What are Conditionals? | Zero, First, Second, & Third

Introduction to Conditionals

Conditionals are an exciting topic for every English language learner. Thanks to their variety and potential to play with diverse tenses, conditional structures have a great deal of learning and practice in store for students. At the heart of conditionals is the clarity and flexibility English affords its learners while talking about certain circumstances and their possible results or consequences.

What Is a Conditional?

In grammar, a conditional is a sentence structure where a particular situation, and its result/consequence are expressed in a complex sentence. A conditional has an if clause (the condition) and a main clause (the result).

Examples of Conditionals

If you break the law, you get punished.

If you work hard, you will get a promotion.

She will pass the test if she does more practice.

If you had lots of money, you could spend as you please.

As long as you promise to pay back on time, I will lend you 100 dollars.

If Jennifer had slept early, she could have waked up early.

If Lucas had gone swimming every day, he would be fit.

Types of Conditionals

There are five types of conditionals in English. They are zero conditionals, first conditionals, second conditionals, third conditionals, and mixed conditionals. Each conditional structure uses a specific tense and conveys a particular meaning.

Zero Conditionals

A zero conditional is easy to understand. Unlike other conditionals, there is no complexity involved in it. We use zero conditionals to talk about general facts.

How to Form Zero Conditionals

To form a zero conditional, we use the simple present in both parts (clauses) of the sentence. The dependent clause may start with if or when.

Examples of Zero Conditionals

Ice melts if you heat it.

If I drink tea after dinner, I can't sleep.

Students don't improve if they don't work.

When I'm tired, I take a break.

First Conditionals

The first conditional talks about a particular future situation involving a condition, whereas the zero conditional simply addresses a general fact with no specific condition attached to it. Unlike second conditionals, first conditionals have real or possible situations.

How to Form First Conditionals

The first conditional has the present simple tense in the if/when clause, and the result clause uses the simple future tense.

Examples of First Conditionals

If I focus more on grammar, I will enhance my writing.

When I'm back home, I will call you.

I will buy you lots of toys when I have a job.

Unless and As Long As in First Conditionals

We sometimes use as long as, unless, and as soon as instead of if in first conditionals.

Examples:

I will buy a ticket as soon as the booking starts.

Unless there is something really exciting, I won't stay back in Florida.

Second Conditionals

We use a second conditional to talk about a hypothetical or imaginary present or future situation and its possible result.

How to Form Second Conditionals

The structure of second conditionals is a little tricky. While the if clause has the simple past tense, the result clause uses would/could/might+ verb.

Examples of Second Conditionals

If I were a billionaire, I would build free houses for the poor.

If you drank lots of water, you wouldn't be so tired.

If she had a chance to meet him, she could explain what happened.

If I were the president, I would first make education affordable to all.

Third Conditionals

We use this type of conditionals to talk about what could/would/might have happened in the past but didn't, because something else was done or nothing was done. Most of the time, third conditionals are used while making excuses, giving explanations, or blaming.

How to Form Third Conditionals

The structure of third conditionals is a little more complex than the first and second conditionals. The if clause uses the past perfect tense, and the result clause uses would/could/might+have+ the past participle.

Examples of Third Conditionals

If I had prepared more diligently, I could have passed the exam.

We wouldn't have lost the money, if we had acted wisely.

If we had known they were coming, we would have prepared a nice meal.

She might have gotten well if they had taken her to the other hospital.

If I had shopped around a little more, I could have had a better deal.

Mixed Conditionals

A mixed conditional occurs when we imagine a change in the present with a past result or a change in the past with a present result.

How to Form Mixed Conditionals

To form a mixed conditional, we use either the if clause of the second conditional and the result clause of the third conditional or the if clause of the third conditional and the result clause of the second conditional. As you have already guessed, this mixing is the reason why it's called a mixed conditional.

Examples of Mixed Conditionals

We wouldn't be lost if we had had a guide.
(The sentence imagines how a change in the past would have meant a different present result. It uses the if clause of the third conditional and the result clause of the second conditional.)

If I wasn't busy, I would have happily helped you.
(The sentence imagines how a change in the present would have meant a different past result. It uses the if clause of the second conditional and the result clause of the third conditional.)

We could solve the puzzle by now, if we had delayed dinner by a bit.
(The sentence imagines how a change in the past would have meant a different present result. It uses the if clause of the third conditional and the result clause of the second conditional.)

If I wasn't ill, I would have gone to work yesterday.
(The sentence imagines how a change in the present would have meant a different past result. It uses the if clause of the second conditional and the result clause of the third conditional.)

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