Conditional Sentences

Conditional Sentences are also known as conditional clauses of if clauses. They are used to express that the action in the main clause (Without if) can only take place if a certain condition (in the clause with if) is fulfilled.

Types of Conditional Sentences

a.       It’s possible and also very likely that the condition will be fulfilled.

Form : if + simple present (will, future)

-          If I find Her address, I’ll send her an invititation.

-          If I have enough time, I’ll watch tv every evening.

-          If I have enough time , I will watch tv later on tonight

-          If I don’t’t see Him this afternoon, I will call Him in the evening.

-          If John has the money, He will buy a Ferrari.

b.      It’s possible but very unlikely, that the condition will be fulfilled.

Form : if + simple past (would + infinitive)

-          If I found Her address, I would send Her an invitation.

-          If I had enough time, I would watch tv now or later on.

-          If I had a lot of money, I wouldn’t stay here.

-          If I were you, I wouldn’t do this.

-          If John had the money, He would buy a Ferrari.

c.       It’s impossible that the condition will be fulfilled because it refers to the past.

Form : if + past perfect (would + have + past participle)

-          If  I had found Her address, I would have sent Her an invitation.

-          If I had had enough time, I would have watched tv yesterday.

-          If I hadn’t studied, I wouldn’t have passed my exams.

-          If John had had the money, He would have bought a Ferrari.

-          I would have sent Her an invitation if I had found Her address. (Example without comma).