1. If I were a rich man…. Conditional Sentences in English
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If I were a rich man…. Conditional Sentences in English
Course: ESL040 Grammar IV
Instructor: Diane Stonebrink
This tutorial will explain what conditional sentences in English grammar are and how to form 4 major types of conditional sentences with both independent and dependent clauses, or if-clauses, using appropriate verb tenses. You will view video explanations and complete online exercises to check your understanding as you go through the tutorial.

2. Learning Outcomes What will I learn? How long will it take?
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Learning Outcomes
What will I learn? How long will it take?
By the end of this tutorial, you will be able to:
Identify the condition and result parts of conditional sentences
Choose the correct verb tense to complete conditional sentences
Answer questions in writing and speaking using correct grammar in four different types of conditional sentences.
Write and say your own original examples of conditional sentences to describe present real/factual situations, future real situations, present or future unreal/imaginary situations, and past unreal/imaginary situations.
It will take most students about 3-5 hours to go through this entire tutorial. Don’t worry! You won’t have to do the whole tutorial in one sitting. The tutorial is separated into 4 parts. Your instructor will assign a different part each week for you to complete.
By the end of this tutorial, you will be able to identify the two parts of a conditional sentence, choose correct verb tenses, answer questions in writing and speaking using conditionals, and invent some of your own examples to show that you understand how to use conditionals to talk about real, or factual, and unreal, or imaginary, situations in English.

3. What are conditional sentences?
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What are conditional sentences?
Listen to examples in these songs:
If I Had a Million Dollars by Barenaked Ladies
If You Were a Sailboat by Katie Melua
If I Were a Painter by Nora Jones
Two parts, or clauses: a condition and a result
Look at these 4 example sentences:
If I drink coffee late at night, I don’t sleep well.
If I drink coffee tonight, I won’t sleep well.
If I drank coffee tonight, I wouldn’t sleep well.
If I had drunk coffee last night, I wouldn’t have slept well.
You’ve probably heard and even used conditional sentences before, but you just didn’t know the grammatical name. They’re very common. Listen to a few lines from some popular American songs. They include examples of conditional sentences.
A conditional sentence contains two parts, a condition and a result. Another name for sentence part is clause. A condition means any kind of event or action that causes a second event or action to result, or to happen next. The condition is the if-clause, and the result is the main clause. Look at these examples of the four main types of conditional sentences. You’ll notice that the verb tenses differ a bit in each. In this tutorial, you’ll learn more about how to use and form these four types

4. Chart: 4 Types of Conditional Sentences
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Chart: 4 Types of Conditional Sentences
If-clause
(condition)
Main clause
(result)
Zero Conditional -
used for present, real/factual situations
If I drink coffee at night,
I don’t sleep well.
First Conditional -
used for future real/factual situations
If I drink coffee tonight,
I won’t sleep well.
Second Conditional -
used for present or future unreal, imaginary situations
Let’s look at those four example sentences again in this chart. They represent the four types of conditional sentences you’ll study & practice in this tutorial. These four types have a variety of names. The 1st type is called the Zero Conditional or Present Real Conditional. It‘s used to describe facts & habits, or real situations. The present tense is used in both clauses. The next type is called the 1st Conditional, or Future Real Conditional. It is also used to describe real situations. The present tense is used in the if-clause, but the future tense is used in the main clause. The third type is called the 2nd Conditional, or Present & Future Unreal Conditional. It is used to describe imaginary situations, situations that aren’t really truly happening now and that probably won’t happen in the future. Notice that even though you use this type of conditional sentence to talk about the present or future, we use the simple past tense in the if-clause. Strange, isn’t it? We also use the modal verb would plus the simple form of the main verb in the independent clause. The final type is called the 3rd Conditional, or Past Unreal Conditional. It’s used to talk about past situations that did not actually happen. We’re just imagining a different situation from what really did happen in the past. The past perfect is used in the if-clause, and would have plus the past participle is used in the main clause. That’s a quick summary. Now, are you ready to learn more about each of these 4 types of conditional? When you’re ready to start part 1, please click on the words “Part 1” in the navigation menu to the left of this screen.
If I drank coffee tonight,
I wouldn’t sleep well.
Third Conditional -
used for past unreal, imaginary situations
If I had drunk coffee last night,
I wouldn’t have slept well.

