The Conditionals

By Angelo Navarro

Introduction

What are the conditionals, and why the gobbledygook? First Conditional
Your

turn!

Second Conditional
Have
Try

a go!

Third Conditional
and think of examples. gobbledygook

Conclusion
The

What are the Conditionals?

Basically they are the heart of LIFE. If statements are Conditionals. Conditional meaning on condition you do this, I will do that, a bit like negotiating. The one difference is there are real and hypothetical, imaginary. Only the first one is real, the others are daydreamers words

The first conditional (drum roll!)

You mean all that just for the word if

If I study hard, there is a good chance I will get an A in this exam. If you leave now, you can get the last train. If you dont leave now, you will have to walk home. If Dave calls again, tell him I am out! If we finish this today, we wont have to do it next week.

Your turn!
Think what things you can say with the word if, similar to the sentences on the last slide. Remember: Ifthen Try and write two sentences and share with your friend, or read them out loud.

The second conditional (drum roll)

What all that again for if I do that! I dont know

If I saved all my money I could buy that new digital camera by the end of the month If I finished my work early today, I would be home in time for the football. I would beat the rush hour traffic, if I left now. You wouldnt be too upset, if we didnt see the movie this weekend?

Have a go!
This is more difficult, because it is imagining rather than happening, by using these words you are using your imagination to look into the future by changing something in the present Try and write two things with if then would Remember: If.. then would (imaginary)

The third conditional (drum roll)

Now, that is more difficult isnt it?

If I had know that, I wouldnt have bought the thing in the first place! If only I had worked harder before the test, now its too late to try again. If you had done that yesterday, you wouldnt be moaning about it today. If we had looked through this paperwork last month, we could have cleared this mess up by now, couldnt we?

Try and think of some examples

This is much more difficult because it isnt only imaginary, it is imaginary in hindsight, that is in the past, trying to change something that it is too late to change, normally with regret. Try and think of one or two examples and share with a friend, or read them out loud. Remember: If I had then I would have

Conclusion
We have talked about: The first conditional with examples The second conditional with examples The third conditional with examples. I have added a page of gobbledygook at the end for those interested in the language of grammar.

The gobbledygook

The first conditional (type 1)

If

+ present tense.. will + inf, present tense, imperative. + past tense would inf + past perfect would have+ past participle

The second conditional (type 2)

If If

The third conditional (type 3)