LESSON

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Conditionals
Oxford Learners Pocket Verbs and Tenses is a compact, easy-to-use book which
explains the form, meaning, and use of verbs and tenses, and is ideal for
preparing for exams such as IELTS and Cambridge English: PET, FCE, CAE, and
CPE. The following units cover the form, meaning, and use of conditionals.
conDItIonaLs

33

33 Introduction to conditionals
A Most conditionals have two clauses:
the if-clause and the main clause.

C We can use many different verb forms

and tenses in conditional sentences.

For conditionals that express

situations that are real or possible

(real conditionals), we usually use
a present tense in the if-clause and
a present tense or modal verb in the
main clause.
If the ink is low, the red light flashes.
If we miss the bus, well get a taxi.
If youre feeling tired, go to bed.
If youve finished your work, you
canleave.
If youre going to be late, could you
phone me?

If-clause:
If we miss the bus, well get a taxi.
If I could afford it, Id buy a new
computer.
If youre going to be late, phone me.
Main clause:
If we miss the bus, well get a taxi.
If I could afford it, Id buy a new
computer.
If youre going to be late, phone me.
B The if-clause and main clause can go
in either order. When the if-clause
comes at the beginning, it is followed
by a comma. When it is at the end,
there is no comma.
If youre hungry, youd better get
something to eat.
Youd better get something to eat if
youre hungry.
If it wasnt raining, we could go for a
walk.
We could go for a walk if it wasnt
raining.
If youd taken a map, you wouldnt
have got so lost.
You wouldnt have got so lost if youd
taken a map.

For conditionals that express unreal

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conDItIonaLs

or hypothetical situations (unreal

conditionals), we use a past tense in
the if-clause and would or a modal
verb in the main clause. We use
the past tense and would to show
that we are referring to something
hypothetical.
If I could afford it, Id buy a new
mobile.
If it wasnt raining, we could have a
game of tennis.
If Id known about the meeting, I
would have gone to it.
You wouldnt be so tired if youd
gone to bed earlier last night.

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D There are some verb forms and tenses

that often go together in conditional
sentences. These conditionals are
looked at more closely in the units that
follow.
type 0: If the ink is low, the orange light
comes on. u34 .
type 1: If it rains, well get wet. u34 .
type 2: If I had more time, Id read a
lot more. u35.
type 3: If wed left earlier, we wouldnt
have missed the bus. u36.
Imperative conditional: If youre tired,
go to bed . u34 .

34 Type 0, Type 1, and

imperative conditionals

A type 0, type 1, and imperative

conditionals express something real or
possible.

Type 0
B a type 0 conditional is if + present
tense + present tense. We use it for
facts and situations that are always
true, or when one thing automatically
follows another.
If the ink is low, the orange light
comeson.
If you freeze water, it expands.
If the company goes bankrupt, do we
get our money back?

TIP
We can use many different
combinations of tenses and verb forms
in conditional sentences as well as
those above. Try to note the different
combinations as you see and hear them.
If youre feeling tired, you should go
tobed.
If youre going to be late, let me know.
When I was at school, if we didnt do
our homework, we got a detention.
If I didnt like the shirt, I wouldnt have
bought it.

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Type 1
C a type 1 conditional is if + present
tense + will/ll. We use it for possible
future situations.

If we miss the bus, well get a taxi.

If theres fish on the menu, Ill have that.
If it rains this afternoon, we wont
goout.
If you have time later, will you email
me the photos?

We do not normally use will in the

if-clause.
not If well miss the bus, well get a
taxi.
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conDItIonaLs

34

D as well as will, we can also use other

modal verbs (can, might, etc.) and be
going to.
If youre not busy, can you help me?
If we leave now, we might get there in
time.
If we dont hurry up, were going to
miss the train.

Imperative conditional
E an imperative conditional is if +
present tense + imperative. We can use
it for instructions, suggestions, and
advice.
If youre tired, go to bed.
If youre cold, put the heating on.
If you dont like it, dont eat it.

Other tenses in the if-clause

F In type 0, 1, and imperative
conditionals we can also use the
present continuous, the present
perfect, and be going to in the if-clause.
If the internet isnt working, turn the
modem on and off.
If youve finished your work, you
canleave.
Will you call me, if youre going to
belate?

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Type 0 and 1 conditionals for the past

G We can use type 0 and 1 conditionals
to express situations in the past. We
change the tenses to the past tense.
If we were ever late for class, our
teacher got really angry.
If we didnt have lectures the next day,
we would usually stay up late talking
or watching TV.

Should I/it/we
H We can use should I/it/we , etc. +
present subjunctive as a more formal
alternative to if + presenttense u23.
Should we be late, start without us.
or If were late, start without us.
Should it rain, well move inside the
marquee.
or If it rains, well move inside the
marquee.

We can also use if + should together

in the same clause. This is even more
formal.
If it should rain, well move inside the
marquee.
TIP
We can use will in an if-clause to make
polite and formal requests.
If youll take a seat, Mr Jones will be
with you in a minute.
If youll just wait a moment, Ill see
whatI can do.

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LESSON
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conDItIonaLs

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conDItIonaLs

35 Type 2 conditional
A a type 2 conditional is if + past
tense + would(nt). We use a type2
conditional to express something
imaginary or hypothetical about the
present or future.
If I had more time, Id read a lot more.
Id get a new computer if I could
affordit.

note that would is usually contracted

to d, especially in speaking and
informal writing.
B There is no conditional tense in
english. In the if-clause we use the
past tense to express something
imaginary or hypothetical.
If I had a bigger garden, Id plant some
vegetables.
Id get some cash if I could find an
ATM.

We do not normally use would in the

if-clause.
not If I would have a bigger garden
.
In the main clause we use would(nt)
to express something imaginary or
hypothetical.
If I had a bigger garden, Id plant some
vegetables.
Id get some cash if I could find an ATM.

C We can also use the past continuous in

the if-clause to express something in
progress.
If it wasnt raining, Id go for a walk.
Id call her if my phone was working.

D We can also use other modals verbs such

as could and might in the main clause.
If it wasnt raining, we could play tennis.
If I had more money, I might get a new
laptop.
E In the if-clause, with I/he/she/it we can
use was or were. some people say that
the use of were is more correct, but it is
usually down to speaker choice.
If I was younger, Id take up skiing.
or If I were younger, Id take up skiing.

Were used in this way is an example of

the past subjunctive u24.
F We can use were to as a more
formal alternative to if + past tense.
Were the president to resign, the vicepresident would initially take charge.
or If the president resigned, the vicepresident would initially take charge.
TIP
If I were you, Id is a useful phrase to
give advice.
If I were you, Id stop smoking.
Id get a haircut if I were you.

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