Tips on Conditional Tense

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6 TIPS on CONDITIONAL TENSE

• Grammar Rules and Tips for using Conditional Tense

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Conditional Tenses

• Conditional tenses are used to speculate about
  what could happen, what might have happened, and
  what we wish would happen. In all cases, these
  sentences are made up of an if clause and a main
  clause.
• Classifying Conditional tenses based on the
  nature of the condition If you study hard, you
  will get a medal. (Open Condition)If you
  studied hard, you would get a medal. (Improbable
  or imaginary condition)If you had studied hard,
  you would have got a medal. (Unfulfilled or
  unreal condition)

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Classifying Conditional Tenses
Usage
If clause verb tense
Main clause verb tense
Simple Future (will /shall /can/ may plain
infinitive) you will get a medal.
Open Condition
A possible condition and its probable result
Simple present If you study hard,
Present/ Continuous Conditional
(would/should/could/might plain
infinitive) you would get a medal.
Simple past If you studied hard,
A hypothetical condition and its probable result
Improbable Condition
Perfect /Continuous Conditional
(would/should/could /might perfect
infinitive) you would have got a medal.
Past perfect If you had studied hard,
An unreal past condition and its probable result
in the past
Unfulfilled Condition
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Conditionals Open Condition Used to describe
that something will happen if a certain condition
isfulfilled or refers to a possible condition
and its probable result.

• Facts
• If you hit the dog, it will bite you.
• Give WarningsIf you don't leave, I'll call the
  police.
• Modals in main clause to express certainty,
  permission, or a recommendation
• If you drop that glass, it might break.
  Interrogative version
• What will you do if you miss the bus?
• Reverse order If it rains, you will get wet.
• You will get wet if it rains.

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Conditionals Improbable Condition Used to
describe that something which we don't expectto
happen or refers to an unlikely or hypothetical
condition and its probable result. Although the
If clause takes a past tense, the sentence
actually talks about the Present.

• Hypothetical Situation
• If I had a degree, I could get a job easily.
  Present Continuous Conditional (expresses an
  unfinished or continuing action or situation)
  You wouldn't be smiling if you knew the truth.
• Modals in main clause to express certainty,
  permission, or a recommendation
• He could go to the concert if you gave him your
  ticket. Interrogative version
• If you were a millionaire, how would you spend
  your time ? Reverse order If it rained, you
  would get wet.
• You would get wet if it rained.

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Conditionals Unfulfilled Condition Used to
describe that something did not happen because a
certain conditionwas not fulfilled or refers to
an impossible condition and its probable result
in past.

• Regret
• If I had worked harder I would have passed the
  exam. Perfect Conditional Tense (would have
  past participle) I would have bought you a
  present if I had known it was your birthday.
• Modals in main clause to express certainty,
  permission, or a recommendation
• You could have been on time if you had caught the
  bus. Interrogative version
• Would she have gone to concert if you had given
  her the tickets? Reverse order If it had
  rained, you would have gotten wet.
• You would have gotten wet if it had rained.

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Tips on using Conditional Tense
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Tip 1 Zero Conditional
Tip 2 Mixed Conditional
Mixed Conditional Used to express an unreal
present situation and its probable but unreal
past . Nature unreal and improbable Time Now
and always PastFormation If past perfect--
main clause present conditional OR If
simple past-- main clause perfect conditional
Example If you had warned me then , I would
not be in prison now. (If past perfect-- main
clause present conditional) If I wasn't afraid
of dogs, I would have picked it up. (If simple
past-- main clause perfect conditional )

• Zero Conditional Used to make statements about
  the real world, general truths, scientific
  facts.
• Nature Real and possible
• Time Now and alwaysFormation If simple
  present -- main clause simple present
• Example If you heat ice, it melts.
• When you heat ice, it melts. ("if" can be
  replaced with "when", because both express
  general truths)
• If Suresh comes, tell him to meet me at the
  office. (using the imperative in the main clause
  to give instructions)

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Tip 3 Will, Would, Had
Tip 4 Some, Any
Somewhere, Anywhere After if, we can either use
"some(-one, -where)" or "any(-one, -where).
Though both refer to undetermined quantities,
there is a subtle difference. Any extends
without limit but usually used in negative
sense. If I have any spare time next weekend, I
will meet you. (there is hardly any time to
spare) Some a limiting word but expecting a
positive outcome If I have some spare time next
weekend, I will meet you. (chances are high that
there will be time)

