What are conditionals in English grammar? Sometimes we call them ‘if clauses’. They 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.

Do you know how to use the zero, first and second conditionals? Test what you know with interactive exercises and read the explanation to help you.

Look at these examples to see how zero, first and second conditionals are used.

If you freeze water, it becomes solid.
If it rains tomorrow, I’ll take the car.
If I lived closer to the cinema, I would go more often.

Grammar explanation

Conditionals describe the result of a certain condition. The if clause tells you the condition (If you study hard) and the main clause tells you the result (you will pass your exams). The order of the clauses does not change the meaning.

If you study hard, you will pass your exams.
You will pass your exams if you study hard.

Conditional sentences are often divided into different types.

Zero conditional

We use the zero conditional to talk about things that are generally true, especially for laws and rules.

If I drink too much coffee, I can’t sleep at night.
Ice melts if you heat it.
When the sun goes down, it gets dark.

The structure is: if/when + present simple >> present simple.

We can make a zero conditional sentence with two present simple verbs (one in the ‘if clause’ and one in the ‘main clause’):

• If + present simple, …. present simple.

This conditional is used when the result will always happen. So, if water reaches 100 degrees, it always boils. It’s a fact. I’m talking in general, not about one particular situation. The result of the ‘if clause’ is always the main clause.

The ‘if’ in this conditional can usually be replaced by ‘when’ without changing the meaning.

For example: If water reaches 100 degrees, it boils. (It is always true, there can’t be a different result sometimes). If I eat peanuts, I am sick. (This is true only for me, maybe, not for everyone, but it’s still true that I’m sick every time I eat peanuts)Here are some more examples:

See this page about the first conditional to learn about the difference between the first and the zero conditionals. The first conditional is about a specific situation, but the zero is talking in general.

First conditional

We use the first conditional when we talk about future situations we believe are real or possible.

If it doesn’t rain tomorrow, we’ll go to the beach.
Arsenal will be top of the league if they win.
When I finish work, I’ll call you.

In first conditional sentences, the structure is usually: if/when + present simple >> will + infinitive. 

It is also common to use this structure with unless, as long as, as soon as or in case instead of if.

I’ll leave as soon as the babysitter arrives.
I don’t want to stay in London unless I get a well-paid job.
I’ll give you a key in case I’m not at home.
You can go to the party, as long as you’re back by midnight.

The first conditional has the present simple after ‘if’, then the future simple in the other clause:

• if + present simple, … will + infinitive

It’s used to talk about things which might happen in the future. Of course, we can’t know what will happen in the future, but this describes possible things, which could easily come true.

• If it rains, I won’t go to the park.
• If I study today, I‘ll go to the party tonight.
• If I have enough money, I‘ll buy some new shoes.
• She‘ll be late if the train is delayed.
• She‘ll miss the bus if she doesn’t leave soon.
• If I see her, I‘ll tell her.

First vs. Zero Conditional:

The first conditional describes a particular situation, whereas the zero conditional describes what happens in general.

For example (zero conditional): if you sit in the sun, you get burned (here I’m talking about every time a person sits in the sun – the burning is a natural consequence of the sitting)

But (first conditional): if you sit in the sun, you’ll get burned (here I’m talking about what will happen today, another day might be different)First vs. Second Conditional:

The first conditional describes things that I think are likely to happen in the future, whereas the second conditional talks about things that I don’t think will really happen. It’s subjective; it depends on my point of view.

For example (first conditional): If she studies harder, she’ll pass the exam (I think it’s possible she will study harder and so she’ll pass)

But (second conditional): If she studied harder, she would pass the exam (I think that she won’t study harder, or it’s very unlikely, and so she won’t pass)

Second conditional

The second conditional is used to imagine present or future situations that are impossible or unlikely in reality.

If we had a garden, we could have a cat.
If I won a lot of money, I’d buy a big house in the country.
I wouldn’t worry if I were you.

The structure is usually: if + past simple >> + would + infinitive. 

When if is followed by the verb be, it is grammatically correct to say if I were, if he were, if she were and if it were. However, it is also common to hear these structures with was, especially in the he/she form.

If I were you, I wouldn’t mention it.
If she was prime minister, she would invest more money in schools.

The second conditional uses the past simple after if, then ‘would’ and the infinitive:

• if + past simple, …would + infinitive

(We can use ‘were’ instead of ‘was’ with ‘I’ and ‘he/she/it’. This is mostly done in formal writing).

It has two uses.

First, we can use it to talk about things in the future that are probably not going to be true. Maybe I’m imagining some dream for example.

• If I won the lottery, I would buy a big house.(I probably won’t win the lottery)
• If I met the Queen of England, I would say hello.
• She would travel all over the world if she were rich.
• She would pass the exam if she ever studied.(She never studies, so this won’t happen)

Second, we can use it to talk about something in the present which is impossible, because it’s not true. Is that clear? Have a look at the examples:

• If I had his number, I would call him. (I don’t have his number now, so it’s impossible for me to call him).
• If I were you, I wouldn’t go out with that man.

How is this different from the first conditional?

This kind of conditional sentence is different from the first conditional because this is a lot more unlikely.

For example (second conditional): If I had enough money I would buy a house with twenty bedrooms and a swimming pool (I’m probably not going to have this much money, it’s just a dream, not very real)

But (first conditional): If I have enough money, I’ll buy some new shoes (It’s much more likely that I’ll have enough money to buy some shoes)

THE THIRD CONDITIONAL

We make the third conditional by using the past perfect after ‘if’ and then ‘would have’ and the past participle in the second part of the sentence:

• if + past perfect, …would + have + past participle

It talks about the past. It’s used to describe a situation that didn’t happen, and to imagine the result of this situation.

• If she had studied, she would have passed the exam (but, really we know she didn’t study and so she didn’t pass)
• If I hadn’t eaten so much, I wouldn’t have felt sick (but I did eat a lot, and so I did feel sick).
• If we had taken a taxi, we wouldn’t have missed the plane
• She wouldn’t have been tired if she had gone to bed earlier
• She would have become a teacher if she had gone to university
• He would have been on time for the interview if he had left the house at nine