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In this particular lesson, we're going to look at conditional tenses, okay?
And just a little bit of a comment on them, first of all, conditional clauses usually consist of two parts.
You'll have the, what I call the if clause or what the grammar books call the hypothesis.
It's a difficult word to pronounce.
And then we have the main clause which is the result.
So if clause can be first or second it doesn't really matter and the main clause can be first or second as long as you keep them separate.
So if clause and then the main clause or main clause and then the if clause.
Okay let's start with the zero conditional, and the structure of the zero conditional is that we use it to talk about something that's always true or something about the laws of nature.
Let me give you some examples.
If you heat ice, it melts.
Simple fact, if you heat ice, it turns to water, it melts.
If you study hard, generally, you pass exams. If you press the button, the machine stops or indeed starts, depending on which button you press.
And if you mix black and white, you get grey, the colour grey.
Okay, so they're statements of truisms, or facts, or something about the laws of nature.
And that's really how we use that zero conditional.
And we can also use when here instead of if.
For example, when you tickle a baby he or she laughs.
It's easier to sleep when you are not stressed.
When babies are hungry they cry and all of us who are parents will know all about that one.
When babies are hungry they cry generally.
Okay, so again zero conditional.
Now we can replace if with unless usually in a negative situation.
Do your homework unless the teacher tells you not to.
Do your homework unless the teacher tells you not to.
So all good examples, zero conditional.
So let's look at the first conditional, okay so this one it gets a little bit more complicated.
Okay so when we use the first conditional, we are talking about if plus the present, okay, okay, or if plus present continuous present perfect.
And then we have the second clause, the main clause with the future imperative.
And then we can use can, most, should, and it's with the bare infinitive.
So that all sounds like a mouthful.
So let me give you some examples.
We use first conditional to talk about something real likely to happen in the immediate or in the present time or in the immediate future okay so if it rains we will go to the cinema if it rains we will go to the cinema so if it rains if plus present simple if it rains then we will go to the cinema so we've got that there infinitive we will go to the cinema.
Okay. So if it rains, we'll go to the cinema.
If it doesn't rain, we'll go for a walk if it doesn't rain.
We will go for a walk exactly the same, but it's the if clause separate from the will clause and you can turn it around as I said before, so you can say we will go to the cinema if it rains, we will go to the park if it doesn't rain so.
One clause first the main clause with will and then the if clause second or if clause first. If it rains we will go to the cinema so you have a choice to reverse them if you wish.
If he doesn't study, he will fail his exams. If he doesn't study, he will fail his exams. If you need money, let me know.
If you have cleaned your room, you can watch TV and And if you're in town, you should call us or you should call me.
Okay, so there are examples of using if with different tenses.
And then in that second or the main clause, we've got that future and we can use can or may or might or most or should with the bare infinitive.
Never put if and will in the same clause.
That's a real no no. So if it's sunny, we will go to the beach. If it's sunny, that's your if clause.
If it's sunny and your main clause, we will go to the beach. Not, if it will be sunny, we will go to the beach. You see that often and it is a mistake.
So if is usually followed by one of the present tenses in this first conditional.
If it rains, we will or we'll go to the beach. So try and keep them separate.
And it's always a good way to check yourself if you see that you've got if and will in the same clause, then you're wrong.
OK, so you can't, or it's not a good idea to have will in two clauses.
So that's another indication that you've done something wrong.
So look for your two clauses.
If it rains, one clause.
We will go to the beach, main clause.
So make sure you have will only in one of those clauses.
Now, we can also substitute if for some other words like provided or providing, so long as or as long as or unconditioned that.
Let me give you some examples.
I will cook dinner provided your home on time.
I will cook to dinner as long as your home on time.
I will cook dinner only if your home on time.
I will cook dinner unconditioned that you are home on time.
OK, so I'm using the same sentence just to emphasize the point that we can substitute, if with a number of other words, but we're still using the conditional tenses.
Now let me give you another example when we want to be really emphatic, yeah?
My teacher thinks I will pass the exam.
My teacher thinks I would pass the exam provided I continue to work hard. I will lend you my book, or I will lend you the book as long as you promise to give it back to me.
I'll tell you what really happened only if you can keep a secret.
So they're good examples of those first conditionals where we're emphasizing a point and we want to use some words to be a little bit more emphatic.
Now we can also use even if, okay and this is used when we want to express a condition that is somewhat unexpected in certain circumstances.
For example, even if you apologize, she will never forgive you.
