Home » Tenses

Category Archives: Tenses

Zero Conditionals




  • The zero conditional describes situations that are always true.

  • ‘ If ‘ can be replaced by when or whenever without changing the meaning of a given sentence.


  • Form
    The zero conditional is made up of two present simple verbs:
    • the ‘if’ clause in the present simple
      and
    • the main clause in the present simple.



Examples
  • If you park your car on double yellow lines, you pay a fine.
    (Whenever you park illegally, you pay a fine.)

  • If water reaches 100 degrees, it boils.
    (It is always true, there can’t be a different result sometimes).

  • You get water if you mix hydrogen and oxygen.
    (It’s always true!)

  • If they go to school, they get up at seven.
    (Whenever they go to school they get up at the same time.)

  • My friends always help me if I ask them.
    (My friends help me whenever I ask them.)

Other Forms
Apart from the basic forms (the present simple in the main clause and the if clause),
we can use other verb forms in the zero conditional sentences:

  • If you want to be healthy, you must exercise.
    (a modal verb in the main clause)

  • If you are tired all day long, sleep more!
    (an imperative in the main clause)


Note
‘ If ‘ is the most frequent expression in the if clauses, but other expressions are also possible. even if, provided (that), unless, on condition (that)

  • Iron melts on condition that it is heated..

  • He never says hello unless you say hello to him first.

  • Meat goes off provided that we don’t keep it in a fridge.

  • the teacher always shouts even if there’s no need.




Mixed Conditionals




When the two parts of a conditional sentence refer to different times, the resulting sentence is called a “mixed conditional” sentence. There are two types of mixed conditional sentence:

  • Present result of a past condition
  • Past result of present or continuing condition

Present result of a past condition

The Form
This type of mixed conditional sentence has:

  • the ‘if’ clause in the past perfect
    and
  • the main clause in the present conditional.

If clause (condition) Main clause (result)
If + past perfect (3rd conditional) present conditional (2nd conditional)
If she had never met him she’d be so much happier.
Conditional sentences usually don’t have their clauses in a fixed order. You may have to rearrange the pronouns and adjust punctuation when you change the order of the clauses, but the meaning is identical.



Examples

  • If I had worked harder at school, I would have been a doctor now.

  • We wouldn’t be lost if we had gone straight ahead.

  • If you had caught that bus you would be dead now.

  • I would have be a doctor now if I had worked harder at school.

  • If we had gone straight ahead we wouldn’t be lost.

  • You would be dead now if you had caught that bus.




The Function
The second and the third conditionals are combined to talk about an unreal past condition and its probable (imaginary) result or effect on the present / future.



Examples

  • If I had won the lottery, I would be rich.
    (but I didn’t win the lottery in the past and I’m not rich now)

  • If she had taken Chinese in high school, she would have more job opportunities in China.
    (But she didn’t take Chinese in high school and she doesn’t have many job opportunities in China.

  • If you had spent all your money, you wouldn’t buy this jacket.
    (but you didn’t spend all your money and now you can buy this jacket)



P.S.: You can also use modal verbs (modals) in the main clause instead of would to express the degree of certainty, permission, or a recommendation about the outcome.

Examples

  • If you had broken the glass, you might be in trouble.

  • I could be a millionaire now if I had invested wisely.

  • If they had liked the party, they might be on the dancefloor right now.



Past result of present or continuing condition

The Form
This type of mixed conditional sentence is about combining:

  • the ‘if’ clause in the simple past
    and
  • the main clause in the perfect conditional.

If clause (condition) Main clause (result)
If + simple past (2nd conditional) perfect conditional (3rd conditional)
If she never met him she’d have been so much happier.
Conditional sentences usually don’t have their clauses in a fixed order. You may have to rearrange the pronouns and adjust punctuation when you change the order of the clauses, but the meaning is identical.



Examples

  • If the kid took better care of his teeth, He wouldn’t have gotten all these cavities.

  • We would have been lost if we didn’t go straight ahead.

  • We would have sacked him months ago if we didn’t trust him.

  • If we didn’t trust him we would have sacked him months ago.

  • If you caught that bus you would have been dead now.

  • I would have been a doctor now if I worked harder at school.




The Function
The third and the second conditionals (in this order) refer to an unreal present situation and its probable (but unreal) past result. In these mixed conditional sentences, the time in the if clause is now or always and the time in the main clause is before now.

