2 1 We form the second conditional with if + past simple and would / wouldn't + infinitive. We use if + past simple to describe the situation and would / wouldn't + infinitive to describe the result. 3 We form questions with Would + infinitive and if + past simple.
Ответы
Objective Proficiency p 26. Conditionals. Grammar
When the if clause comes before the result clause, we usually separate the two clauses with a comma. When the result clause comes first, we do not use a comma:
E.g. If you share a car to work, you can save on energy
You can save on energy if you share a car to work
Zero conditional
if/ when + present simple, present simple
We use the zero conditional to talk about situations which are always true.
E.g. If I eat too much spicy food, I start to feel ill.
When I eat too much in the evening, I can't sleep at night.
if/ when/ whenever + past simple, past simple
The past simple can also be used in conditional sentences to describe real situations in the past.
E.g. If I arrived late at the office, my boss used to get really angry.
First conditional
if + present simple, will/ going to/ may/ might/ can/ could/ shall/ should/ have to/ ought to + infinitive/ imperative
We use the first conditional to talk about possible future situations and their probable results.
E.g. If you don't water the plant soon, it'll die.
If you don't water the plant soon, it could die.
We might prevent disaster if we change the way we live now.
If the people from Greenpeace call, tell them I'll call them back later.
if + should/happen to/ should happen to
We use this structure to make the event seem more unlikely or more of a chance possibility.
E.g. If you should see Davina, ask her whether she could look after the cats this weekend.
If I happen to see Mr Smith, I'll ask him for you.
If you should happen to miss the train, I could drive you there myself.
A more formal variation is to omit if and begin with should (inversion)
E.g. Should you wish to change your holiday arrangements, we will do all we can to help.
Should you require more assistance, please telephone.
Should the drought /draʊt/ continue, many people will be forced to leave their villages.
Note
if can sometimes be followed by will, would or going to, for example when making polite requests or describing the result of a course of action.
E.g. If you would take a seat for a moment, I'll tell Mr Graydon you're here.
If it is going to be more profitable for the company, then I think we should do it.
I'll clean the house if you'll mow the lawn.
Second conditional
if + past simple/ past continuous, would/ might/ could + infinitive
We use the second conditional to talk about imaginary, unlikely or impossible situations in the present and future.
E.g. If I had an extra pair of hands, then I could help you!
I might work harder if they paid me more.
If it wasn't/weren't for + noun
E.g. I think I'd be quite lonely if it wasn't/ weren't for my dog, Buster. (= if I didn't have)
If it weren't for my savings, I wouldn't be able to survive (= Thanks to my savings I can survive)
Were it not for + noun
E.g. Were it not for my dog, Buster, I think I'd be quite lonely.
if + were to + infinitive makes the event seem more unlikely.
E.g. If you were to walk in that direction for another thousand miles, you'd eventually arrive in Warsaw.
A more formal variation is to omit if and begin with were...to (inversion)
E.g. Were they to break the contract, we would of course take legal action.
Were you to go out in this weather, you'd be thoroughly soaked
Third conditional
if + past perfect, would/ might/ could/ should + perfect infinitive
We use the third conditional to speculate about how things might have been different in the past.
E.g. If you had been paying attention, you might have understood what I was saying. (= You weren't paying attention, so you didn't understand.)
A lot more people would have been trapped by the flood if there hadn't been a warning.
If it hadn't been for + noun
E.g. If it hadn't been for your help, I wouldn't have been able to quit gambling. (= if I hadn't had)
If it hadn't been for that traffic jam on the motorway, we would have got here on time. (= Because of the traffic jam we arrived late.)
Had it not been for + noun
E.g. Had it not been for your help, I wouldn't have been able to quit gambling.
But for/ without
E.g. But for your help, I wouldn't have been able to quit gambling.
He would have played but for a knee injury.
Without their help, Emma couldn't have overcome her problems.
You shouldn't take these pills without consulting your doctor.
A more formal variation is to omit if and begin with had (inversion)
E.g. Had she known about his criminal past, she would never have employed him.
Had I known there was going to be a storm, I would have stayed indoors.
Had Charles Darwin not visited the Galapagos Islands, he might never have developed his theory of evolution.
Had we not attended the meeting, we would have han no idea of the council's plans. (Note that not goes after the subject).