Episode 226: It’s time to master the conditionals in English
In this podcast, we dive into the different types of conditional tenses in English..
Mastering conditionals in English
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Recap & Takeaways
Conditionals are sentences that describe situations that could happen or might have happened under certain conditions. They often use the words if and would. In English, there are four main types of conditionals:
1. Zero Conditional
The zero conditional is used for general truths or things that are always true. We use it when one thing always leads to another.
- Structure: If + present simple, present simple
- Example: “If you heat water to 100°C, it boils.”
2. First Conditional
The first conditional talks about possible future events. It shows situations that can happen if a certain condition is met.
- Structure: If + present simple, will + base verb
- Example: “If it rains tomorrow, we will stay inside.”
3. Second Conditional
The second conditional is for imaginary or unlikely situations. It expresses what you would do if things were different.
- Structure: If + past simple, would + base verb
- Example: “If I had a million dollars, I would travel the world.”
4. Third Conditional
The third conditional talks about things that could have happened in the past but didn’t. It often expresses regret or hypothetical past situations.
- Structure: If + past perfect, would have + past participle
- Example: “If I had studied harder, I would have passed the exam.”
