🔀 If Sentences: First and Second Conditional

Real possibilities and imaginary situations with if. · about 12 minutes

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Introduction

What is it? A conditional sentence has an if-clause (the condition) and a main clause (the result). The first conditional talks about real, possible future situations; the second conditional talks about unlikely or imaginary ones.

Why does it matter? Conditionals let you give advice, make promises, warn and imagine. They are a favourite in exams and essays.

Where do we use it? "If it rains, we will stay home." "If I had wings, I would fly to school." "If you heat ice, it melts."

In this lesson you will:

Form the first conditional: if + present, will + verb
Form the second conditional: if + past, would + verb
Use were for all subjects in imaginary if-clauses

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