If clauses conditionals rules, examples

If clauses conditionals rules, examples

If clauses conditional

o   If clauses conditional sentences

o   If clauses all types

o   Form

o   Examples types 1, 2 and 3

o   If clause at the beginning

o   If clause at the end

o   If clause Type 1

o   If clause Type 2

o   If clause Type 3

If-clauses - Conditional sentences

If clauses =  main clause and if-clause. There are 3 Types: If clauses Type 1, If clauses Type 2, If clauses Type 3.

o   If clauses all Types

o   If clause Type 1

o   If clause Type 2

o   If clause Type 3

If-clauses all Types

If clauses Type 1 (one): Situations that can really happen at present or in future (real).
If clauses Type 2 (two):  Situations will probably never happen at present or in future (unreal).
If clauses Type 3 (three): Situations that did not happen in the past. 

Form

If-clause Type	If-clause	Main clause
If-clause Type I:	Simple Present	will + infinitive
If-clause Type II:	Simple Past	would + infinitive
If-clause Type III:	Past Perfect	would + have + Past Participle

Examples If-clauses Type I, Type II,Type III

If-Clause at the beginning of the sentence
If-clause Type	If-clause	Main clause
If-clause Type I	If the game is good,	I will play it.
If-clause Type II	If the game was good,	I would play it.
If-clause Type III	If the game had been good,	I would have played it.
If-clause at the end of the sentence
If-clause Type	Main clause	If-Clause
If-clause Type I	I will play the game	if it is good.
If-clause Type II	I would play the game	if it was good.
If-clause Type III	I would have played the game	if it had been good.

Form If Clause Type 1

Situations that can really happen at present or in future (real).

Form If Clause Type 1

If-Clause	Main clause
Simple Present	will + infinitive

Example If Clause Type 1

If the game is good, I will play it.
I will play the game if  it is good.

If Clause Type 2

Situations will probably never happen at present or in future (unreal).

Form If Clause Type 2

If-clause	Main clause
Simple Past	would + infinitive

Examples If Clause Type 2

If I lived in Australia, I would be a sheep farmer.
I would be a sheep farmer if I lived in Australia.

If Clause Type 3

Situations that did not happen in the past. 

If Clause Type 3

If-Clause	Main clause
Past Perfect	would + have + Past Participle

Examples If Clause Type 3

If I had had nothing to do, I would have come.
I would have come If I had had nothing to do.

Conditional sentences, if-clauses type I, II, III

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Conditional sentences

Conditional sentences are sometimes confusing for learners of English as a second language.

Watch out:

1.     Which type of conditional sentences is it?

2.     Where is the if-clause (e.g. at the beginning or at the end of the conditional sentence)?

There are three types of conditional sentences.

type	condition
I	condition possible to fulfill
II	condition in theory possible to fulfill
III	condition not possible to fulfill (too late)

1. Form

type	if-clause	main clause
I	Simple Present	will-future or (Modal + infinitive)
II	Simple Past	would + infinitive *
III	Past Perfect	would + have + past participle *

2. Examples (if-clause at the beginning)

type	if clause	main clause
I	If I study,	I will pass the exam.
II	If I studied,	I would pass the exam.
III	If I had studied,	I would have passed the exam.

3. Examples (if-clause at the end)

type	main clause	if-clause
I	I will pass the exam	if I study.
II	I would pass the exam	if I studied.
III	I would have passed the exam	if I had studied.

4. Examples (affirmative and negative sentences)

type		Examples
		long forms	short/contracted forms
I	+	If I study, I will pass the exam.	If I study, I'll pass the exam.
	-	If I study, I will not fail the exam. If I do not study, I will fail the exam.	If I study, I won't fail the exam. If I don't study, I'll fail the exam.
II	+	If I studied, I would pass the exam.	If I studied, I'd pass the exam.
	-	If I studied, I would not fail the exam. If I did not study, I would fail the exam.	If I studied, I wouldn't fail the exam. If I didn't study, I'd fail the exam.
III	+	If I had studied, I would have passed the exam.	If I'd studied, I'd have passed the exam.
	-	If I had studied, I would not have failed the exam. If I had not studied, I would have failed the exam.	If I'd studied, I wouldn't have failed the exam. If I hadn't studied, I'd have failed the exam.

* We can substitute could or might for would (should, may or must are sometimes possible, too).

·        I would pass the exam.

·        I could pass the exam.

·        I might pass the exam.

·        I may pass the exam.

·        I should pass the exam.

·        I must pass the exam.