Conditional Sentences

All of us use conditional sentences frequently in daily life. Here's one:

If you don't read this article, you'll have no understanding of conditional sentences!

Conditional sentences in English grammar

Conditional sentences are sentences that express the degree of probability that something will, might, or could happen/ have happened. Complete conditional sentences consist of two clauses; the conditional clause (sometimes called the if clause) and the consequence clause (sometimes called the main clause).

Conditional sentences examples

Here are some examples of different conditional sentences:

You can see that each sentence has three parts - the conditional clause (e.g. If we lived in Spain), the consequence clause (e.g. we could sunbathe all day long), and the conditional conjunction (the joining word, e.g. If).

Example conditional sentence - Freepik

We can also reverse the order of a conditional sentence, so that the consequence comes first.

For example:

The biggest indicator that a sentence is a conditional sentence is that it contains the word If. The conditional clause is often referred to as the if-clause for this reason. However, conditional sentences don't have to contain the word if, and there are other coordinating conjunctions that can join the two clauses, such as when, unless, and as long as.

'if' can indicate a conditional sentence - Pixabay

Types of conditional sentences in English

In English, there are five types of conditional sentences: zero conditional, first conditional, second conditional, third conditional, and mixed conditional.

These different sentence types reflect the level of probability that an event or situation will occur or could have occurred.

Zero conditional sentences

Zero conditional sentences are used to discuss truths. This can range from scientific facts to general truths. In these sentences, the conditional in question is either 100% likely or extremely likely.

We use conditional sentences to discuss habits, scientific facts, rules, and general truths.

The conditional conjunctions if and when are used interchangeably because it is certain that the consequence will occur.

When forming zero conditional sentences, the conditional clause and the consequence clause are always in the simple present tense. E.g. 'If ice gets hot, it melts' and not 'If ice gets hot, it will melt'.

First conditional sentences

The first conditional is used to discuss a probable occurrence and its possible consequence. It's used to discuss situations that are realistic and occurring in the present and into the future.

We often use the first conditional to make promises, predictions, and threats.

Here, the conditional clause remains in the simple present tense, but the consequence clause is in the future tense.

Second conditional sentences

The second conditional is used for unreal, improbable, or hypothetical events/situations, such as winning the lottery or meeting an A-list celebrity at the corner shop. Second conditionals can be used to discuss any time as they aren't based on real-life situations.

The conditional clause is in the simple past tense, and the consequence clause is in the present conditional - this means using a modal auxiliary verb (e.g. would, could, might) alongside the main verb.

What would you do with a million pounds? - Pixabay

Second conditionals and the subjunctive mood

It is important to note that we use the subjunctive mood in second conditional sentences. This means we use the subjunctive form of the verb 'to be', which is 'were'.

Have a look at these examples:

Notice the use of 'were' after each pronoun rather than 'was' - this is the correct use of the subjunctive mood. The following sentence, 'If I was you, I wouldn't care.' is grammatically incorrect.

Third conditional sentences

Third conditional sentences are used when the event has passed and, therefore, the consequence can no longer occur.

We usually use the third conditional to reflect on the past, discuss events contrary to reality, and express regrets.

The conditional clause is now in the past perfect tense (e.g. had told), and the consequence clause is in the perfect conditional tense. This means the second clause contains a modal verb + have + a past participle verb (e.g. would have invited).

Mixed conditional sentences

There are instances where conditional sentences are mixed. For example:

This is different from a third conditional sentence because, although it has a conditional clause in the past perfect tense, the consequence clause is in the present conditional tense and not the past tense.

Conditional sentences and punctuation

The only punctuation you have to worry about in terms of conditional sentences is the comma. The general rules are;

• Use a comma after the conditional clause when it comes first in the sentence, e.g. 'If I were rich, I wouldn't work'.

• No comma is needed when the consequence clause comes first in the sentence, e.g. 'I wouldn't work if I were rich'.