• Will, Would normally will or would is not
  used in if clauses. However to express
  willingness or requests, they can be used in if
  clauses.
• If it will rain today you will get wet. (Wrong)
• If you will come this way, the manager will see
  you now. (Correct)
• Would and had can be contracted to d
• If Id (would) known you were in hospital, Id
  (had) have visited you. (Wrong)
• If Id (had) known you were in hospital, Id
  (would) have visited you. (Correct)

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Tip 5 Unless,
Tip 6 Were

• Unless to express negative conditionals,
  unless should be used.
• I'll be back tomorrow if there is not a plane
  strike. (Wrong)
• I'll be back tomorrow unless there is a plane
  strike. (Correct)

Were For unreal conditionals, were is used
instead of was. If I was taller, I would buy
this dress. (Wrong) If I were taller, I would
buy this dress. (Correct)
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Spot the Errors
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Spot the Error

• If you freeze water, it might become a solid.
• If you dropped that glass, it will break.
• If I was a billionaire, I would give everyone a
  job.
• I would have been happy if you were calling me on
  my birthday.
• I'd (had) have bought you a present if I'd
  (would) known it was your birthday.

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Spot the Error

• If you freeze water, it might become a solid.
• If you freeze water, it becomes a solid.
• If you dropped that glass, it will break.If you
  drop that glass, it will break.
• If I was a billionaire, I would give everyone a
  job. If I were a billionaire, I would give
  everyone a job.
• I would have been happy if you were calling me on
  my birthday.I would have been happy if you had
  called me on my birthday.
• I'd (had) have bought you a present if I'd
  (would) known it was your birthday.
• I'd (would) have bought you a present if I'd
  (had) known it was your birthday.

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Spot the Error

• I would have been happy to help you if I am not
  in a financial crisis.
• We shall celebrate the party outdoors if it not
  rains next week.
• If you look inside the fridge, you might find any
  food.
• If I was you, I would give up smoking.
• If you will not hurry, you will miss the bus.

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Spot the Error

• I would have been happy to help you if I am not
  in a financial crisis.I would have been happy to
  help you if I wasn't in a financial crisis.
• We shall celebrate the party outdoors if it not
  rains next week.We shall celebrate the party
  outdoors unless it rains next week.
• If you look inside the fridge, you might find any
  food.
• If you look inside the fridge, you might find
  some food.
• If I was you, I would give up smoking.If I were
  you, I would give up smoking.
• If you will not hurry, you will miss the bus.
• If you don't hurry, you will miss the bus.

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Spot the Error

• I am working in Italy if I spoke Italian.
• If Mark did the washing up, his mother will have
  more time for him.
• If Vivek gotten up earlier, he wouldn't have been
  late for school.
• If you drop that glass, it may be broken.
• Unless she is not careful, she will fall off the
  bike.

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Spot the Error

• I am working in Italy if I spoke Italian.
• I would be working in Italy if I spoke Italian.
• If Mark did the washing up, his mother will have
  more time for him.If Mark does the washing up,
  his mother will have more time for him.
• If Vivek gotten up earlier, he wouldn't have been
  late for school.
• If Vivek had gotten up earlier, he wouldn't have
  been late for school.
• If you drop that glass, it may be broken.
• If you drop that glass, it might break.
• Unless she is not careful, she will fall off the
  bike.
• Unless she is careful, she will fall off the bike.

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Spot the Error

• I could have offered you my help in case I knew
  all about it.
• If I did work harder at school, I would have a
  better job now.
• What will happen if I will push this button?
• If I know where she lived, I would go and see
  her.
• If you'd(would) given me your e-mail, I'd(had)
  have written to you.

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Spot the Error

• I could have offered you my help in case I knew
  all about it.
• I could have offered you my help in case I had
  known all about it.
• If I did work harder at school, I would have a
  better job now.
• If I had worked harder at school, I would have a
  better job now.
• What will happen if I will push this button?
• What will happen if I push this button?
• If I know where she lived, I would go and see
  her.
• If I knew where she lived, I would go and see
  her.
• If you'd(would) given me your e-mail, I'd(had)
  have written to you.
• If you'd(had) given me your e-mail, I'd(would)
  have written to you.

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