U5 Conditionals
CONDITIONALS
Conditional clauses express a condition (= een voorwaarde).
They are introduced by if or unless.
They consist of a main clause and a conditional clause/if-clause. The if-clause can be positioned before or after the main clause:
If I win the lottery, I will buy a new car. = I will buy a new car if I win the lottery.
0 conditional 1st conditional 2nd conditional 3rd conditional
Example(s) If you touch a fire, you get burned. If it rains, we will stay at home. If he studied more, he would pass the If he had known that, he would
People die if they don't eat. He will arrive late unless he hurries exam. have decided differently.
If I am late, my father takes me to up. I would lower taxes if I were the Joanna would have found a new
school. Simon will buy a new car if he gets Prime Minister. job if she had stayed in Gorzów.
She doesn't worry if Julian stays out his raise. They would buy a new house if they
after school. won the lottery.
Form If-clause = present simple If-clause = present simple If-clause = past simple If-clause = past perfect
Main clause = present simple Main clause = future (will + inf.) Main clause = would/could/might + Main clause = would have + past
inf. participle
Use To express a fact, something that To express a real possibility in the To refer to a present To refer to the past situations
is certain to happen, general present or the future = “real unreal/impossible situation or to a that did not happen = “past
truths. conditional”. situation in the future that the conditional”. It concerns only
The first conditional is used to talk speaker thinks is unlikely to past situations with hypothetical
about the future or facts / happen results or unfulfilled conditions in
situations which are true in the = “unreal conditional”. the past (contrary to what really
present and future. It is used to give advice and express happened).
hopes and ambitions.
Note This use is similar to (and can ‘unless’ = ‘if … not’: In the 2nd conditional, the verb ‘to
usually be replaced by) a time … unless he hurries up. = … if be’ is always conjugated as ‘were’
clause using 'when' (When I am he doesn’t hurry up. (If I were a boy).
late, my father takes me to ‘provided’ = ‘as long as’:
school). Provided you leave now, you’ll
catch the train.
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, U5 Conditionals
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CONDITIONALS
Conditional clauses express a condition (= een voorwaarde).
They are introduced by if or unless.
They consist of a main clause and a conditional clause/if-clause. The if-clause can be positioned before or after the main clause:
If I win the lottery, I will buy a new car. = I will buy a new car if I win the lottery.
0 conditional 1st conditional 2nd conditional 3rd conditional
Example(s) If you touch a fire, you get burned. If it rains, we will stay at home. If he studied more, he would pass the If he had known that, he would
People die if they don't eat. He will arrive late unless he hurries exam. have decided differently.
If I am late, my father takes me to up. I would lower taxes if I were the Joanna would have found a new
school. Simon will buy a new car if he gets Prime Minister. job if she had stayed in Gorzów.
She doesn't worry if Julian stays out his raise. They would buy a new house if they
after school. won the lottery.
Form If-clause = present simple If-clause = present simple If-clause = past simple If-clause = past perfect
Main clause = present simple Main clause = future (will + inf.) Main clause = would/could/might + Main clause = would have + past
inf. participle
Use To express a fact, something that To express a real possibility in the To refer to a present To refer to the past situations
is certain to happen, general present or the future = “real unreal/impossible situation or to a that did not happen = “past
truths. conditional”. situation in the future that the conditional”. It concerns only
The first conditional is used to talk speaker thinks is unlikely to past situations with hypothetical
about the future or facts / happen results or unfulfilled conditions in
situations which are true in the = “unreal conditional”. the past (contrary to what really
present and future. It is used to give advice and express happened).
hopes and ambitions.
Note This use is similar to (and can ‘unless’ = ‘if … not’: In the 2nd conditional, the verb ‘to
usually be replaced by) a time … unless he hurries up. = … if be’ is always conjugated as ‘were’
clause using 'when' (When I am he doesn’t hurry up. (If I were a boy).
late, my father takes me to ‘provided’ = ‘as long as’:
school). Provided you leave now, you’ll
catch the train.
1
, U5 Conditionals
2
