來源: https://www.ego4u.com/
What is a conditional?
A conditional is a sentence or part of a sentence that expresses a condition. It usually begins with the words "when," "if" and "unless."A condition is what must happen before something else can happen.
Examples of conditionals (note that the conditions are in italics):
I will come if I have enough time.
(I am not sure that I will come. It depends on something else.)
She would tell me if she knew.
(She doesn't know.)
Unless she agrees to pay us we will not take the job.
(She must agree to pay before we take the job.)
They will come when I call them.
(They will not come before I call them.)
There are four basic conditionals in English, or in other words: there are four ways to express that something is dependent on something else.
Note: in the examples below the conditions are in GREEN, and the results are in BROWN.
First Conditional | Second Conditional | Third Conditional
Zero Conditional | Summary Table | Top
"If he catches a fish, he will be very happy."
Zero Conditional | Summary Table | Top
The First Conditional
"If he catches a fish, he will be very happy."
We use first conditional when talking about possible future events.
Structure:
If + Simple Present, + Will
OR
Will + If + Simple Present
Examples:
- Lisa will be very happy if she wins the prize.
- If it rains, then we will stay at home.
- You will always be able to take another test if you fail.
- If I see Sam, I will ask him to give you a call.
Note:
You can use these modal verbs instead of will:
shall, can, may.
Examples:
- If you fail, you can always try again.
- If you finish everything on time, you may go home earlier.
- We shall meet on Sunday, if it's alright with you.
First Conditional | Second Conditional | Third Conditional
Zero Conditional | Summary Table | Top
"If I met a genie, I would ask for infinite wealth..."
We use the second conditional when talking about future events that are not likely to happen.Zero Conditional | Summary Table | Top
The Second Conditional
"If I met a genie, I would ask for infinite wealth..."
Structure:
If + Simple Past, + Would + Base FormOR
Would + Base Form + If + Simple Past
Examples:
- If I won a million dollars, I would travel around the world.
(There is a small possibility that I would actually win.) - If I met him again, I would tell him the truth.
(There is a small possibility that I would actually meet him again.) - She would quit school if her parents agreed.
(It is unlikely that her parents agree.) - I would be surprised if I saw pigs in the sky.
(It is very unlikely for me to see pigs in the sky.)
We also use the second conditional when talking about things which arecontrary to the present facts.
"If I had any money, I would give you some."
Examples:
- If she worked less, she wouldn't be so tired.(In reality she doesn't work less, so she is tired.)
- You would see John if you were here now.(In reality you are not here now, so you don't see John.)
- If things were different, we would be happy.(In reality things are not different, and we are not happy.)
- We would be good friends if she were nicer.
(In reality she is not nice, and we are not good friends.)
Note:
You can use these modal verbs instead of would:
should, could, might.
Examples:
- If she didn't have her job, she could come with us to the North Pole.
- If they wanted to move, they could sell the house to us.
Note:
The short form of would is 'd.
For example: If Kathleen were at home, she'd pick up the phone.
The verb BE
The verb BE has a special rule in this case.Usually we say: I was, he was, she was, it was, we were, you were, they were.
However, in these cases, we use:
I were, he were, she were, it were, we were, you were, they were.
In other words: "were" is the only form.
Examples:
If I were you I would apologize.
(In reality I am not you.)
I would fight back, if I were you.
(In reality I am not you.)
First Conditional | Second Conditional | Third Conditional
Zero Conditional | Summary Table | Top
"If I had paid more attention, I wouldn't have hit myself..."
We use the third conditional when talking about things which are contrary to the past facts. In other words: events that did not happen in the past.Zero Conditional | Summary Table | Top
The Third Conditional
"If I had paid more attention, I wouldn't have hit myself..."
Structure:
If + Past Perfect, + Would have + V3OR
Would have + V3 + If + Past Perfect
Examples:
- If I had woken up on time, I would have taken the bus.(What really happened was that I didn't wake up on time, and so I didn't take the bus.)
- Tom would have helped us if he had known we were there.(What really happened was that he didn't know we were there, and so he didn't help us.)
- If I had told Sarah the truth, I would have felt much better.(What really happened was that I didn't tell Sarah the truth, and so I didn't feel so good.)
- If it hadn't rained yesterday, we would have enjoyed a nice picnic.(What really happened was that it rained yesterday, and we didn't go for a picnic.)
Note #1:
The short form of had is 'd.
For example: If he'd passed his exams, he would have gotten a diploma.
Note #2:
You can use these modal verbs instead of would have:
should have, could have, might have.
Examples:
- Jessica might have gotten the job if she hadn't been so nervous.
- You could have arrived on time if you had used a map.
- If she had known what to do, she should have told us.
First Conditional | Second Conditional | Third Conditional
Zero Conditional | Summary Table | Top
"If the sun sets, it becomes night."
We use the zero conditional when talking about things which are always true, or generally true.Zero Conditional | Summary Table | Top
The Zero Conditional
"If the sun sets, it becomes night."
Structure:
If + Simple Present, + Simple PresentOR
Simple Present + If + Simple Present
Examples:
- If you boil an egg, it becomes solid.
- If you heat something, it becomes hotter.
- I always listen to music if I jog.
Note:
We can use "when" instead of "if."
Examples:
- When I see Karen I always feel better.
- When she feels sick she lies in bed.
- He starts yelling only when he gets really desperate.
