Conditional sentences are used to express hypothetical situations and their possible outcomes. They are made up of two clauses: the if clause and the main clause. The if clause describes the hypothetical situation, and the main clause describes the outcome of that situation.
There are four main types of conditional sentences in English:
- Zero conditional is used to express general truths or facts. The if clause uses the simple present tense, and the main clause uses the simple present tense. For example: If you heat water to 100 degrees Celsius, it will boil.
- First conditional is used to express situations that are likely to happen in the future. The if clause uses the simple present tense, and the main clause uses the will future tense. For example: If you study hard, you will pass your exams.
- Second conditional is used to express situations that are not likely to happen in the future. The if clause uses the simple past tense, and the main clause uses the would future tense. For example: If I won the lottery, I would travel the world.
- Third conditional is used to express situations that were not possible in the past. The if clause uses the past perfect tense, and the main clause uses the would have + past participle form of the verb. For example: If I had studied harder, I would have passed my exams.
Here are some instructions on how to use conditional sentences:
- The if clause always comes first, followed by the main clause.
- The if clause can be inverted, but the main clause cannot.
- The tenses of the verbs in the if clause and the main clause depend on the type of conditional sentence.
- Conditional sentences can be used in a variety of contexts, including:
- Making predictions
- Giving advice
- Talking about hypothetical situations
- Expressing regrets