Unit 6 “Conditionals”

First conditional

If + present simple, will + infinitive OR Will + infinitive if + present simple

·         If you don’t eat the right foods, you won’t perform as well.

-We use the first conditional:

- to talk about possible or probable future events.

- to make promises and give warnings.

Second Conditional

If + past simple, would + infinitive OR Would + infinitive if + past simple

·         If I were you, I’d take up a sport.

-We use the second conditional to talk about hypothetical (imaginary and improbable) present and future situations.

Third conditional

If + past conditional, would have + past participle OR Would have + past participle if + past perfect

·         If they’d eaten the right food, the probably would have performed better.

-We use the third conditional to talk about hypothetical past events (events which did not happen).

Wishes and regrets

If only / I wish + simple past

Use:

-To express a wish in the present or in the future.

-The simple past here is an unreal past.

- When you use the verb to be the form is “were”.

EX:

·         I wish I were a millionaire

If only / I wish + past perfect

Use:

-To express a regret

- The action is past

EX:

·         If only I had woken up early.