Get differences between Conditional Sentences or If Clauses
Conditional Sentences are also known as Conditional Clauses or If Clauses. A conditional sentence is one that specifies a condition and the result of that condition occurring. They are used to convey that the action in the main clause (without if) can only occur if a specific condition (with if) is fulfilled.
Conditional sentences are divided into five categories in the English language.
- Zero conditional.
- First Conditional.
- Second Conditional.
- Third Conditional.
- Mixed Conditional.
So, let’s jump into the differences.
1. Zero Conditional
Zero conditional sentences convey general truths in which one thing always leads to another. Both the main clause and if clause use simple present tense.
For example: If I go to school, I get up at seven.
| If + Simple Present | Simple Present |
|---|---|
| If I go to school | I get up at seven. |
2. First Conditional
The first conditional sentence is used to indicate situations where the outcome is expected(but not guaranteed) to occur in the future. We use the simple present tense in the if-clause and the simple future tense in the main clause.
For example: If they are hungry, I will make some sandwiches.
| If + Simple Present | Simple Future |
|---|---|
| If they are hungry | I will make some sandwiches. |
3. Second Conditional
Second conditional sentence is used for expressing outcomes that are completely unlikely to occur in the future. We use the simple past tense in the if-clause and a modal auxiliary verb could, should, would might in the main clause.
For example: If I were you, I would not do it now.
| If + Simple Past | Modal Auxiliary Verb |
|---|---|
| If I were you | I would not do it now. |
4. Third Conditional
The Third conditional sentence is used to talk about impossible situations. It indicates that the outcome would have been different if there was a change in the past event. We use past perfect tense in the if clause and modal auxiliary verb + have + past participle in the main clause.
For example: If we had left earlier, we would have arrived on time.
| If + Past Perfect Tense | Modal Auxiliary + Have + Past Participle |
|---|---|
| If we had left earlier | we would have arrived on time. |
5. Mixed Conditional
The mixed conditional is used to refer to an unreal past condition and its probable result in the present. We can combine the second and third conditional in one sentence when we want to make a hypothesis about the past that has a consequence in the present. In mixed type conditional sentences, the if clause uses the past perfect, and the main clause uses the present conditional.
For example: If we had not missed the plane, we would be lying on a beach now.
| If + Past Perfect | Would + Verb / Could + Verb |
|---|---|
| If we had not missed the plane | we would be lying on a beach now. |
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