Conditional Sentence (Type 1, 2, 3, mixed)

I. Conditional Type 1:

Conditional Type 1 are possible conditions in the present or future.

If + S + V(present simple), S + will + V

Example:

If you see him tomorrow, you will be surprised.

If can also be replaced by Provided that, Providing that, Even if, As long as, On the condition that

Unless (If not):

Conditional Type Zero (Always real condition):

II. Conditional Type 2:

Conditional Type 2 are unreal conditions in the present.

If + S + V-ed/2, S + would + V

Example:

They don’t have children, so their house isn’t very noisy.

➜ If they had children, their house would be a lot noisier now.

If I were you:

III. Conditional Type 3:

Conditional Type 3 are unreal conditions in the past.

If + S + had V-3, S + would have + V-3

Example:

Artists wrote so many poems, so people learned a lot about the past life.

➜ If artists hadn't written so many poems, we wouldn't have known a lot about the past life.

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IV. Inversion in Conditionals

Inversion for Conditional Type 1 - SHOULD

Inversion for Conditional Type 2 - WERE

Inversion for Conditional Type 3 - HAD

V. Advanced structures in Conditionals

[IF 2] If it were not for/Were it not for/But for + Noun Phrase:

[IF 3] If it hadn't been for/Had it not been for/But for + Noun Phrase:

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VI. Mix condition: Unreal past condition with result in the present

Sometimes, unreal past condition can have a result in the present. In this case, we use If-clause of Type 3, but Result of Type 2.

If + S + had V-3, S + would + V

Example:

I stayed up late last night. I'm very tired now.

➜ If I hadn't stayed up late last night, I wouldn't be (very) tired now.

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Related posts:

Wish/If only