Unit 11

Grammar

Conditionals

Zero conditional (if/ when/ whenever + present tense):

General or scientific facts and

definitions.

If you burn fossil fuel, carbon dioxide

is produced.

First conditional (if + present tense, will + bare infinitive/ imperative)

Real conditions in the present or future

and their result in the present or future.

To give conditional constructions.

If we continue to pollute our planet,

future generations will suffer.

If the people from the Greenpeace call,

tell them I’ll call them back later.

Watch out

Other models and semi-models can be used instead of will in the

result clause in first conditionals. These include be going to, can,

could, may, might, shall, should, have to, ought to.



We might prevent disaster if we change the way we live

now.

Second conditional (if + past simple/ past continuous, would + bare infinitive)

Hypothetical conditions in the present

or future and their hypothetical result in

the present or future.

Eg: What would the local government

do if there was an earthquake in the

area?

Watch out

Other models can be used instead of would in the result clause in

second conditionals. These include could, might.



If the weather was better, we could have a picnic.