СONDITIONALS AND WISHES

CONDITIONALS AND WISHES
(GRAMMAR)
ANASTASIA SHEPELEVA
CONDITIONALS. TYPES. STRUCTURE AND USAGE
Conditionals describe the result of a certain condition.
Conditional clauses are introduced with «if». The main
types of conditionals are:
1) Zero conditional (Type 0)
2) First conditional (Type 1)
3) Second conditional (Type 2)
4) Third conditional (Type 3)
There are always two parts to a conditional sentence – one
part beginning with «if» clause to describe a possible
situation, and the second part (main clause) which
describes the consequence/result. When the «if» clause
comes before the main clause, the two clauses are
separated with comma.
FOR EXAMPLE:
1) You will pass your exams if you study hard
2) If it rains, we’ll get wet
We can also invert the two parts of a conditional sentence,
so that the «if» part comes second, and this is especially
common in questions.
FOR EXAMPLE:
How can you finish the project if you don’t have a
computer?
• ZERO CONDITIONAL
We use this type of conditional sentences when we
describe events, things and phenomena that are always
real and true. We use it especially when we talk about
laws and rules.
THE STRUCTURE:
IF – CLAUSE MAIN CLAUSE
If + present simple present simple
FOR EXAMPLE:
If I drink too much coffee, I can't sleep at night
If ice-cream gets warm, it melts
We can also use «when» instead of «if» in the first part
of the sentence!
When the sun goes down, it gets dark
• FIRST CONDITIONAL
We use the first conditional to express real or very probable situations
in the present or future.
THE STRUCTURE:
IF – CLAUSE MAIN CLAUSE
If + present simple future simple + present bare infinitive
But it is also possible to use the other present tenses in the first part of
the conditional sentence in the first conditional. Also we can use may,
can, must, might, could, should in the second part of the sentence.
FOR EXAMPLE:
If it doesn't rain tomorrow, we'll go to the picnic
If the weather is nice, I’ll go to the park
It is also common to use this structure with «unless», «as long as», «as
soon as» or «in case» instead of «if»!
You can go to the party, as long as you're back by midnight
• SECOND CONDITIONAL
The second conditional is used to imagine present or future situations that
are impossible or unlikely in reality. This conditional is used to give advice.
THE STRUCTURE:
IF – CLAUSE MAIN CLAUSE (could/might)
if + past simple or past continuous would + present bare infinitive
FOR EXAMPLE:
If we had a garden, we could have a dog
If I was rich, I would travel the world
When «if» is followed by the verb «be», it is grammatically correct to say «if I
were», «if he were», «if she were» and «if it were». However, it is also common
to hear these structures with «was», especially in the he/she form.
If I were you, I wouldn't mention it
•THIRD CONDITIONAL
We use the third conditional to talk about impossible
unrealistic situations, as in the second conditional, in the
past. We often use the third conditional to describe
regrets or criticism.
THE STRUCTURE:
IF – CLAUSE
if + past perfect or past perfect continuous
MAIN CLAUSE
would/could/might + perfect bare infinitive
FOR EXAMPLE:
If you hadn’t forgotten her birthday, she wouldn’t have
been upset
You could have helped me if you’d stayed later
WISHES. CONDITIONALS
We use the verb «wish» and the expression «if only to» to show our regrets
or wishes in the past and the present and also wishes about the future. In
addition, «if only» is more emphatic than «I wish».
1) To say that we would like something to be different about a present
situation, we use the past simple or the past continuous.
THE STRUCTURE:
wish/if only + past simple/past continuous
FOR EXAMPLE:
I wish I was/were a toddler to live a carefree life
If only I were travelling with you and not alone! It would be much more fun
To express regret about something which happened or didn’t happen in the
past, we use the past perfect.
FOR EXAMPLE:
If only I hadn’t been so harsh to her! We could still be friends
I wish I had saved more money during my twenties
WISHES. CONDITIONALS
2) To express a polite imperative and a desire for a situation or person’s behavior to

change we use the structure subject + would + bare infinitive.
THE STRUCTURE:
wish/If only + would + bare infinitive
FOR EXAMPLE:
I wish you would stop spreading gossip!
If only it would be sunny on my birthday, we could go swimming!
After the subject pronouns «I» and «we», we use «could» instead of «would»!
FOR EXAMPLE:
I wish I could travel together with my family
We can use «were» instead of «was» after «wish» and «if only»!
FOR EXAMPLE:
I wish she were/was more polite
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!
ANASTASIA SHEPELEVA

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