Conditionals - Daily English
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Conditionals describe a condition and its result: "if X happens, then Y follows." You use them constantly at work to make offers, give warnings, negotiate, and discuss possibilities. There are four main types. The zero conditional states facts that are always true: "If you heat water to 100 degrees, it boils." The first conditional handles real, likely future situations: "If the client signs today, we'll start on Monday." Use the present tense after "if" and "will" in the result. The second conditional handles unreal or unlikely situations: "If I were the manager, I would change the process." Note "were" for all subjects and "would" in the result. The third conditional looks back at the past and imagines a different outcome: "If we had sent the quote earlier, we would have won the contract." A common pitfall is putting "will" or "would" directly after "if", avoid "If I will see her" and "If I would have time." Keep the condition clause tense-correct and the modal in the result clause. You can also reverse the order: "We'll start on Monday if the client signs today" needs no comma, but "If the client signs today, we'll start" does.
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- If it rains tomorrow, we (stay) at home.
- If I have enough money, I (buy) a new laptop.
- If you study hard, you (pass) the exam.
- If she cooks dinner, I (wash) the dishes.
- If they arrive late, they (miss) the beginning of the movie.
- If we leave now, we (catch) the bus.
- If he calls me, I (tell) him the news.
- If you eat too much candy, you (feel) sick.
- If the weather is nice, we (go) to the park.
- If I see Mark, I (give) him your message.
- If you were taller, you (be) a great basketball player.
- If I had more free time, I (join) a gym.
- If she lived in London, she (visit) museums every weekend.
- If we had a bigger car, we (travel) more often.
- If they knew his number, they (call) him.
- If you worked harder, you (get) a promotion.
- If it were cheaper, I (order) the pizza.
- If he spoke French, he (move) to Paris.
- If I were you, I (not/buy) that expensive watch.
- If they had more experience, they (get) the job.
- If you had seen the accident, you (do) something differently.
- If I had known you were coming, I (bake) a cake.
- If she had studied more, she (pass) the test last week.
- If we had taken a taxi, we (not/be) late for the meeting.
- If you had told me the truth, I (not/be) so angry.
Common questions
What is the difference between the first and second conditional?
The first conditional describes a real, likely situation and its probable result, using present tense plus 'will': 'If we lower the price, customers will buy more.' The second conditional describes an unlikely, imaginary, or hypothetical situation, using past tense plus 'would': 'If we lowered the price to one pound, we would lose money.' Choose first for realistic plans, second for hypotheticals.
Why do we say 'If I were' instead of 'If I was' in the second conditional?
In second conditionals, English traditionally uses 'were' for every subject, including 'I', 'he', 'she', and 'it', because the situation is hypothetical: 'If I were you, I would accept the offer.' This is called the subjunctive. In casual speech you may hear 'If I was', but in professional writing and interviews, 'If I were' is the safer, more correct choice.
Can I use the third conditional to talk about regrets at work?
Yes. The third conditional is ideal for regrets and missed opportunities, because it imagines a past that did not happen. The form is 'if + had + past participle' plus 'would have + past participle': 'If we had tested the product earlier, we would have avoided the recall.' It signals that the action is finished and the outcome cannot now be changed, which makes it useful in reviews and post-mortems.