For example:
“If I wasn’t afraid of snakes” is contrary to present reality. (In fact I’m afraid of snakes).
“I would have picked it up” is contrary to past reality. (I didn’t pick it up).



Examples

  • If it was my birthday, I’d have invited them to lunch.

  • She’d have accepted the invitation if she wasn’t married!

  • I’d have been able to translate the speech if my Chinese was better.

  • If the movie wasn’t so good, we’d have left the theater by now.




Conditionals - Type I, II and III




  • The first conditional describes something that is fairly likely to happen (in fact a real condition) and what will, can or might happen as a consequence of the happening:
    – If she misses the appointment tomorrow, she won’t get to see the doctor!


  • It is made up of a conditional clause (if + present simple) and a main clause with the result of hat condition (will / won’t + base form):
    If she forgets anything, I‘ll bring it to her tomorrow.


  • P.S.: The main clause with the result can also use can or might instead of will:
    If she leaves work early, she can meet her friend for a drink before dinner.




  • The second conditional describes imaginary situations (unreal conditions) and results of these conditions that could be possible.


  • The conditional clause is made with if + the past simple, and the main clause is made with would / wouldn’t + base form of the verb:
    If I won the lottery, I‘d buy a new car.


  • When using the conditional clause in the 1st or 3rd person singular (I/he/she/it),
    were(n’t) is allowed in formal English (If I were a boy, …, If she were more gracious, …) and
    was(n’t) in less formal English (If I was a boy, …, If she was more gracious, …)


  • The second conditional can be used to give advice:
    If I were you, I’d quit the job.


  • Could and might can also be used in the main clause instead of would:
    – I could write that book! if I quit the job.
    – I might go home and eat something delicious.




  • The third conditional describes a condition in the past that was not fulfilled and an imaginary result. It’s an unreal and no longer possible condition, and the sentences imagine the past being different from what it really was.


  • It’s made up of a conditional clause with if + the past perfect and a main clause with would / wouldn’t have + the past participle of the main verb:
    – If I had taken the train, Iwould have arrived on time. Could and might can also be used in the main clause instead of would.


  • The 3rd can be used to express regret or hapiness about things of the past:
    – If I had fixed the sink sooner, there wouldn’t have been so much damage. (regret)
    – If she hadn’t read the book, she wouldn’t have been the contented person she is today. (happiness)


Summary | Conditionals (if clauses)

condition result
type 1 If the trains are late, she won’t be at the party on time.
type 2 If I were you, I’d quit that job!
type 3 If I had known that earlier, I could have made a better decision.
mixed If you’d gone to bed earlier, you’d be having a better day!





Complete the sentences with the correct verb form.
Conditional (First, Second or Third Conditionals)



Choose the appropriate conditional sentences.

Active / Passive


  1. Active or Passive? make a choice!

  2. Active or Passive

    Are the sentences written in active or passive?

    There are 10 questions ...

    On your mark, get set, go!


  3. Rewrite the passive sentences into active


  4. Rewrite the active sentences into passive


Walt Disney's Story

MEDIATION - ALL TENSES

Translate into English

  1. Mediation – All Tenses – MT1 Intermediate
          MT1 Possible Answers
  2. Mediation – All Tenses – MT2 Intermediate
          MT2 Possible Answers
  3. Mediation – All Tenses – MT3 Intermediate
          MT3 Possible Answers
  4. Mediation – All Tenses – MT4 Intermediate
          MT4 Possible Answers
  5. Mediation – All Tenses – MT5 Intermediate
          MT5 Possible Answers
  6. Mediation – All Tenses – MT6 Intermediate
          MT6 Possible Answers

FUTURE PERFECT + BONUS QUIZ

The future perfect is used to describe an action that’ll be finished or something that’ll already have happened before a certain time in the future.

Form:

– Positive sentences: subject + will + have + past participle (main verb) Example: By the time the doctor arrives, I will have taken my medications.

– Negative sentences: subject + will (+not, also shorten as won’t) + have + the past participle of the main verb (in our case = taken)

Example: By the time the doctor arrives, I will not (won’t) have taken my medications.

– Yes/no -questions: will + the subject + have + past participle?

Example: By the time the doctor arrives, will she have taken my medication? (yes/no)

– Wh- tag questions: wh-tag + will + the subject + have + past participle? Example: Why will she have taken her medications by the time the doctor arrives?

Quiz - Use of Phrases and Expressions

Some & Any - The Quiz

Some & Any

Advanced Business English Phrases and Expressions #2