First Conditional | Second Conditional | Third Conditional
Zero Conditional | Summary Table | Top
Zero Conditional | Summary Table | Top
English Conditionals Summary Table
Conditional | Time Frame | Probability | Example |
First Conditional | Future | Possible | If I meet Helen, I will invite her to the party. |
Second Conditional | Future | Unlikely | If I won the lottery, I would help the world. |
Second Conditional | Present | Unreal/ Imaginary | If I had the money, I would lend it to you. |
Third Conditional | Past | Impossible | If I had studied French, I would have known it. |
Zero Conditional | Always/Generally | Certain | If you drop something, it falls. |
Exercise 1
Conditional Sentences Type I
Complete the Conditional Sentences Type I.
- If you (go) out with your friends tonight, I (watch) the football match on TV.
- I (earn) a lot of money if I (get) that job.
- If she (hurry / not) , we (miss) the bus.
Conditional Sentences Type II
Complete the Conditional Sentences Type II.
- If he (try) harder, he (reach) his goals.
- I (buy) these shoes if they (fit) .
- It (surprise / not) me if he (know / not) the answer.
Conditional Sentences Type III
Complete the Conditional Sentences Type III.
- If we (listen) to the radio, we (hear) the news.
- If you (switch) on the lights, you (fall / not) over the chair.
- She (come) to our party if she (be / not) on holiday.
Conditional Sentences Type I, II or III
Complete the Conditional Sentences with the correct form (Type I, II or III).
- If I stronger, I'd help you carry the piano.
- If we'd seen you, we .
- If we him tomorrow, we'll say hello.
- He would have repaired the car himself if he the tools.
- If you drop the vase, it .
- If I hadn't studied, I the exam.
- I wouldn't go to school by bus if I a driving licence.
- If she him every day, she'd be lovesick.
- I to London if I don't get a cheap flight.
- We'd be stupid if we him about our secret.
(Key:
Conditional Sentences Type I
Complete the Conditional Sentences Type I.
- If you go out with your friends tonight, I will watch the football match on TV.
- I will earn a lot of money if I get that job.
- If she does not hurry, we will miss the bus.
Conditional Sentences Type II
Complete the Conditional Sentences Type II.
- If he tried harder, he would reach his goals.
- I would buy these shoes if they fitted .
- It would not surprise me if he did not know the answer.
Conditional Sentences Type III
Complete the Conditional Sentences Type III.
- If we had listened to the radio, we would have heard the news.
- If you had switched on the lights, you would not have fallen over the chair.
- She would have come to our party if she had not been on holiday.
Conditional Sentences Type I, II or III
Complete the Conditional Sentences with the correct form (Type I, II or III).
- If I were stronger, I'd help you carry the piano.
- If we'd seen you, we would have stopped .
- If we meet him tomorrow, we'll say hello.
- He would have repaired the car himself if he had had the tools.
- If you drop the vase, it will break .
- If I hadn't studied, I would not have passed the exam.
- I wouldn't go to school by bus if I had a driving licence.
- If she didn't see him every day, she'd be lovesick.
- I won't travel to London if I don't get a cheap flight.
- We'd be stupid if we told him about our secret.)
Exercise 2
Complete the conditional sentences (type I, II and III)
- Once upon a time the cat bit the mouse's tail off. “Give me back my tail,” said the mouse. And the cat said, “Well, I (give) you back your tail if you fetched me some milk. But that's impossible to do for a little mouse like you.”
- The mouse, however, went to the cow. “The cat (give / only) me back my tail if I fetch her some milk.”
- And the cow said, “Well, I would give you milk if you (get) me some hay. But that's impossible to do for a little mouse like you.”
- The mouse, however, went to the farmer. “The cat will only give me back my tail if the cow (give) me some milk. And the cow (only / give) me milk if I get her some hay.”
- And the farmer said, “Well, I would give you hay if you (bring) me some meat. But that's impossible to do for a little mouse like you.”
- The mouse, however, went to the butcher. “The cat will only give me back my tail if the cow (give) me milk. And the cow will only give me milk if she (get) some hay. And the farmer (only / give) me hay if I get him some meat.”
- And the butcher said, “Well, I would give you meat if you (make) the baker bake me a bread. But that's impossible to do for a little mouse like you.”
[key:
Complete the conditional sentences (type I, II and III)
- Once upon a time the cat bit the mouse's tail off. “Give me back my tail,” said the mouse. And the cat said, “Well, I would giveyou back your tail if you fetched me some milk. But that's impossible to do for a little mouse like you.”
- The mouse, however, went to the cow. “The cat will only give me back my tail if I fetch her some milk.”
- And the cow said, “Well, I would give you milk if you got me some hay. But that's impossible to do for a little mouse like you.”
- The mouse, however, went to the farmer. “The cat will only give me back my tail if the cow gives me some milk. And the cow will only give me milk if I get her some hay.”
- And the farmer said, “Well, I would give you hay if you brought me some meat. But that's impossible to do for a little mouse like you.”
- The mouse, however, went to the butcher. “The cat will only give me back my tail if the cow gives me milk. And the cow will only give me milk if she gets some hay. And the farmer will only give me hay if I get him some meat.”
- And the butcher said, “Well, I would give you meat if you made the baker bake me a bread. But that's impossible to do for a little mouse like you.”]
Exercise 3
New Orleans
New Orleans was founded by the French. It first had a French name, Nouvelle-Orléans, in honor of the Duke of Orleans, King of France. The city lies on the river Mississippi and a riverboat cruise on the Mississippi is an unforgettable experience. New Orleans is also an important center for music, especially for jazz and rhythm and blues.
Grammatikübung zum Text
Conditional Clauses Type I, II, III
- Type I expresses something that is likely.
- Type II expresses something that is unlikely.
- Type III expresses something that is impossible.
For further information, check out our grammar section: → Conditional Clauses Type I, II and III
沒有留言:
張貼留言