Conditional types

--The use of conditional clauses:

We often use if to express a condition.

If you're going into college, I could give you a lift.

Here there is a conditional clause ( If you're going into college ) 

and a main clause  or "result" ( I could give you a lift ).

Conditions can be open or unreal.

Open: If it rains tomorrow,I won't go.

Unreal: If I was a bit taller,I could reach.

It is possible to use other words instead of if in first conditional sentences:

Type 1:

if + simple present + will + infinitive

How to form the first conditional?:

CONDITION:  if + subject + present simple

RESULT:  subject + future (will/won’t, going to)

Negation of Conditional Sentence Type 1:

We use the First Conditional to talk about future events that are likely to happen.

• If you give me some money, I'll pay you back tomorrow.

•  If it’s sunny tomorrow, I’ll go to the beach.

The "future clause" can contain 'going to' or the future perfect as well as 'will'.

• If I see him, I'm going to tell him exactly how angry I am. 

• If we don't get the contract, we'll have wasted a lot of time and money.

The "future clause" can also contain other modal verbs such as 'can' and 'must'. 

• If you go to New York, you must have the cheesecake in Lindy's. 

• If he comes, you can get a lift home with him.

Type 2:

if + simple past + would/could/should/might + infinitive 

How to form the second conditional:

CONDITION:  if + subject + past simple

RESULT:  subject + would/might/could + verb

The Second Conditional is used to talk about 'impossible' situations.

• If we were in London today, we would be able to go to the concert in Hyde Park.

• If everyone had clean water to drink, there would be a lot less disease. 

Note that after I / he/ she /it we often use the subjunctive form 'were' and not 'was'.

• If she were happy in her job, she wouldn't be looking for another one. 

The Second Conditional is also used to talk about 'unlikely' situations.

• If I went to China, I'd visit the Great Wall.

• If I was the President, I'd reduce taxes.

Type 3:

if + past perfect + would/could/should/might + have + past participle

How to form the third conditional:

CONDITION:  if + subject + past perfect

RESULT:  subject + would... + have + past participle

We can use the Third Conditional to talk about 'impossible' conditions, impossible

because they are in the past and we cannot change what has happened.

• If I had worked harder at school, I would have got better grades. 

• If I had had time, I would have gone to see him.

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