a diet.

FIRT CONDITIONAL �The first conditional talks about a posible future result. It refers to the future. If I have time, I’ll cook a paella. ▪ If + subject + present s. , subject + will (on’t) + infinitive You can use might instead of will in the main clause to mean “will perhaps”.

SECONDITIONAL �The seconditional presents an imaginary situation in the present or future. When it refers to the future the difference with the first one is that the condition is less likely to come true. If I had time, I would cook a paella. ▪ If + subject + past s. , subject + would (n’t)+ infinitive ▪ The past s. refers to an hypothetical situation. ▪ Could or Might can be used instead of would.

THIRD CONDITIONAL �We use this type to talk about hypothetical situation in the past. It’s the only one that refers to the past. Since the past can’t be changed it refers to an unreal situation in the past. If I had time, I would have cooked a paella. ▪ If + subject + past present, subject + would(n’t) + have + past participle. ▪ Could (would be possible) and might (would perhaps) can be used in the main clause.

VARIATIONS �We can use a variety of verb forms, not only the ones in the four basic conditinals: If you want to lose weight, you should go on a diet. If you are going to cook a paella, you need to buy the ingredients. (future intention) If they were studying more, they would pass the exam. (to emphasize the progress of the action) If they had been studying more, they would have passed the exam (action in progress)

MIXED CONDITIONAL: THIRD/SECOND (PAST - PRESENT) �In mixed conditionals the if clause and the main clause sometimes refer to a different time period. If I had saved some money, I wouldn’t be broke now.

MIXED CONDITIONAL: SECOND/THIRD (PRESENT-PAST) �If I were your teacher, I would have made prepare a presentation every week. you The if clause refers to a situation in the present and the main clause to the consecuences in the past.

MIXED CONDITIONAL: SECOND/THIRD (FUTURE-PAST) �If I weren’t taken an exam next week, I would have gone to Portugal with my friends. The if clause refers to a situation in the future and the main clause to the consecuences in the past.

MIXED CONDITIONAL: SECOND/THIRD (PAST-FUTURE) �If you hadn’t spent money like water, you would come to the States with me next month. The if clause refers to a situation in the past and the main clause to the consecuences in the future.