We all love to dream from time to time: "Ah, if I lived in Paris!" or "Ah, if I had the opportunity." This word "if" in English sounds like an if, and in order to dream in English, it is necessary to carefully study the rule of conditional sentences.
Conditional sentences always contain the word if - a condition that can be both real and unreal. Four types of conditional sentences in English are distinguished. In this article, we will consider each of them individually, study the rule of use, grammatical construction, the rule of use of each of them, and also work out several exercises.
General table of conditional sentences
There are four types of offers. All of them are divided according to the phenomena and actions referred to in the context.
For example, if a person talks about what is really happening at the moment, then this will be a conditional sentence of type zero, in which the Zero Conditional rule is applied. More about this in the table:
| If (offer) | Main offer | Example | Transfer |
0 type of conditional sentences (phenomena that are always true) Rule Zero Conditional | Present Simple | Present Simple | If you heat ice, it melts. | If you heat the ice, it will melt. |
1 type of conditional sentences (real action) First Conditional Rule | Present Simple | Future Simple | If I earn enough money, I will go abroad this summer. | If I make enough money, I will go abroad this summer. |
2 type of conditional sentences (unrealistic action in the present). Second Conditional Rule | Simple past tense (Past SImple) | would + verb in the first form | If I were you, I would go to the party. | If I were you, I would go to a party. |
3 type of conditional sentences (unrealistic action in the past) Third Conditional Rule | Elapsed Past Time (Past Perfect) | would have been + verb in third form | If I have told you beforehand, you wouldn't do such stupid things. | If I told you in advance, you would not do such stupid things. |
First Conditional Rule
The first type of conditional sentences is used when an action can occur in real life, if, for example, you make any effort. Such an action is translated into Russian in the future tense, although in English the sentence is built in the Present Simple Time.
The proposal construction scheme:
- If + Present Simple tense, will + a verb in the first form (Future Simple tense).
Examples of offers:
- If she makes her assignment in time, she will get additional day-off. “If she does the task on time, she will get an extra day off.”
- If I am in time, I will go with you shopping. “If I have time, I will go shopping with you.”
- If you go now, you will be in time. “If you go now, you will be on time.”
- If the weather is good, we will go to the park tomorrow. “If the weather is nice, we'll go to the park tomorrow.”
- If my mother allows, I will go for a walk with you tonight. “If mom allows me, I’ll go for a walk with you in the evening.”
Second Conditional Rule in Russian
The second type of conditional sentences is used if the action is unrealistic. The following is a rule and examples of Second Conditional. It cannot happen in the future under any circumstances. In this case, the Second Conditional rule and the proposal construction scheme are as follows:
- If + Past Simple tense, would + verb in the first form.
A negative sentence is also constructed according to the rules of the Past simple tense (using the auxiliary verb did, and by adding the particle not to the verb would):
- If I were you, I wouldn't do that. - If I were you (if I were in your place), I wouldn’t do that).
- If I had a lot of money, I would live in the USA. - If I had a lot of money, I would live in the United States of America).
- If I speak Japanese, I would apply this job. “If I spoke Japanese, I would apply for this job.”
- If my sister was more reliable, I would trust her. “If my sister were more reliable, I would trust her.”
- If I live in Paris, I would go for a walk every night. - If I lived in Paris, I would go for a walk every night.
Third Conditional Rule
The third type of conditional sentences is used when it comes to unrealistic actions in the past. This means that the action has already taken place and nothing can be changed. Moreover, we most often regret that this happened.
The formation scheme of this type of conditional sentence differs from the Second Conditional rule:
- If + present incomplete tense (Past Perfect), would + have been + verb in 3 form.
Examples:
- If I had been ready, I would have been answered his questions. - If I were ready, I would answer his questions (It is a pity that I was not ready. The action has already taken place, and it is not possible to change anything).
- If she had listened to me, she would not have been made such a stupid mistake. - If she listened to me, she would not have made such a stupid mistake (It is a pity that she did not listen to me).
- If my mother had told me about the meeting beforehand, I would not have been late. - If my mother would tell me about the meeting in advance, I would not be late (It is a pity that she did not tell me).
- If I had made a right decision, I would not have been now in such situation. - If I had made the right decision, I would not have found myself in such a situation. (It’s a pity that I didn’t accept him).
- If you had been more careful, you would not have been had an accident. - If you were more careful, you would not have an accident (It is a pity that you are so sloppy).