Even if you apologize, she'll never forgive you.
We can also use it to express alternative conditions.
I'll go to the concert whether you like it or not.
I'll go to the party whether you like it or not.
We can also then use it when we're talking about situations like, well, I say a fire.
We use it with a noun.
In case of fire, do not use the elevator.
In case of fire, do not use the elevator.
In case of an emergency, call 999.
In case of an emergency, call 999.
Okay, so, that's all about those first conditional tenses and where we can substitute if for other words like providers, as long as.
So let's look at the second conditional.
Now, when we're talking about the second conditional, just a little hint here.
We're talking about the unreal future, okay, so it's unlikely to happen in the future, but we use the past tense to describe it.
So a little bit confusing, so when you see the past tense, it's not actually talking about the past, it's referring to an unreal event in the future.
Okay, so it's if plus, so we always have if if plus the past simple, or the past continuous, and then we use would, could, might, plus that bare infinitive.
Okay, so if you see will, it's not the second conditional if you use will you're making a mistake.
So we use the second condition, as I said, to talk about imaginary situations, contrary to the present, or the facts about the present.
For example, if I were taller, I would be a basketball player.
I'm obviously not going to be any taller, I'm obviously not going to be a basketball player.
And we're talking about the future.
If I were taller, I would be a basketball player, but we're using that past simple to describe it.
If I were taller, and another issue about this second conditional, we usually say were instead of was if not if I was taller.
If I were taller, I would be a basketball player.
If I won the lotto, I would quit my job and travel the world.
I would visit Paris every week if I had lots of money.
So these are all unreal situations.
Now, there is a possibility that at one stage they might, just might happen, but at the moment they're not likely to happen.
So we're using the second conditional to describe them, we're using the past simple or past continues, and then it's followed in the main clause with would or could or might.
Also, if we're giving advice we also use that second conditional, and it starts as follows.
If I were you, I would do something.
If I were you, I would go to the doctor about that cough.
If I were you, I would call him and find out what's happening.
If I were you, I would take a taxi because the buses are on strike.
Okay, so again, giving advice to people.
And we started if I were you.
Again, the use of that past tense, but we're talking about future events of I were you.
Because you're not going to be, I would take a taxi.
If I were you I would call him.
If I were you I would go to the doctor.
Most people use that were.
Some people tried to use was and this is again the difference when we talk about British English and American English okay but the grammar books will tell you and it's it's better to use were in that situation only in that situation when using the second conditional.
Now let me give you some more examples.
I would be grateful if you could deal with this matter yourself, I would be grateful if you could deal with this matter yourself.
We would appreciate it if you could sign this form and send it back.
I would be grateful if you could give me a discount.
Okay, so these are situations where we're making polite requests for something and we're using that second conditional.
If we want to give an excuse or excuses we can also use second conditional.
If there were more hours in the day I would gladly help you with this.
If my health were better I would spend more time exercising.
If my health were better I would spend more time exercising.
So again they're talking about the future, again we're talking about unreal situations at that time.
If my health were better it's not, so I can do nothing about it.
If there were more hours in the day, I would help you.
There are no more hours in the day, so I can't help you.
That's realistically what it means, so these are unreal situations.
We don't use unless with these unreal conditions or situations, we only use if and again the same as we had with the first conditional make sure that if and would or if and could are in separate clauses if in the first clause could or would in the main clause and again switch them around if you wish to do so but just make sure you keep them separate and now we're going to look at the third conditional, we've looked at zero and first conditional and second conditional and now we're going to look at the third conditional.
Third conditional is a little bit more tricky, okay.
The good news here is we're talking about the past, all right, but we're talking about something that has happened or didn't happen and it's impossible to change it at this stage, okay?
So always about something that has happened in the past or didn't happen in the past and you cannot change it.
So we use if together with the past perfect, if I had done something, okay, and then in the main clause or the second clause, we use would or could or might with the have and the past participle, okay?
So let me give you an example of that.
So we're using the third conditional to imagine situations or actions in the past that we know are the opposite of the facts as they are for example they would have heard the news if they had listened to the radio well they weren't listening to the radio we know they weren't but if they had listened to the radio they would have heard the news and here in this example we're turning them around again as we've done with all the conditions it doesn't matter which clause you put first as long as you keep that if and would or if and will separate so here they would have heard the news so here they would have heard
so that's your have plus your past participle they would have heard the news and then if they had listened to the radio and that's our past perfect another example if you had left 10 minutes earlier so here we've got if in first clause.