5. Part 1 – The Present Real (zero) Conditional
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Part 1 – The Present Real (zero) Conditional
Song clip: If a Picture Paints a Thousand Words by Bread
(No voiceover – just audio clip of song If a Picture Paints a Thousand Words by Bread)
The instructor will give students a due date to complete part 1 of the tutorial (view videos in tutorial and complete linked exercises). Results from the quiz from (quizzes yet to be made) will be recorded in Blackboard and be worth 10 points towards the students’ final course grades. It will also serve as evidence that students have completed the first part and assess their comprehension of the zero (present real/factual) conditional.

6. Video 1: The Zero Conditional - Present Real or Factual Situation
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Video 1: The Zero Conditional - Present Real or Factual Situation
Click on the play button in the picture below to start a 9-minute video by Jennifer, an ESL teacher. She will explain the words condition, result, and clause . She will also explain how to form the Zero (the Present Real/Factual) Conditional. She‘ll also give you a fun quiz to take that will tell you something about your personality type.
When you finish watching the video, use the navigation menu on the left side of your screen to go to Practice 1: The Zero Conditional (Present Real or Factual)
PLAY
Please read the instructions on this screen and then click on the PLAY button to start the video. After you finish watching it, please click on the words Practice 1: The Zero Conditional in the navigation menu on the left side of your screen to take you to a new page where you can practice what you learn in the video.
The PLAY button is hyperlinked to a video on youtube.com at
Most browsers will display this if the Flash Player plugin is installed. Students will be reminded to inform the instructor by immediately if they are having problems viewing the video.

7. Practice 1: The Zero Conditional - Present Real or Factual Situation
Click on the underlined Exercise words to open the web links.
Exercise 1 – Matching activity from
Exercise 2 - Read the examples and then click on the link "If-Then Clauses 1“, a fill-in-the-answer activity, near the bottom of the page to do an exercise to check your understanding. From
Exercise 3 – Look at the words and then write complete sentences. Remember to include an if-clause and a main clause and to use the present tense of the verbs. From the University of Victoria’s Study Zone site
Exercise 4– Mixed multiple-choice and fill-in-the-blank quiz worth 10 points towards your course grade. From the Quia website
(No voiceover – just audio clip of song If You Leave Me Now by Chicago and If You Go Away by Neil Diamond)
The instructor will give students a due date to complete part 2 of the tutorial (view videos in tutorial and complete linked exercises). Results from the quiz from will be recorded in Blackboard and be worth 10 points towards the students’ final course grades. It will also serve as evidence that students have completed the second part and assess their comprehension of the first (future real/factual) conditional.

8. Part 2 –The Future Real (first) Conditional
Song clip: If You Leave Me Now by Chicago
(No voiceover – just audio clip of song If You Leave Me Now by Chicago and If You Go Away by Neil Diamond)
The instructor will give students a due date to complete part 2 of the tutorial (view videos in tutorial and complete linked exercises). Results from the quiz from will be recorded in Blackboard and be worth 10 points towards the students’ final course grades. It will also serve as evidence that students have completed the second part and assess their comprehension of the first (future real/factual) conditional.

