1. CONDITIONAL SENTENCES (‘if’ sentences)
A.G.N.Sudath(JP)
Bachelor of Education, National Diploma in Teaching English
Former National Trainer at the PIC at the Ministry of Education
Visiting Lecturer of English – University of Sabaragamuwa

2. Conditional Sentences
Structure :
A conditional sentence is composed of 2 parts :
If-clause +
Main Clause
Example :
If it rains tomorrow, we will not come.
If-clause
Main Clause

3. If you come with me , I will buy an ice cream
These sentences are in two halves (clauses):
The if part - (if clause)
The other part where you can use words such as can, will, may, might, could and would (main clause)
If you come with me , I will buy an ice cream

4. Conditional Sentences
Types :
There are 4 types of conditional sentences.
They are classified according to their specific
implications.
Each type of conditional sentences uses
different tenses to show the difference in
their implications.

5. ZERO CONDITIONAL
ZERO CONDITIONAL is a structure used for talking about general truths -- things which always happen under certain conditions The zero conditional is used to talk about things which are always true -- scientific facts, general truths, and so on. N.B: (note that most zero conditional sentences will mean the same thing if "when" is used instead of "if").

6. If you heat the water to 100 degrees,
Zero Conditionals
If clause
Main clause
If + Present Simple
Present Simple
If you heat the water to 100 degrees,
It boils
Present Tense
Present Tense

7. 1st CONDITIONAL
1st CONDITIONAL is a structure used for talking about possibilities in the present or in the future. The first conditional is used to talk about things which are possible and probable in the present or the future --things which may happen.

8. 1st CONDITIONAL If + Present Simple Future Simple, can, may
if clause
main clause
If + Present Simple
Future Simple, can, may
If you study hard,
you will pass the test.
Present simpleTense
Future simple Tense

9. Possible & Probable conditions
IF CLAUSE
MAIN CLAUSE
If you ________ (drink) a lot,
I ________ (leave) you
If we ________ (buy) tickets,
We ___________ (go) to the concert
If he________ (lose) his key,
You ________ (lend) him yours
If they ________ (dance) too much,
They ____________ (get) tired
If they ________ (not stop) talking,
We ________ (not finish) our lesson
If you ________ (take) the dog for a walk,
I ________ (give) you some money

10. 2nd CONDITIONAL
2nd CONDITIONAL is a structure used for talking about unreal situations in the present or in the future. The second conditional is used to express an imaginary present or improbable future situations (not true or not possible in the present or the future) -- things which don't or won't happen.

11. If I won a million dollars,
2nd CONDITIONAL
if clause
main clause
If + Past Simple
would, could, might
+ infinitive
If I won a million dollars,
I would buy a big house.
Past simple Tense
Would + infinitive

12. Possible & Improbable conditions
IF CLAUSE
MAIN CLAUSE
If you ________ (drink) a lot,
I ________ (leave) you
If we ________ (buy) tickets,
We ___________ (go) to the concert
If he________ (lose) his key,
You ________ (lend) him yours
If they ________ (dance) too much,
They ____________ (get) tired
If they ________ (not stop) talking,
We ________ (not finish) our lesson
If you ________ (take) the dog for a walk,
I ________ (give) you some money

13. 3rd CONDITIONAL
3rd CONDITIONAL is a structure used for talking about unreal situations in the past. The third conditional is used to talk about things which DID NOT HAPPEN in the past. It can be very useful, as It could be often used to express criticism or regret.