If you had left 10 minutes earlier, you wouldn't have missed the train.
So he didn't leave 10 minutes earlier and he did miss the train.
So if you had left if with that past perfect, if you had left 10 minutes earlier, you wouldn't have missed.
And here we have would or wouldn't in this case.
Plus have plus the past participle missed the train.
Okay. So we know he didn't leave 10 minutes earlier and therefore we know that he did miss the train.
So just a rule here.
If the past condition happened, we use a negative.
If it didn't happen, we use a positive.
Okay, if I hadn't got the job, I might have stayed in Glasgow.
If I hadn't got the job, I might have stayed in Glasgow.
The fact is, or the condition is that it happened I did get the job so I didn't stay in Glasgow.
If I had got the job, I couldn't have stayed in Glasgow.
That means I didn't get the job and therefore I did stay in Glasgow.
So if the past condition happened, you use a negative verb and if it didn't happen, then the opposite, we use a positive verb, vice versa.
Now there is a way of writing this third conditional which is often used in books and often used as a more literary style.
So, had the film been released after the pandemic it might have been more successful.
So it's here we're saying had had the film it just means if the film had been released it's the other way to write it but in literary terms it can often look more attractive if we write it and say it this way.
Had the film been released after the pandemic, it might have been more successful.
If the film had been released after the pandemic, it might have been more successful.
We usually don't use it in a speaking way cuz it's it's it's more of a literature.
It's more for for writing.
Now, we've got one more part of the conditionals to look at and these are mixed conditions.
Now, these are not used so often and they're really at that upper intermediate and beyond.
So don't worry if you don't understand them or you don't get to use them, in fact you might not even see them so often but they can be used in exams at C1, C2 level in particular, but you don't often hear them.
But let me give them to you anyway and then you can at least you know you, you've read them.
but focus more on the zero, first, second and third. So these are less common patterns when we talk about conditional tenses.
And as I said, we call them mixed conditionals and they can be mixed in different ways.
So the first one would be mixing the past to the present conditional, okay?
So we've got if plus past perfect, and then a result, which is would plus the infinitive.
If I had learnt to play the violin I could give music lessons now.
If I had learnt to play the violin I could give music lessons now.
The fact is, I didn't learn how to play the violin and therefore I cannot give music lessons now.
But if I had learnt to play the violin, so that's if plus our past perfect I could give music lessons now and that's mixing it to a present condition.
Okay, or if we had missed the bus, we wouldn't be here to celebrate Christmas.
The fact is we didn't miss the bus and yeah here we are on your doorstep enjoying and visiting for Christmas okay so if we had missed the bus we wouldn't be here to celebrate Christmas.
And then the second one is to mix the present to the past conditional so the reverse and it's the if plus past simple and then the result could or would with the have and the past participle.
If we knew more about the software now, if we knew more about the software now, we wouldn't have had to call the helpline.
If we knew more about the software, so if plus the past simple, if we knew more about the software, we wouldn't have had, that's our have plus our past participle, we wouldn't have had to call the help line.
Okay now the fact is we didn't know so we we had to we had no choice.
You could have gone to study computer science if you were better at maths so again if you were better at maths you could have gone to study computer science the fact is you weren't.
And then the third one is to mix past to future conditional.
Okay. So it's the If plus past simple and then a future results usually using will.
So for example, if they left at midday on Monday they will be here by lunchtime tomorrow.
So here you can see we're moving to the future and we're using will.
If they left at midday on Monday they will be here by lunchtime tomorrow.
Alright, so that's the third option which as I said the mixed past to future conditional, and then one last one when we have the mixed past to the past or the present conditional.
For example, if you gave him all your money you've made a big mistake.
If you gave him all your all your money, you've made a big mistake because he's probably spent it.
If you gave him all your money you've a big mistake.
It's if plus that past symbol, if you gave him all your money, you've made.
This is your present perfect, a big mistake.
Okay, so that's all of those conditional zero, first, second, third, and then just as we've covered now, mixed conditionals.
And I'll say I'll just highlight again with the mixed conditionals.
You're not going to see them so often if you're at sort of intermediate or upper intermediate, it.
You'll see them when you get beyond that to advanced levels.
You need to know them and understand them but you'll recognise them when you see them.
They'll be a bit unusual, they're not the same as any of the other conditionals but don't worry if you don't understand them fully.
Check it out in a grammar book, check it out on my course.
Okay, thanks for listening to this particular lesson.
Join me for the next one.
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