9. Video 2: The First Conditional – Future Real/Factual
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Video 2: The First Conditional – Future Real/Factual
Click on the play button below to start a 7-minute video by Jennifer, an ESL teacher. The first three minutes of the video review what you learned in Video 1 of this tutorial. In the last four minutes of the video, Jennifer explains how to use and form the First, or the Future Real or Factual, Conditional.
When you finish watching the video, use the navigation menu on the left side of your screen to go to Practice 2: The First Conditional - Future Real/Factual.
PLAY
Please read the instructions on this screen and then click on the PLAY button to start the video. After you finish watching it, please click on the words Practice 2: The First Conditional in the navigation menu on the left side of your screen to take you to a new page where you can practice what you learn in the video.
The PLAY button is hyperlinked to a video on youtube.com at
Most browsers will display this if the Flash Player plugin is installed. Students will be reminded to inform the instructor by immediately if they are having problems viewing the video.

10. Practice 2: The First Conditional - Future Real/ Factual
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Practice 2: The First Conditional - Future Real/ Factual
Click on the underlined Exercise words to open the web links.
Exercise 1 - Multiple-choice exercise From the University of Victoria’s Study Zone site
Exercise 2 – Another multiple-choice quiz From EnglishMediaLab.com
Exercise 3 – Fill-in-the-blank exercise From the University of Victoria’s Study Zone site
Exercise 4 - Another fill-in-the-blank activity from oconnortraining.com
Exercise 5 – Mixed multiple-choice and fill-in-the-blank quiz worth 10 points towards your course grade. From the Quia website
Please click on the Exercise links to take you to websites where you will complete matching, multiple-choice, and fill-in-the-blanks exercises to check your understanding of what you learned in the video.
The first three exercises come from a variety of websites. Exercise 4 (to be created on ) was created by your instructor and is worth 10 points towards the students’ final grades. The instructor will view student scores in the quia test manager webpage for instructors.

11. Part 3 –The Present/Future Unreal (second) Conditional
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Part 3 –The Present/Future Unreal (second) Conditional
Song clip: If I Ruled the World by Tony Bennett & Celine Dion
(No voiceover – just audio clip of song If I Ruled the World by Tony Bennett)
The instructor will give students a due date to complete part 2 of the tutorial (view videos in tutorial and complete linked exercises. Results from the quiz from will be recorded in Blackboard and be worth 10 points towards the students’ final course grades. It will also serve as evidence that students have completed the third part and assess their comprehension of the second (future unreal) conditional

12. Video 3: The Second Conditional – Present or Future Unreal
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Video 3: The Second Conditional – Present or Future Unreal
Click on the play button below to start a 9-minute video by Jennifer. She gives examples and explains how to form the Second or Present/Future Unreal Conditional to talk about situations that are not true either at the present or in the future.
When you finish watching the video, use the navigation menu on the left side of your screen to go to Practice 3: The Second Conditional - Present or Future Unreal or Imaginary.
PLAY
Please read the instructions on this screen and then click on the PLAY button to start the video. After you finish watching it, please click on the words Practice 3: The Second Conditional in the navigation menu on the left side of your screen to take you to a new page where you can practice what you learn in the video.
The PLAY button is hyperlinked to a video on youtube.com at
Most browsers will display this if the Flash Player plugin is installed. Students will be reminded to inform the instructor by immediately if they are having problems viewing the video.

13. Practice 3: The Second Conditional - Present or Future Unreal
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Practice 3: The Second Conditional - Present or Future Unreal
Click on the underlined Exercise words to open the web links.
Exercise 1 - Multiple-choice exercise From the University of Victoria’s Study Zone site
Exercise 2 – Another multiple-choice exercise From better-english.com
Exercise 3– Fill-in-the-blank exercise From the University of Victoria’s Study Zone site
Exercise 4– A fill-in-the-blank activity from oconnortraining.com
Exercise 5– Mixed multiple-choice and fill-in-the-blank quiz worth 10 points towards your course grade. From the Quia website
Please click on the Exercise links to take you to websites where you will complete matching, multiple-choice, and fill-in-the-blanks exercises to check your understanding of what you learned in the video.
The first three exercises come from a variety of websites. Exercise 4 (to be created on ) was created by your instructor and is worth 10 points towards the students’ final grades. The instructor will view student scores in the quia test manager webpage for instructors.

