Conditionals

Question 1

0 Conditional

General Truths / Facts

If this thing happens, that thing happens.

Answer 1

Simple Present + Simple Present

• If this thing happens, that thing happens.
• If you heat ice, it melts.
• If it rains, the grass gets wet.

Question 2

1^st Conditional

A possible condition and its probable result

If this thing happens, that thing will happen.

Answer 2

Simple Present + Simple Future^{(will + V)}

• If this thing happens, that thing will happen.
• If you don’t hurry you will miss the train.
• If it rains today you will get wet.

Question 3

2^nd Conditional

A hypothetical condition and its probable result

If this thing happened, that thing would happen.

If this thing is happened, that thing would be happening.

Answer 3

Simple past + Present conditional^{(would + V)} OR Present continuous conditional^{(would be + V(ing))}

If this thing happened, that thing would happen. (but I’m not sure this thing will happen) OR that thing would be happening.

• If you went to bed earlier, you would not be so tired.
• If it rained, you would get wet.
• If I spoke Italian, I would be working in Italy.

Question 4

3^nd Conditional

An unreal past condition and its probable result in the past.

If this thing had happened, that thing would have happened.

If this thing had happened, that thing would have been happening.

Answer 4

Past perfect**^{(had + V(pp))} + **Perfect conditional^{(would have + V(pp))} OR Perfect continuous conditional^{(would have been + V(ing))}

If this thing had happened, that thing would have happened. (but neither of those things really happened) OR that thing would have been happening.

• If you had studied harder, you would have passed the exam.
• If it had rained, you would have gotten wet.
• If I had accepted that promotion, I would have been working in Milan.