IF SENTENCES 4 Kinds of Conditionals in English

IF SENTENCES 4 Kinds of Conditionals in English Useful English Grammar

Explanation + Extra activities

What is the Conditional?

A conditional is a sentence that describes a situation or result that depends on a certain condition being met. It usually has two parts:

  1. The condition (introduced by “if”): This is what needs to happen first.
  2. The result: This tells us what will happen if the condition is true.

Why Do We Use Conditionals?

We use conditionals to talk about:

  1. Possibilities: What might happen if something else happens.
  2. Imaginary situations: Things that aren’t real now but could be different.
  3. Rules or facts: Things that are always true in certain situations.
  4. Regret or past actions: Things that didn’t happen but could have had a different result.

Example:

  • If it rains, we will stay home.
    (Condition: It needs to rain. Result: If it rains, we’ll stay home.)

In short, conditionals help us talk about what is possible, what is imaginary, or what could have happened in the past based on certain conditions.

Here are explanations of the four types of conditionals in simple English for ESL students:

The 4 Kinds of Conditionals

1. Zero Conditional

  • When to use it: We use the zero conditional to talk about things that are always true. These are facts or general truths.
  • Structure: If + present simple, present simple

Example:

  • If you heat water, it boils.
    (Whenever you heat water, it always boils. It’s a fact.)

2. First Conditional

  • When to use it: We use the first conditional to talk about things that are possible in the future. This shows a possible condition and a likely result.
  • Structure: If + present simple, will + base verb

Example:

  • If it rains tomorrow, I will stay home.
    (It might rain tomorrow, and if it does, I will stay home.)

3. Second Conditional

  • When to use it: We use the second conditional to talk about things that are unreal or unlikely in the present or future. These are things that are not true now or things that probably won’t happen.
  • Structure: If + past simple, would + base verb

Example:

  • If I had a million dollars, I would travel the world.
    (I don’t have a million dollars now, but if I did, I would travel the world.)

4. Third Conditional

  • When to use it: We use the third conditional to talk about past situations that didn’t happen. It’s used to imagine a different past and what could have happened.
  • Structure: If + past perfect, would have + past participle

Example:

  • If I had studied harder, I would have passed the test.
    (I didn’t study harder in the past, so I didn’t pass the test.)

Summary:

  • Zero conditional: Facts and things always true (If + present simple, present simple)
  • First conditional: Possible future (If + present simple, will + base verb)
  • Second conditional: Unreal or unlikely present/future (If + past simple, would + base verb)
  • Third conditional: Imaginary past (If + past perfect, would have + past participle)

Extra Activities

4 Conditionals Quiz

Beginner Level (15 Questions)

  1. If you eat too much candy, you (get/will get) a stomach ache.
  2. If it rains tomorrow, we (stay/will stay) home.
  3. If I have time later, I (call/will call) you.
  4. If you heat water, it (boils/will boil).
  5. If you touch the fire, you (burn/will burn) your hand.
  6. If I were rich, I (buy/would buy) a big house.
  7. If you don’t sleep, you (feel/will feel) tired tomorrow.
  8. If they go to the beach, they (swim/will swim) in the ocean.
  9. If you study, you (pass/will pass) the test.
  10. If he was taller, he (play/would play) basketball.
  11. If you had studied, you (pass/would have passed) the exam.
  12. If I see her, I (say/will say) hello.
  13. If the sun shines, it (is/will be) warm outside.
  14. If I were a bird, I (fly/would fly) anywhere.
  15. If you had left earlier, you (catch/would have caught) the bus.
Beginner Level Answers:
  1. will get, 2. will stay, 3. will call, 4. boils, 5. will burn, 6. would buy, 7. will feel, 8. will swim, 9. will pass, 10. would play, 11. would have passed, 12. will say, 13. will be, 14. would fly, 15. would have caught

Intermediate Level (15 Questions)

  1. If it was sunny, we (go/would go) to the park.
  2. If you don’t water the plants, they (die/will die).
  3. If I had more free time, I (travel/would travel) around the world.
  4. If you practice, you (improve/will improve) your English.
  5. If I had known about the party, I (go/would have gone).
  6. If I win the lottery, I (buy/will buy) a car.
  7. If you touch that, you (get/will get) shocked.
  8. If I were you, I (talk/would talk) to him.
  9. If she had studied, she (pass/would have passed) the test.
  10. If you don’t hurry, we (miss/will miss) the train.
  11. If he drinks too much coffee, he (can’t sleep/won’t be able to sleep).
  12. If I hadn’t eaten so much, I (feel/would have felt) better now.
  13. If it wasn’t raining, we (can go/could go) for a walk.
  14. If you ask nicely, I (help/will help) you.
  15. If they had left earlier, they (arrive/would have arrived) on time.
Intermediate Level Answers:
  1. would go, 2. will die, 3. would travel, 4. will improve, 5. would have gone, 6. will buy, 7. will get, 8. would talk, 9. would have passed, 10. will miss, 11. won’t be able to sleep, 12. would have felt, 13. could go, 14. will help, 15. would have arrived

Advanced Level (15 Questions)

  1. If I had known how difficult the course would be, I (choose/would have chosen) a different one.
  2. If he hadn’t missed the flight, he (arrive/would have arrived) in time for the meeting.
  3. If she wasn’t so busy, she (join/would join) us for dinner.
  4. If we don’t leave now, we (miss/will miss) the last train.
  5. If you listen, you (learn/will learn) something new every day.
  6. If I were the boss, I (change/would change) many things in the office.
  7. If I hadn’t been sick, I (go/would have gone) to the party.
  8. If it hadn’t rained, we (could/could have) gone hiking yesterday.
  9. If you read more, you (understand/will understand) the topic better.
  10. If he had studied harder, he (can pass/could have passed) the exam easily.
  11. If they don’t finish the project today, they (will/will have to) work tomorrow.
  12. If we hadn’t gotten lost, we (be/would have been) here on time.
  13. If I saw him more often, we (get along/would get along) better.
  14. If you had explained it to me earlier, I (understand/would have understood) it by now.
  15. If they win the match, they (celebrate/will celebrate) tonight.
Advanced Level Answers:
  1. would have chosen, 2. would have arrived, 3. would join, 4. will miss, 5. will learn, 6. would change, 7. would have gone, 8. could have, 9. will understand, 10. could have passed, 11. will, 12. would have been, 13. would get along, 14. would have understood, 15. will celebrate
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