Conditionals

First conditional, second conditional, third conditional, zero conditional; usage

1. Conditionals

2. Definition
•Conditionals are a set of cause-effect
sentences.
•The cause-part starts with ‘If’ or ‘When’.
[It is also known as ‘if-clause’].
Eg: When water boils, it evaporates.
If I sleep late, I get a headache next morning.

3. Types of Conditionals
ZERO
Conditional
First
Conditional
Second
Conditional
Third
Conditional

4. The Zero Conditional
We use Zero conditional when we are talking
about:
✓Scientific fact
✓Common knowledge
✓Personal facts that are always true
✓Making requests/giving instructions.

5. Examples: Scientific Facts
A. When water boils at 100 degrees, it evaporates.
B. When cancer is not detected early, it becomes deadly.
C. Water freezes, when it is cooled at zero degree.
D. Fire goes out, if water is poured over it.

6. Structure:
Both sides have V1 form
A. When water boilsat 100 degrees, it evaporates.
B. When cancer isnot detected early, it becomesdeadly.
C. Water freezes, when it iscooled at zero degree.
D. Fire goesout, if water ispoured over it.

7. Examples:
Personal facts that always happen
1.Whenever I sleep late, I get a headache.
2.If my sister eats ice-cream, she catches cold.
3.My day goes bad, when I see a black cat crossing
the road.

8. Structure: V1 on both sides
1.Whenever I sleeplate, I geta headache.
2.If my sister eatsice-cream, she catchescold.
3.My daygoes bad, when I see a black cat crossing
the road.

9. Examples: Things available to common
knowledge
1.When you have money, everythingseems rosy.
2.When you arepoor, everything seems grey.
3.Dogs bark, when the caravanpasses.
4.Peopletalk, when you dosomething opposite to their
expectations.

10. Examples: Requests/ instructions
“If you areharassed on road,callthe helpline
no.”, the poster said.
‘When you seeviolence, do not closeyour eyes,’
the poster said.
‘If there is fire, avoidlifts’, the notice stated.

11. The structure of Zero Conditional is
Cause-Part Effect-Part
If/When…V1 V1

12. First Conditional

13. First Conditional
We use first conditional to talk about
▪Possible future events, and their results.
Eg.:
✓Professional advice
✓Threats
✓Promises
✓Persuading someone

14. First Conditional:
Structure
Cause-part Effect-Part
If...V1 Modal + V1
Will/Can /
Shall, etc

15. Example: Advice
•If you eathealthy, you willlive long.
•If you exerciseregularly, you willnever have
heart problems.
•If you workhard, you willsucceed.

16. Examples: Threats
•If youdo not have 90 percent attendance, you cannot sit in
the exams.
•‘If USattacks again, we will hit back’, the Talibanssaid.
•You willnot get well if you do not take medicine.
•The I-T department willsend police if you do not pay taxes.

17. Examples: Promises
•I will keep you happy forever if you marryme.
•‘If I becomethe President, I will makeAmerica great
again’, said Donald Trump.

18. Examples: Persuasion
‘If you buyfrom us, you will get 20 % discount plus 3 years’
warranty,’ said the seller.
‘You will be fairer in 5 weeks, if youuse Fair and Lovely’.

19. Special use of 1
st
conditional in Legal
Language
Structure: Cause-part Effect-part
If + ShallShall+ effect
Example:
If any bill shall not be returned by the President within ten days
[…] the same shall be law.
CAUSE-PART
EFFECT-PART

20. Second Conditional

21. Second Conditional
Use 1:
•We all have wishes; desires.
•When we talk about
✓Future / Present situation
✓Which has 0-1% chance of happening
we use second conditional.
If I won a million dollars, I would go to see the South Pole.
If I were you, I would accept this job.

22. Examples
‘If I were you, I would say ‘yes’ to him’, the friend said to the girl.
If I won a million dollars, I would travel the whole world.
I would watch Netflix all day, if today were declared a holiday.
But I am not you.
My chance of becoming You is 0%
But the chance of getting million dollars
is 0-1%, almost nil.
But chances of that are 0-1%

23. Structure:
Cause-part Effect-part
If…V2 verb Modals in V2 Form
[would; could; might]
These 3 are modals of
probability / wishes

24. Examples
‘If I wereyou, I would say ‘yes’ to him’, the friend said to the girl.
If I werea millionaire, I would travelthe whole world.
I would watch Netflix all day, if today weredeclared a holiday.
V2 verb
V2 modal
of wish
V2 modal of wish
V2 verb

25. Third Conditional

26. Third Conditional
•We have regrets on our past.
•Negative memories, which we want to erase, but we
cannot.
•When we talk about our regrets, we use third
conditional.
•Also, when we talk of a hypothetical sequence of
events that did not happen, we use 3
rd
Conditional.
This helps in proving our theory about something.

27. Cause-part Effect-part
If…had V3 verb would / could have V3
Structure of Third Conditional:
expressing regrets

28. Examples
If I had worked harder, I would have got a better job.
If India had sealed borders timely, COVID-19 would have
spread less.

29. Examples
If I had worked harder, I would have gota better job.
If India had sealed borders timely, COVID-19 could have stopped
spreading in India.

30. Third Conditional: Hypothesis
If China were innocent, it would have never silenced the early
reports of COVID-19.
If the police were active, the riots would never have happened.
But fact is, China silenced the early reports. (past event)
So, it must be guilty of developing the COVID-19 virus. Theory proved.
But fact is, riots happened. (past event). So, Police was inactive. Theory proved.

31. Structure of 3
rd
Conditional:
Hypothesis sentences
Cause-part Effect-Part
If…V2 verb would have V3
If police wereactive they would have
arrested the killer by now.

32. Solve:
Identify the Type of Conditionals
1.If I don't drink coffee in the afternoon, I feel sleepy.
2.I will tell her if I meet her.
3.I would have helped her if I had been there.
4.If you want to play a musical instrument, you have to
practice.
5.If I have enough time tomorrow, I will come and see you.

33. Solve:
Identify the Type of Conditionals
6. If you eat too much, you get fat.
7. What would you do if you lost your job?
8. If you had run a bit faster, you would have won.
9. If I were you, I would buy it as soon as possible.
10. If he had gone to university, he would have got a better job.