FIRST CONDITIONAL

the first conditional is a real possibility

  We are talking about the future. We are thinking about a particular condition or situation in the future, and the result of this condition. There is a real possibility that this condition will happen. For example, it is morning. You are at home. You plan to play tennis this afternoon. But there are some clouds in the sky. Imagine that it rains. What will you do?

Structure:

The first conditional has the present simple after 'if', then the future simple in the other clause:

• if + present simple, ... will + infinitive

        It's used to talk about things which might happen in the future. Of course, we can't know what will happen in the future, but this describes possible things, which could easily come true.
Examples:

SECOND CONDITIONAL

HIPOTETICAL CLAUSE                             IMAGINARY RESULT CLAUSE  

                                               

IF+S+VPAST+C                                             S+COULD/WOULD/MIGTH+VB.

                                                                                  FORM+C

        

Example:

 

•IF I HAVE A LOT OG MONEY ; I WOULD TRAVEL AROUND THE WORLD

           The second conditional is like the first conditional. We are still thinking about the future. We are thinking about a particular condition in the future, and the result of this condition. But there is not a real possibility that this condition will happen. For example, you do not have a lottery ticket. Is it possible to win? No! No lottery ticket, no win! But maybe you will buy a lottery ticket in the future. So you can think about winning in the future, like a dream. It's not very real, but it's still possible.

                                                           THIRD CONDITIONAL

The first conditional and second conditionals talk about the future. With the third conditional we talk about the past. We talk about a condition in the past that did not happen. That is why there is no possibility for this condition. The third conditional is also like a dream, but with no possibility of the dream coming true.

 Example:
Last week you bought a lottery ticket. But you did not win

condition	result
Past Perfect	WOULD HAVE + Past Participle
If I had won the lottery	I would have bought a car.

We can use the Third Conditional to talk about 'impossible' conditions, impossible because they are in the past and we cannot change what has happened.

If I had worked harder at school, I would have got better grades.

If I had had time, I would have gone to see him. But I didn't have time

Notice that the main clause can contain 'would', 'could' or 'might

If I had seen him at the meeting, I would have asked him. (But he wasn't there so I didn't.)

If I had seen him at the meeting, I could have asked him. ( But he wasn't there so it wasn't possible.)

Also notice that sometimes the 'if clause' is implied rather than spoke

• I'd have done it. ("if you had asked me but you didn't.")
• I wouldn't have said that. ("if I'd been there.")
• He wouldn't have let him get away with that. ("if he had tried that with me.")