There are four main types of if sentences in English, often called conditional sentences.
These sentences are in two halves, with the if part in one half and the other part where you can use words such as can, will, may, might, could and would.
If + present form + present form
"If you heat ice, it melts."
In this type of sentence, you could use when instead of if. It's always true that when you heat ice it melts. This is why this type of sentence is sometimes called a zero conditional.
If + present form, + will, can or may
"If I am late, I will call you."
"If you need me, you can call me at home."
"If it gets any hotter, we may have a thunder storm."
In these sentences (or first conditional sentences), there is a strong possibility that the first part (coming after if) is going to happen. The second part says what will happen as a result.
If + past form + would, could or might
"If I got a pay rise, I would buy a new car."
"If you left your job, you could travel around the world."
"If you were nicer to him, he might lend you the money."
In these sentences, the first part with if shows that the event is unlikely to happen. In English, we often use this type of sentence (called a second conditional) to talk about hypotheses, or imaginary future events.
For example, "If I was President of the United States, I would change some laws." But I know that I'll never be the President of the USA – I'm just saying what I would do if I was in his/her position. Note: in American English, it is correct to use "if I were…" In British English, it's more common to say "if I was…"
If + past perfect + would/might/could have done
"If I had revised, I would have passed my exams."
"If we had gone out earlier, we might have got to the cinema on time."
"If you had told me there was a problem, I could have helped."
In these sentences (or third conditional sentences), the first part of the sentence with if didn't happen. So there is no possibility of the second part of the sentence happening. I didn't revise, so I didn't pass my exams and there is nothing I can do about it now. English speakers use this type of sentence to show how things could have been different.
72 comments on “"If" sentences”
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If not all answers had been "if clauses", i would have been surprised…
If I had known this web-site earlier, I would have saved a lot of time searching for the "if-sentence-rules".
Why it says "were" instead of "was" in this example:
I'd buy if it were on sale.
Because it's a type of subjunctive: we use "were" instead of "was" in second conditional sentences.
"If I were you, I would…"
If I were you , I would tell everyone about this site .
I STUDY IN THE INSTITUTE ,MY TEACHER GIVE ME THE SAME GRAMMAR AND THE SAME INFORMATION THANK YOU
IF I EAT SO MUCH ,I WILL BE FAT
Had I not understood the conditionals before, I would certainly do so now!
.. don't you just love 'mixed' conditionals!
If you fail , what will you do?
If you made friend with me,I would be verry pleased.
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Can we use "would" in first conditional?
e.g. If you meet your father he would be very happy.
No. Use it in the second conditional:
If you met your father, he would be happy.
1. If you heat ice, it melts.
2. If you heat this metal, it will melt.
3. If you heated this metal, it might melt.
4. If you have heated this metal, it might have melted.
Is this correct?
1 – 3 are correct, but 4 should be "If you had heated…"
If you love me, you will hug me
Why it says "were" instead of "was" in this example:
I'd buy if it were on sale.
Because it's a type of subjunctive: we use "were" instead of "was" in second conditional sentences.
"If I were you, I would…"
if i have a girlfriend, i will kiss her.
if i have passed the CPA test ,uncle CAT will be very happy
If I got this job earlier,I could have progressed a lot.
Is this sentence correct?
if sachin gets an operation of his knee,he will recover soon frm his injury and fit for playing again in team india
if sachin got the operation of his knee erlier,he could play the odi series in sri lanka
if sachin had gone to london for his knee operation,he mightnot hve missed the odi series
Shwet » Yes.
What about the "wether" usage?
Thank you
Fabrizio
Fabrizio » We can use "whether" instead of "if" in indirect questions.
I don't know whether you'll like it or not.
She hasn't said whether she is going.
But we can't use "whether" instead of "if" in conditional sentences.
If you eat too much, you'll feel sick. (Whether can't be used here.)
Clare:::Shwet »Yes
I don't think so.. cause
Shwet::
If I got this job earlier,I could have progressed a lot.
Correct answer:: If I ""had"" got this job earlier,I could have progressed a lot.
???
can I say: If each of us got ourselves a double, we would have resolved the problem of solitude?
or do I need to say: 'would resolve'
Paola » It's "would resolve", but I'd say "If we all had a double…"
If I had taken my medicine, I might have felt better.
Your method of lessons has been useful.
if i had had car i wouldnt have waited an hour for bus this morning
i will be happy if i can pass an examinaton today:-)
If I want to say thanks , It will be for this great website
in a scene of the movie Freaky Friday,lindsay lohan said to her mother "if i can drive". is that sentence mean "may i drive?"
It may do, but I don't know the film or the context. Perhaps she's asking whether or not she has the ability to drive, or, as you suggested, that she wants to drive.
will it be a conditional sentence or not? if we change the position of this word the sence of the sentence would be changed altogather.
