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Conditionals
Posted by Esther
on
3:41
Conditionals or 'if clauses' describe the result of
something that might happen (in the present or future) or might have
happened but didn't (in the past) . They are made using different
English verb tenses.
There are four kinds summarized as follows:
The Zero Conditional: ALWAYS TRUE / SCIENTIFIC FACTS (SEGURO 100 %)
CONDITION RESULT
If + present simple present simple
If you heat water to 100 degrees, it boils.
The First Conditional: HIGHLY PROBABLE (MUY PROBABLE 75 %)
CONDITION RESULT
If + present simple will + base
If it rains tomorrow, we'll go to the cinema.
The Zero Conditional: ALWAYS TRUE / SCIENTIFIC FACTS (SEGURO 100 %)
CONDITION RESULT
If + present simple present simple
If you heat water to 100 degrees, it boils.
The First Conditional: HIGHLY PROBABLE (MUY PROBABLE 75 %)
CONDITION RESULT
If + present simple will + base
If it rains tomorrow, we'll go to the cinema.
The Second Conditional: UNLIKELY, UNREAL, WISH (IMAGINARIO, HIPOTÉTICO, IMPROBABLE 25 %, IRREAL, DESEO, SUEÑO)
CONDITION RESULT
If + past simple would + base
If I had a lot of money, I would travel around the world.
The Third Conditional: IMPOSSIBLE, REGRETS (IMPOSIBLE 0 %, LAMENTOS)
CONDITION RESULT
If + past perfect would have + past participle
If I had gone to bed early, I would have caught the train.
We can put 'if' at the beginning, or in the middle. It doesn't matter at all. Notice that if we put "if" at the beginning we need to write a comma before the next sentence.