Conditional Sentences are also known as Conditional Clauses or If Clauses. They are used to express that the action in the main clause (without if) can only take place if a certain condition (in the clause with if) is fulfilled. There are three types of Conditional Sentences.
Conditional Sentence Type 1
→ It is possible and also very likely that the condition will be fulfilled.
Form: if + Simple Present, will-Future
Example: If I find her address, I’ll send her an invitation.
more on Conditional Sentences Type I ►
Conditional Sentence Type 2
→ It is possible but very unlikely, that the condition will be fulfilled.
Form: if + Simple Past, Conditional I (= would + Infinitive)
Example: If I found her address, I would send her an invitation.
more on Conditional Sentences Type II ►
Conditional Sentence Type 3
→ It is impossible that the condition will be fulfilled because it refers to the past.
Form: if + Past Perfect, Conditional II (= would + have + Past Participle)
Example: If I had found her address, I would have sent her an invitation.
more on Conditional Sentences Type III ►
Exceptions
Sometimes Conditional Sentences Type I, II and III can also be used with other tenses.
more on Conditional Sentences used with other tenses ►
Exercises on Conditional Sentences
Conditional Sentence Type 1
Conditional Sentence Type 2
- Exercise on If Clauses Type II Level: lower intermediate
- Exercise 2 on If Clauses Type II Level: lower intermediate
Conditional Sentence Type 3
- Exercise on If Clauses Type III Level: intermediate
- Exercise 2 on If Clauses Type III Level: intermediate
Mixed Exercises on Conditional Sentences
- Type I or II • Exercise 2 • Exercise 3 Level: lower intermediate
- Type I, II or III • Exercise 2 • Exercise 3 Level: intermediate
- Fairytale “The Cat and the Mouse” Level: intermediate
- Exercise on “New Orleans” text Level: intermediate
Exceptions
- Exercise on If Clauses Type I with Auxiliaries Level: intermediate
- Exercise on If Clauses Type I • Exercise 2 Level: upper intermediate
- Exercise on If Clauses Type II Level: upper intermediate
- Exercise on If Clauses Type III Level: upper intermediate