Conditional Sentences

Conditional Sentences

Unit 12

We use 'if' sentences to talk about a condition - something which must happen first so that something else can happen.

Let's look at an example...

If I don't eat breakfast,

How can we finish this sentence?

If I don't eat breakfast, I will be hungry.

With these kinds of sentences (called first conditionals) we use will + verb or will not.

When the first half of the 'if' sentence talk about something that is unlikely to happen or are unreal, we use the simple past tense.

Lets's look at an example...

If Santa Claus appeared, ...

Complete the sentence with 'I would...'

If Santa Claus appeared, I would ask him for a ship to take me home.

To talk about a situation that is not likely to happen, or unreal, we if+verb in the first half of the sentence and would+verb in the second half of the sentence.

Complete the following sentences:

• If there were no exams,...

• If I won a million dollars,...

• If I did not know English...