Conditional Tense in English

Conditionals and Time

Imagine you had a machine that could go back and forth in time. It would be awesome! If you forget to do homework, you could go back in time and still meet friends for dinner. If you wanted to see what would happen if you took a new job, you could go forward in time and see your future.

In a way, conditionals are like a time machine. You can tell things that happen, will happen, might have happened or would have happened if you do, will do or did something.

If

When you see the word if, this is usually a conditional sentence. There are four types of conditionals but many ways to say and write conditionals. Conditional clauses can also be made in different word order but still mean the same thing:

• If he eats pizza, he is happy.
• He is happy if he eats pizza.

Different Uses of Conditional Tense

Zero Conditional

Form: If + present verb, present verb

When: Present

Zero conditional shows a result that happens if a repeated condition happens.

• If she exercises every day, she stays healthy.
• She stays healthy if she exercises every day.

By exercising every day she stays healthy.

• If they laugh at my jokes, I know I am funny.
• I know I am funny if they laugh at my jokes.

When they laugh at my jokes I know I am funny.

First Conditional (Real Conditional)

Form: If + present verb, will + base form of verb (no to or different ending for he or she)

When: Present/Future

This conditional shows a possible result that will probably happen if another condition happens.

• If she studies for the test, she will get a good grade.
• She will get a good grade if she studies for the test.

She will probably get a good grade after she studies for the test.

• If we take the train, we will be on time.
• We will be on time if we take the train.

We will be on time because we took the train.

Second Conditional (Unreal Conditional)

If + past verb, would + base form of verb (no to or different ending for he or she)

When: Present/Future

This conditional shows an unlikely or impossible action that probably wouldn't happen (unless another action happened).

Unlikely action:

• If we won the lottery, we would move to Spain.
• We would move to Spain if we won the lottery.

You probably will not win the lottery so you will probably not move to Spain.

Impossible action

• If I had gills, I could live underwater.
• I could live underwater if I had gills.

You cannot have gills so you cannot live underwater.

Third Conditional

Form: If + had + past participle, would + have + past participle

When: Past

This conditional shows a past action or different action that would have happened if another action had happened.

• If I had studied last night, I wouldn't have failed my test.
• I wouldn't have failed my test if I had studied last night.

He did not study and he failed his test. (both actions are finished)

• If I hadn't eaten so much candy, I wouldn't have had a stomachache.
• I wouldn't have had a stomachache if I hadn't eaten so much candy.

He ate too much candy and had a stomachache. (both actions are finished)

Were/Was?

In writing conditionals and in educated speaking, the past tense of to be, you use were instead of was no matter who you are talking about. This is an old rule that will probably disappear someday but for now it is still used.

• If I were you, I would go to college. (correct)
• If I was you, I would go to college. (incorrect)
• He would wash the dishes if she were here. (correct)
• He would wash the dishes if she was here. (incorrect)