THE FIRST CONDITIONAL (possible and very likely to happen)

1. THE FIRST CONDITIONAL(possible and very likely to happen) IF + PRESENT SIMPLE + FUTURE PRESENT PERFECT IMPERATIVE If it rains, we’llstay at home. If you have finished, go home. You won’t pass the exam if you don’t revise. What will you do if you don’t find a job?

2. THE SECOND CONDITIONAL(possible but not very likely, hypothetical) IF + PAST SIMPLE + WOULD + INF COULD MIGHT • If he were rich, he wouldn’t have to work. • I could buy some new clothes if I had some money. • I wouldn’t do this job if I didn’t like it. • What would you do if you saw someone shoplifting?

3. THE THIRD CONDITIONAL(impossible) IF + PAST PERFECT + WOULD + HAVE + PAST PART. • If I had seen you, I would have said hello. • I would have gone out if I hadn’t been so tired. • What would you have said if you had seen her?

4. UNLESS • We’re going unlessthe weather gets much worse. • Unlessyou drive more slowly, I’ll be sick. • UNLESS = IF NOT • Unless is used with the present tense to talk about the future (in the same way as if). It is always followed by a verb in the positive form. • Unless can usually be replaced by if not: • We’re going if the weather doesn’tget much worse. • Ifyou don’t drive more slowly, I’ll be sick.

5. I WISH and IF ONLY • I wish I hadlots of money. (but I don’t) • Ifonlyhe coulddrive. (but he can’t) • I wishIwas/wereclever like you. (but I’m not) • WISH/IF ONLY + THE PAST SIMPLE is used when we express a wish about a PRESENT SITUATION. • She wishesshe had never met him. (but she did) • IfonlyI hadn’tsaidthat. (but I did) • WISH/IF ONLY + THE PAST PERFECT is used when we express a wish or regret about THE PAST. It’s like the third conditional – the event can’t be changed.