14. Would + Present Perfect Form
3rd CONDITIONAL
if clause
main clause
If + Past Perfect
would/could/might have + Past Participle
If I had studied harder,
I would have passed the exam.
Would + Present Perfect Form
Past Perfect Tense

15. Impossible conditions
IF CLAUSE
MAIN CLAUSE
If you ________ (drink) a lot,
I ________ (leave) you
If we ________ (buy) tickets,
We ___________ (go) to the concert
If he________ (lose) his key,
You ________ (lend) him yours
If they ________ (dance) too much,
They ____________ (get) tired
If they ________ (not stop) talking,
We ________ (not finish) our lesson
If you ________ (take) the dog for a walk,
I ________ (give) you some money

16. Other expressions used in conditional clauses:
UNLESS
You won't finish the race unless you pace yourself.
WHETHER…OR NOT
Whether you pay or not, you won't get in without an invitation.
ON CONDITION THAT
PROVIDED THAT
PROVIDING THAT
SO LONG AS
AS LONG AS
ASSUMING THAT
SUPPOSING THAT
"I will only tell my age on the condition that you tell yours."
“I will only tell my age provided that you tell yours”
“I will only tell my age providing that you tell yours”
“I will only tell my age so long as you tell yours” 
“I will only tell my age as long as you tell yours”
 "Assuming that it's fine tomorrow, we'll go for a swim“
 "What would you do supposing that you were given the chance to see the future ?"

17. Other time clauses
(before, unless, when, while, as soon as, as long as, provided that)
After using ; when, as soon as, before, while, unless, as long as and provided that we use the present tense (not will).
• I’ll stay with Jake when I go to London next week.
• As soon as I get my exam results, I’m going on holiday.
• Before I go out tonight, I have to finish this essay.
• While I’m away, Penny’s going to look after my dog.
• I won’t be able to buy a car unless I find a job soon.
• I’ll come with you as long as I don't have to drive.
• You’ll pass your exam provided that you do enough revision.

18. WISH / IF ONLY CLAUSES
Wish and if only can be used with would and past tenses. These structures express regrets, and wishes for unlikely or impossible things.
If only is more emphatic.
1. Past tenses are used to talk about the present.
I wish I was better looking I wish I spoke French
Don’t you wish you could fly? If only I knew more people!
Were can be used instead of was, especially in a formal style.
He wishes he were better looking.
2. We use a past perfect tense to express regrets about the past
I wish you hadn’t said that.
Now she wishes she had gone to university.
If only she hadn’t told the police, everything would be all right.
3. We use would or could...
1. to talk about future things which aren’t very probable.
I wish / If only I could go to the party.
2. to talk about future things that we would like people (not) to do. The subject of wish and the main verb is different. So here we only use would. This often expresses dissatisfaction or annoyance: It can sound critical.
I wish you would go home. If only the postman would come!
We can use this structure to talk about things as well as people.
I wish this damned car would start. If only it would stop raining!

19. Sample rephrasing First Conditional:
- Be careful – someone’s going to see you!
- If you are careful, nobody will see you!
- If + Subject + present simple, subject + future will (aff or neg)
Second Conditional:
Kathy wants to go to the movies but doesn't have any money
If Kathy had some money, she would go to the movies.
If + Subject + past simple (neg or aff), subject + would /could/might + infinitive + complements
Third Conditional:
-Tom was not going to come to dinner the next day because you insulted him.
If you hadn’t insulted him, Tom would have come to dinner.
If + Subject + past perfect (neg or aff), subject + would/ could/might + have + pp + C
Wish / If only
I’m sorry, but I can’t help you now.
I wish I could help you.
I would have gone to the concert, but I didn’t have a ticket.
I wish I had had a ticket. / I had bought a ticket

20. Other examples
- His book will be published provided he takes his manuscript to the editor.
Unless he takes his manuscript to the editor, his book won’t be published.
Unless + present simple, future simple (aff or neg)
I didn't have an umbrella with me and so I got wet.
I wouldn't have got wet, if I had had an umbrella with me.
We don't go to school when it rains
If it rains, we don’t go to school. -I didn't move the table because Jack didn't help me. If Jack had helped me, I would have moved the table.
- You drink too much coffee, that's why you don't sleep well. If you didn’t drink too much coffee, you would sleep well. -You never talk to me, so you don't know anything about me. If you talked to me, you would know something about me.

21. Thank you