Conditional Sentences

 

Definition of Conditional Sentences

Conditional Sentences are also known as Conditional Clauses or If Clauses. They are used to express that the action in the main clause (without if) can only take place if a certain condition (in the clause with if) is fulfilled. There are three types of Conditional Sentences.

1.      Type 1

It is possible and also very likely that the condition will be fulfilled.

Form: if + Simple Present, will-Future

Example:

a.       If I find her address, I’ll send her an invitation.

b.      I will send her an invitation if I find her address.

c.       If I don’t see him this afternoon, I will phone him in the evening.

d.      If I find her address, I’ll send her an invitation.

e.       If John has the money, he will buy a Ferrari.

f.       If Caroline and Sue prepare the salad, Phil will decorate the house.

g.      If Sue cuts the onions for the salad, Caroline will peel the mushrooms.

h.      If Bob looks after the barbecue, Sue will let the guests in.

i.        Frank will play the DJ if the others bring along their CDs.

j.        Alan will mix the drinks if Jane gives him some of her cocktail recipes.

k.      If they all do their best, the party will be great.

2.      Type 2

It is possible but very unlikely, that the condition will be fulfilled.

Form: if + Simple Past, Conditional I (= would + Infinitive)

Example:

a.       If I found her address, I would send her an invitation

b.      I would send her an invitation if I found her address.

c.       If I had a lot of money, I wouldn’t stay here.

d.      If I were you, I would not do this.

e.       f I found her address, I would send her an invitation.

f.       If John had the money, he would buy a Ferrari.

g.      If I hit the jackpot, I would be rich.

h.      If I were rich, my life would change completely.

i.        I would buy a lonely island, if I found a nice one.

j.        If I owned a lonely island, I would build a huge house by the beach.

3.      Type 3

It is impossible that the condition will be fulfilled because it refers to the past.

Form: if + Past Perfect, Conditional II (= would + have + Past Participle)

Example:

a.       If I had found her address, I would have sent her an invitation.

b.      I would have sent her an invitation if I had found her address.

c.       If I hadn’t studied, I wouldn’t have passed my exams.

d.      If I had found her address, I would have sent her an invitation.

e.       If John had had the money, he would have bought a Ferrari.

f.       If the forwards had run faster, they would have scored more goals.

g.      Their motivation would have improved if they had kicked a goal during the first half.

h.      The fullbacks would have prevented one or the other goal if they had marked their opponents.

i.        If the goalie had jumped up, he would have caught the ball.

j.        If the referee had seen the foul, he would have awarded a penalty kick to our team.