There are two kinds of Conditional: real and unreal.
Real Conditional describes real-life situations.Unreal Conditional describes unreal, imaginary situations.
Although the various Conditional forms might seem quite abstract at first, they are actually some of the most useful structures in English and are commonly included in daily conversations.
Conditional Overview with Examples
Present Real Conditional: If I have time, I study English. (Sometimes I have time.)
Present Unreal conditional : If I had time, I would study English. (I don't have time.)
Past Real Conditional : If I had time, I studied English. (Sometimes I had time.)Past Unreal conditional : If I had had time, I would have studied English.(I didn't have time.)
Future Real Conditional : If I have time, I will study English. If I have time, I am going to study English. (I don't know if I will have time or not.)Other forms possible.
Future Unreal conditional : If I had time, I would study English.(I won't have time.)
Past Unreal Conditional + Continuous
Past Unreal Conditional + Continuous is used to discuss imaginary situations happening at a very specific time in the past or over a period of time in the past.
NOTICEAs in the examples above, sometimes the continuous form is in the "If" Clause and sometimes it is in the Result. The sentences below have been labelled to help remind you where the continuous form is being used.
EXAMPLES: If I had been talking to him when he said that, I would have punched him in the face.
IF CLAUSE(But I wasn't talking to him when he said that.)
If he had been standing near the house when the wall collapsed, it would have killed him.
IF CLAUSE(Luckily he moved away before the wall fell.)
If you had gone to his house last night, he would have been sitting on his couch in front of the TV.
RESULT(But you didn't go to his house, so you didn't see what he was doing.)
If she had missed her train, he would have been waiting for her at the station for hours.
RESULT(Luckily, she caught her train and he didn't have to wait.)
NOTICE Past Unreal Conditional + Continuous can be used like the Past Continuous in imaginary situations to emphasize interruptions or parallel actions in the past.
EXAMPLES:If James had been crossing the street when the car ran the red light, it would have hit him.
IF CLAUSEIf Tom had been studying while Becky was making dinner, he would have finished his homework early and they could have gone to the movie.
IF CLAUSEIf James hadn't stopped to tie his shoe, he would have been crossing the street when the car ran the red light.
RESULTIf you had gone to their house last night, Bob would have been reading the news paper, Nancy would have been talking on the phone and the kids would have been watching TV. They always do the same things. RESULT
NOTICE Past Unreal Conditional + Continuous can be used like Present Perfect Continuous or Past Perfect Continuous in imaginary situations to emphasize a duration of time.
EXAMPLES: Scott said he had been studying Greek for more than five years.
If he had been studying the language that long, I think he would have been able to interpret for us at the airport.
IF CLAUSESarah claimed she had been waiting in the rain for more than twenty minutes by the time we arrived, but she wasn't even wet.
If she had been waiting that long, I think she would have been totally drenched by the time we arrived.
IF CLAUSETerry's plane arrived ahead of schedule.
If I hadn't decided to go to the airport early, she would have been waiting there for more than twenty minutes before I arrived.
RESULT At the travel agency yesterday, I waited for more than an hour for somebody to help me.
Finally, I got up and left.
If I hadn't decided to leave, I would have been sitting there forever. RESULT Imagining About the Future + Continuous
USE Future Unreal Conditional + Continuous can be used like the Future Continuous in imaginary situations to emphasize interruptions or parallel actions in the future.
NOTICE The future form looks the same as the present form. The future is indicated with words such as "tomorrow," "next week" or "in a couple of days."
EXAMPLES:If I were waiting there next week when he gets off the plane, he would be totally surprised.
IF CLAUSE(But I will not be waiting there, so he won't be surprised.)
If he were staying in that hotel next week while the conference is being held, he might be able to meet some of the key speakers and tell them about our new product.
IF CLAUSE(I don't think he will be able to stay at the hotel, so he won't be able to meet anybody there.)
If I were able to go to the train station tonight to meet Sandra, I would be standing on the platform waiting for her when she arrives.
RESULT(I won't be able to go to the train station so I will not be standing there when she arrives.)If you went over to Paul's house after work, he would probably be sitting there at his computer surfing the internet. RESULT
Future Conditionals
FORM[If / When ...SIMPLE PRESENT..., ... SIMPLE FUTURE.]or[... SIMPLE FUTURE... if / when ... SIMPLE PRESENT...]Notice that there is no future in the "If" or "When" clause.
USE The Future Real Conditional describes what you think you will do in a specific situation in the future. It is different from other real conditional forms because, unlike the present or the past, you do not know what will happen in the future. Although this form is called a "real conditional," you are usually imagining or guessing about the future. It is called "real" because it is still possible that the action might occur in the future. Carefully study the following examples and compare them to the Future Unreal Conditional described below.
EXAMPLES: If I go to my friend's house for dinner tonight, I will take a bottle of wine or some flowers.(I am still not sure if I will go to his house or not.)When I have a day off from work, I am going to go to the beach.(I have to wait until I have a day off.)If the weather is nice, she is going to walk to work.(It depends on the weather.)Jerry will help me with my homework when he has time.(I have to wait until he has time.)I am going to read if there is nothing on TV.(It depends on the TV schedule.)What are you going to do if it rains? I am going to stay at home.