Can you give me an example of what you mean?
as we change,present indefinite,thenit should be 1st conditional and will instead of would should be used.and tell me are we using would in this sentence to give stress to the sentence?
I don't really understand the first part of your question.
Generally, we use "will" in first conditionals, and "would" in second conditionals. In some situations, we can use "would" in first conditional sentences:
If I help you with your homework, will / would you make me a cup of tea?
Here, "would" can be used as it forms part of a request (Would you…?)
But in simple conditionals, it's better to use a present modal, such as will or can.
1st conditional means we are talking about future in the first part of the sentence.eg if i a late i will call you.it means we are not making a sentence if i shall be late. instead of it we are using present indefinite and making a sentence if i am late because it is first conditional.is it so?
Yes, this is a first conditional sentence.
if we change the position of this word the sense of the sentence would be changed altogather.is this sentence a 1st conditional?
Can you give me an example of what you mean?
thanks for your great website!could you please explain the use of SHOULD in conditional sentences(please with some details) & is it formal to use should instead of if?finaly is this sentence gramatically correct? should giving lectures was not a compolsary activity I wouldnt do it in this lifetime!
Yes, it's formal. You often see it in notices, which makes your example sentence a little strange-sounding. We'd be more likely to say "If giving lectures wasn't compulsory, I'd never do it!"
An example:
Should you fail to settle your outstanding debt within the next 14 days, we will have no option but to initiate legal proceedings,."
thank you for your huge help.i couldnt ask my own teacher why my sentence wasnt correct .could YOU again help me? thats the sentence:if you cant get unwell with other people you will find playing chess really helpful.
I think I understand your teacher's confusion: maybe it should be "on well" rather than "unwell"!
If you can't get on well with other people, you will find playing chess really helpful.
would that it had been true
or
would that it were true
are both of above sentences showing the same sense?
The second is a subjunctive, but it doesn't mean the same as the first. The second expresses a hope that something is true (but it isn't). The first isn't grammatically correct in my opinion, but in any case, using the past perfect refers to a past event which the speaker hopes had happened differently: I wish that it had been true. (It wasn't true.)
would that it were true
the above sentence which is showing wish in the past tense.what will be the above sentence if we wish in the present time?eg would that he came now
thanks for all ,but i want to give a note about a common mistakes
In the Present Unreal Conditional, the form "was" is not considered grammatically correct. In written English or in testing situations, you should always use "were." However, in everyday conversation, "was" is often used.
You are right. In British English, we often use "was" instead of "were" in spoken English.
I wish it were true.
I wish he would come now
I wish he could come now
Dear sir/ madam,
Please tell me about the use of when and if.
You can use when instead of if in zero conditionals. In first, second and third conditionals, use if, not when.
hi!there is still an ambeguity in my mind a bout the use of should instead of if:does it make a subjunctive mood when you use should instead of if in conditional sentences type 1 & 2? thanks a million!
Not as far as I know. It's just a more literary / formal way of using a conditional.
First question.
In Second Conditional in future meaning, is it possible to use 'would' or 'would not' in if-clause?
Like this,
If I would try my best, I should be able to succeed in my undertaking.
If I would not try my best, my father should scold me.
Second question.
If it is possible to use 'would', what is different 'should' and 'were to'?
If it should be fine tomorrow, I would go fishing.
If it were to be fine tomorrow, I would go fishing.
And I really wonder which sentence you use much more as native speaker above these sentences or other forms. Would you speak why?
Third question
In Conditionals, could we use 'not' in if-clause?
Like this.
If he had not the money, I would not be mistaken in thinking that he was dishonest.
Thank you for reading.
You can use "If I were to…." but this is formal and not often used in spoken English. Don't use "would" in the if clause, but a past form (for second conditionals).
You can use negatives in if sentences.
If he didn't have the money, I wouldn't be mistaken….
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Hi claire…please tell whether this sentence is correct or not :
if the requests are on prodution systems, it should be logged on our tracker system.
The conditional is correct, but you have requests (plural) followed by it (singular). I'd rewrite it:
If the request is on the ……, it should be logged…
thanks claire !
if I want to write this sentence in plural ….If the requests are on the….., (…) should be logged….
My question is what should be written at the place of 'it'.
I have one more query as I have mentioned above "at the place of 'it'"…..mentiong 'at the place is correct here.
If the requests ….. they—-
i was very confused abt imaginary sentences …n i found english at home ..if i hadnt found this briliant website i wouldnt hv cleared my doubt..thnx…
if i had not found this web-site, i couldn't have ………
Hello,
Can i say "If we started, We would have settled by this time" or am i need to use "might have settled"
"If we had started on time, we would / might have arrived by now." (I don't know what you mean by "settled".)
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