Study Resource: Types of conditionals in English
By: Anna Classing
Type of conditionals | Grammar (condition + result) | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
zero | present simple + present simple | Result always happens when the condition is true | If I walk in from the cold, my glasses get all steamed up. |
first | present simple + future with will | Future results of a possible situation in a specific case | If you give me a 10 percent discount, I will pay you in cash right now. |
second | past simple + would + verb | Imaginary result of imaginary situation in the present or future | If my house wasn’t so old, I would keep living in it. → In reality, my house is old and I don’t live there anymore. |
third | past perfect + would + have+ past participle | Imaginary result of imaginary past situation | If Julia had paid attention in class, she would have passed the test yesterday. → In reality, Julia didn’t pay attention in class, and failed the test yesterday. |
mixed | Any combination of other types | If you hadn’t forgotten to buy pasta and cheese yesterday, I would make pasta today. → In reality, you forgot to buy pasta and cheese yesterday, so I can’t make pasta today. | |
