English Language Learners’
Reference Guide
from the Writing Center
Conditionals
To communicate:
Use this verb pattern:
Present Factual (Zero Conditional)
-Things that are currently true or generally known
facts.
Future Possible (First Conditional)
-Real possibilities for the future.
Present Unreal (Second Conditional)
-To create an impossible or hypothetical situation in
the present; this can’t actually happen but we can
imagine it.
Past Unreal (Third Conditional)
-To imagine a different past; this can’t actually happen
but we can hypothesize about what would have
happened if the past had been different.
If/When present simple, present simple.
If you heat water, it boils. (This is a fact.)
If present simple, will + base form of verb.
If you attend the lecture, you will learn everything you
need to know for the exam. (This is a real possibility)
If past simple, would + base form of verb.
If I were* you, I would listen to your professor’s
advice. (This is impossible; I am not you!)
If I had a million dollars, I would build a mansion in
California. (Again, the verb structure communicates
that this is impossible, I don’t have a million dollars!)
*Note: special usage of the verb to be in this
conditional: “If I were you…”
If past perfect, would/could + have + past
participle.
If I had gone to the party, I would have met your
girlfriend. (I didn’t go and I didn’t meet her. I can’t
change the past but I can imagine it.)
If Maria had studied more, she could have passed the
class. (She didn’t study and didn’t pass.)
Note that conditional clauses can be in any order and the meaning doesn’t change. This is true for all four
conditionals. If the “if” condition comes first, it is followed by a comma but no comma is required if the
condition comes second. For example:
If I were you, I wouldn’t stay out so late. = I wouldn’t stay out so late if I were you.
If you had travelled to China last year, you would have learned some Chinese. =
You would have learned some Chinese if you had travelled to China last year.
Key Terms:
Present Simple: Base form of verb in all persons except 3rd person which is base+s/es. Do is the auxiliary
for this tense.
Past Simple= Verb+ed or 2nd column of irregulars. Did is the auxiliary for this tense.
Present Perfect=Have/Has + Past Participle (verb+ed for regular verbs & 3rd column for Irregulars.) Have
is the auxiliary for this tense.
Past Perfect=Had + Past Participle (verb+ed for regular verbs & 3rd column for Irregulars.) Had is the
auxiliary for this tense.
Need more help: Email Rachel Toncelli, ELL Director, at [email protected]
for a schedule of English Language Seminars.