2. TYPE ZERO / UNIVERSAL
FORM
IF + Present,
Present / Imperative
USE
True / scientific facts
Instructions
3. EXAMPLES
If you put paper on a fire, it burns
If the phone rings, answer it
4. FIRST CONDITIONAL (TYPE 1)
FORM
IF + Present,
WILL
(Must / can / may)
USE
Likely / probable results
Promises, warnings, threats
5. EXAMPLES
If we don’t leave now, we’ll miss the train
If you pass your exam, I’ll give you a job
6. SECOND CONDITIONAL (TYPE 2)
FORM
IF + Past simple,
WOULD
(Could / Might)
USE
Unreal/Improbable situations
(Conditions won’t be met)
Advice / suppositions contrary to known facts
7. EXAMPLES
If you did more exercise, you’d feel better
If I were you, I wouldn’t drive so fast
NOTES
If I were you (Written / formal language)
If I were / was you (spoken language)
If he / she / it were (more usual)
If he / she / it was (more colloquial)
8. THIRD CONDITIONAL (TYPE 3)
FORM
IF + Past perfect
(HAD + Past Participle),
WOULD HAVE + Past Participle
(Could / Might)
USE
Impossible results, we are talking about
something from the past that can’t be
changed.
9. EXAMPLES
If
you had phoned me, I would have
told you about the party.
Hecould have helped me if I had
spoken to him about my problems.
10. GENERAL FACTS
We can exchange the order of the clauses
If you go, I’ll go
I’ll go if you go
Connectors
UNLESS = IF NOT
‘You won’t pass if you don’t study’
‘You won’t pass unless you study’