14. Part 4 –The Past Unreal (third) Conditional
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Part 4 –The Past Unreal (third) Conditional
Song clip: Should’ve Would’ve Could’ve
by Beverly Knight
(No voiceover – just audio clip of song “Shoulda Woulda Coulda” by Beverly Knight)
The instructor will give students a due date to complete part 2 of the tutorial (view videos in tutorial and complete linked exercises. Results from the quiz from will be recorded in Blackboard and be worth 10 points towards the students’ final course grades. It will also serve as evidence that students have completed the fourth part and assess their comprehension of the third (past unreal) conditional.

15. Video 4: The Third Conditional – Past Unreal
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Video 4: The Third Conditional – Past Unreal
Click on the play button below on the left to start a 9-minute video, Part 1. Jennifer gives examples and explains how to form the Third or the Past Unreal Conditional to talk about situations that were not true (did not really happen) in the past. Then, click on the Play button below on the right to view a second, 8-minture video - Part 2. You will have a few more examples, a review, and then questions to answer to check your understanding.
When you are finished watching the video, use the navigation menu on the left side of your screen to go to Practice 4: The Third Conditional - Past Unreal or Imaginary
PLAY
PLAY
Please read the instructions on this screen and then click on the PLAY button to start the video. After you finish watching it, please click on the words Practice 4: The Third Conditional in the navigation menu on the left side of your screen to take you to a new page where you can practice what you learn in the video.
The PLAY buttons are hyperlinked to videos on youtube.com. Part 1 is at
Part 2 is at

16. Practice 4: The Third Conditional – Past Unreal or Imaginary
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Practice 4: The Third Conditional – Past Unreal or Imaginary
Click on the underlined Exercise words to open the web links.
Exercise 1 – Watch a 2-minute video of real people on the streets in the United States and England being asked what they would do if they won ten million dollars or pounds, and then complete the multiple-choice quiz
Exercise 2 – A fill-in-the-blank activity. Be sure to check your subject-verb agreement (was/were) and to use correct past tense forms for irregular verbs. From
Exercise 3 – Here’s a fun activity. Listen to the song and click on the pictures that match what you hear. See how fast you are! This exercise is also a good example of the use of contractions (I would = I’d) in the 2nd conditional.
Exercise 4 - A fill-in-the-blank activity from oconnortraining.com
Exercise 5 – Mixed multiple-choice and fill-in-the-blank quiz worth 10 points towards your course grade. From the Quia website
Please click on the Exercise links to take you to websites where you will complete matching, multiple-choice, and fill-in-the-blanks exercises to check your understanding of what you learned in the video.
The first three exercises come from a variety of websites. Exercise 4 (to be created on ) was created by your instructor and is worth 10 points towards the students’ final grades. The instructor will view student scores in the quia test manager webpage for instructors.

17. Click on the slide name to go directly to it
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Navigation Menu
Click on the slide name to go directly to it
1 If I were a rich man….
2 Learning Outcomes
3 What are Conditional Sentences?
4 Chart: 4 Types
5 Part 1 – Present Real (zero)
6 Video 1: Zero Conditional
7 Practice 1: Zero Conditional
8 Part 2 –Future Real (1st) Conditional
9 Video 2: First Conditional
10 Practice 2: First Conditional
11 Part 3 – Pres./Fut. Unreal (2nd)
12 Video 3: Second Conditional
13 Practice 3: Second Conditional
14 Part 4 – Past Unreal (3rd)
15 Video 4: Third Conditional
16 Practice 4: Third Conditional
(No voiceover – just audio clip of song “Shoulda Woulda Coulda” by Beverly Knight)
The instructor will give students a due date to complete part 2 of the tutorial (view videos in tutorial and complete linked exercises. Results from the quiz from will be recorded in Blackboard and be worth 10 points towards the students’ final course grades. It will also serve as evidence that students have completed the fourth part and assess their comprehension of the third (past unreal) conditional.