What Are the Different Types of Conditional Sentences?

Different Types of Conditional Sentences?

Conditional sentences describe a conditional situation, or an outcome that depends on an event that occurs first. "If" one thing happens, "then" another thing will happen. It simply means that something else needs to happen or exist. Explore different types of conditional sentences and review a few examples of each.

What Is The Conditional Mood?

Conditional mood is one of the five sentences of grammar. It uses the "if" (and sometimes "when") connection to express a condition and its results. There are four different types of conditional sentences in English. Each expresses a different level of probability that a situation will occur or will occur in a particular situation.

• Zero Conditional Sentences
• First Conditional Sentences
• Second Conditional Sentences
• Third Conditional Sentences

Let's look at each of these different types or kinds of conditional sentences in more detail and easily.

How to Use Zero Conditional Sentences?

Zero conditional sentences reveal the general truth - situations where one thing always happens to another. When you use zero conditional, you are talking about a general truth rather than a specific example of something. Consider the following example:

For Examples:

• If the soap is not used on the body, the odor goes away.
• When people smoke cigarettes, their health is harmed.
• If you travel on the sidewalk, you will get a scrap.
• You get a passing grade when you do all your homework.
• If it rains, my new car gets wet.
• My friend lough when I give him a compliment.
• If the clock strikes midnight, it's a day.
• When the cats get a treat, they wag their tails.
• If Smith sleeps in, he’s late for school.
• I get stressed out when I watch the news today.

There are a few things to note in the sentences above where the zero condition has been used. First, when using zero conditional, the correct tense to use in both streams is the simple current tense. It is a common mistake to use common future tenses.

How to Use First Conditional Sentences?

The first conditional sentences are used to express situations where results may occur in the future (but not for sure). See examples below:

For example:

• I will answer if she calls me.
• If I study really very hard, I'll ace this exam.
• If the weather is good, our crops will be flourish.
• You will be successful in college if you're diligent in your studies.
• My brother will cry if she watches this English movie.
• Jonny will buy this dress if it’s on sale.
• I will attend the wedding if invited.
• If the kids eat too much chocolates, they’ll have a stomachache.
• If you rest, you will feel good better.
• If you set your mind on a goal, you will achieve it in the end.

Notice that if we use the common present tense in the main clause and the common future tense in the main clause — that is, the clause which expresses the possible result. Thus we indicate that under a certain condition (as expressed in the if-section), a certain result is likely to occur in the future.

How to Use Second Conditional Sentences?

The second conditional sentences are effective for expressing results that are completely unrealistic or will not happen in the future. Consider the following example:

For example:

• I would answer if she called.
• If the weather improves, our crops will bear fruit.
• If you are determined to be diligent in your studies, you will succeed in college.
• I would faint if I ever met David Muller.
• You can understand the joke if you are there.
• If I were poor, I’d never work again.
• Harry would help you hindi move if she knew where you lived.
• The child would eat their fruits if they tasted better.
• If I inherited a million dollars, I would travel to the moonlit.
• If I owned a park, I might let people interact with the animals more.

Notice the correct way of constructing the (2nd) second conditional sentence if-simple simple past tense is used in the clause and a helpful modal verb (e.g., can, should, be, be) results in the main clause (which expresses unrealistic or improbable).

How To Use Third Conditional Sentences?

The third conditional sentence is used to explain that the present situation would be different if something different happened in the past. See the following examples:

For Examples:

• I would help if I knew you were in trouble.
• If Bonnie had studied, he would have passed the exam.
• My family wouldn’t have bought the home if they had seen the broken plats.
• Your cat would have bitten my cat if she hadn’t been on a leash.
• If he had arrived six minutes earlier, he would have seen the whole show.
• If my cousin had gotten the work, she would have been set for life.
• Pearl would not have made that comment if she knew her sister was listening.
• When the class finished their assignment, the teacher assigned less homework.
• If you tell me you need a ride, I would have right earlier.
• If I had cleaned the home, I could have gone to the English movies.

These sentences express a condition that was probably enough, but did not actually happen in the past. In the first sentence the speaker was able to leave quickly, but did not. Along this same line, the speaker in the second sentence was able to clean the house, but did not. These are all conditions that were probably there, but sadly did not happen.

Note that when using the third condition, we use the past perfect (e.g., had + past participle) in the if-clause. The modal auxiliary (would, could, should, etc.) + have + past participle reveals the mainstream theoretical situation that may occur.

Conclusion

We hope you find this guide useful! Like any part of English grammar, you have to practice to get the hang of it. That said, the rules are pretty straightforward. So, once you learn the correct format and use them in the situation, you are completely ready!

Now that we have broken the rules of grammar, we have to use them properly in real life. I should warn you that real life is complex, concise and not as clear as your grammar book. Today, we'll talk to our head coach about mixed terms, an event that often happens in real-life conversations.