1) What is a conditional sentence?
A conditional sentence is a sentence that expresses a condition and its result. It contains two clauses; the conditional clause and the result clause.
Example:
If people steal from the shop, (the conditional clause) the detectives always catch them. (the result clause)
2) Second conditional
❖ Use:
- We use the second conditional for future situations that probably won’t happen.
Example:
If I won a million dollars, I would travel the world.
I would travel the world if I won a million dollars.
- We can also use the second conditional for present situations that are not possible or giving advice.
Examples:
If I had wings, I would fly all over the world.
I would fly all over the world if I had wings.
If I was you, I would send him a text message.
I would send him a text message if I was you.
- In the second conditional. We can use 'was' or 'were' after if + I / he / she / it.
Example:
If I were a plant, I would love the rain.
If I was a plant, I would love the rain.
❖ Form:
We use the past simple in the conditional clause and would + infinitive in the result clause to form the second conditional.
Example:
If I won the race, I would get a prize.
I would get a prize if I won the race.
3) Third conditional
❖ Use:
- We use the third conditional to imagine situations in the past that we know are the opposite of the facts.
Example:
If he hadn’t stolen the money, he wouldn’t have lost his job.
- We can also use the third conditional to talk about regrets from our past.
Example:
If I had taken better care of myself, I wouldn’t have got sick.
❖ Form:
We use the past perfect in the conditional clause and would have + past participle in the result clause to form the third conditional.
Example:
If we had arrived on time, we wouldn’t have missed the flight.