IMPORTANT If / WhenBoth "if" and "when" are used in the Future Real Conditional, but the use is different from other real conditionals. In the Future Real Conditional, "if" suggests that you do not know if something will happen or not. "When" suggests that something will definitely happen at some point; we are simply waiting for it to occur. Notice also that the Simple Future is not used in "if' clauses or "when" clauses.
EXAMPLES:When you call me, I will give you the address.(You are going to call me later, and at that time, I will give you the address.)If you call me, I will give you the address.(If you want the address, you can call me.) Future Unreal ConditionalFORM 1(MOST COMMON FORM) [If ... SIMPLE PAST ..., ... would + VERB ... ]or[... would + VERB ... if ... SIMPLE PAST ...]
Notice the form looks the same as Present Unreal Conditional.
USEThe Future Unreal Conditional is used to talk about imaginary situations in the future. It is not as common as the Future Real Conditional because most English speakers leave open the possibility that anything MIGHT happen in the future. It is only used when a speaker needs to emphasize that something is impossible.
EXAMPLES:If I had a day off from work next week, I would go to the beach.(I don't have a day off from work.)I am busy next week. If I had time, I would come to your party.(I can't come.)Jerry would help me with my homework tomorrow if he didn't have to work.(He does have to work tomorrow.)FORM 2(COMMON) [If ... were VERB+ing ..., ... would be + VERB+ing ... ]or[... would be + VERB+ing ... if ... were VERB+ing ...]
USE Form 2 of the Future Unreal Conditional is also used to talk about imaginary situations in the future. Native speakers use this form rather than Form 1 to emphasize that the Conditional form is a plan in the same way Present Continuous is used to indicate a plan in the future. To learn more about Present Continuous, visit Englishpage.com's Present Continuous Page. Also notice in the examples below that this form can be used in the "If" Clause, the Result, or both parts of the sentence.
EXAMPLES:If I were going to Fiji next week, I would be taking my scuba diving gear with me. IN IF CLAUSE AND RESULT(I am not going to go to Fiji and I am not going to take my scuba gear with me.)If I were not visiting my grandmother tomorrow, I would help you study. IF CLAUSE(I am going to visit my grandmother tomorrow.)I am busy next week. If I had time, I would be coming to your party. RESULT(I am not going to come to your party.)FORM 3(COMMON) [If ... were going to VERB ..., ... would be + VERB+ing ... ]or[... would be + VERB+ing ... if ... were going to + VERB ...] USE Form 3 of the Future Unreal Conditional is also used to talk about imaginary situations in the future. Native speakers use this form rather than Form 1 to emphasize that the Conditional form is a plan or prediction in the same way "Going To" is used to indicate a plan or prediction. To learn more about Going To, visit Englishpage.com's Simple Future Page. In many sentences, Form 2 and Form 3 are interchangeable. Also notice in the examples below that this form can be used in the If Clause, the Result, or both parts of the sentence.
NOTICE Form 3 is only different from Form 2 in the "If" Clause.
EXAMPLES:If I were going to go to Fiji next week, I would be taking my scuba diving gear with me. IN IF CLAUSE AND RESULT(I am not going to go to Fiji and I am not going to take my scuba gear with me.)If I were not going to visit my grandmother tomorrow, I would help you study. IF CLAUSE(I am going to visit my grandmother tomorrow.)I am busy next week. If I had time, I would be coming to your party. RESULT(I am not going to come to your party.)EXCEPTION Conditional with Modal VerbsThere are some specialConditional forms for modal verbs in English:would + can = could would + shall = should would + may = mightThe words "can," "shall" and "may" must be used in these special forms; they cannot be used with "would."
EXAMPLES:If I went to Egypt next year, I would can learn Arabic. Unfortunately, that's not possible. NOT CORRECT If I went to Egypt next year, I could learn Arabic. Unfortunately, that's not possible. CORRECTThe words "could," should," "might" and "ought to" include conditional, so you cannot combine them with "would."
EXAMPLES:If I didn't have to work tonight, I would could go to the fitness center. NOT CORRECT If I didn't have to work tonight, I could go to the fitness center. CORRECTIMPORTANT Only use "If" Only the word "if" is used with the Past Unreal Conditional because you are discussing imaginary situations. "When" cannot be used.
EXAMPLES:I would buy that computer tomorrow when it were cheaper. NOT CORRECTI would buy that computer tomorrow if it were cheaper. CORRECT Compare Future Real Conditional and Future Unreal ConditionalTo help you understand the difference between the Future Real Conditional and the Future Unreal Conditional, compare the examples below:
EXAMPLES:If you help me move tomorrow, I will buy you dinner. FUTURE REAL CONDITIONAL(I don't know if you can help me.)If you helped me move tomorrow, I would buy you dinner. FUTURE UNREAL CONDITIONAL(You can't help me, or you don't want to help me.)
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