Conditionals
Learn how conditional sentences connect a condition with a result—and discover the main conditional patterns you can explore in greater detail.
If this, then that
A conditional sentence links a condition to a result.
A conditional sentence has two parts: a clause that states a condition, and a clause that states the result of that condition.
In the sentence If it rains, we will stay inside., if it rains is the condition, and we will stay inside is the result.
This page introduces conditionals as a whole topic. Each individual pattern is then taught in its own dedicated lesson.
Why conditionals matter
Conditionals let you talk about situations that depend on something else.
Very little of what we say is entirely certain. Conditional sentences let a speaker describe outcomes that depend on something else happening first, whether that something is a certainty, a realistic possibility, an unlikely idea, or an alternate version of the past.
Because conditionals appear constantly in everyday speech, from giving instructions to expressing wishes and regrets, understanding how the different patterns work makes a wide range of everyday communication clearer.
The central idea
Every conditional sentence has a condition and a result.
Compare the two parts of a conditional sentence.
01
The Condition
States what needs to happen.
If it rains,
02
The Result
States what happens because of the condition.
we will stay inside.
How real is the condition?
English matches the verb pattern to how real the condition sounds.
This is the main idea behind the four core conditional patterns, each covered in its own lesson.
Some conditions are always true.
If you heat water to 100 degrees, it boils.
Some conditions are realistic future possibilities.
If it rains, we will stay inside.
Some conditions are unlikely or imaginary right now.
If I won the lottery, I would travel the world.
Some conditions describe an alternate version of the past.
If I had known earlier, I would have helped.
Some sentences combine two different time periods.
If I had studied medicine, I would be a doctor now.
Beyond “if”
Other words can introduce a condition too.
Several related words and phrases work alongside, or in place of, if to introduce a condition, a precaution or a wish.
Unless means “if not.”
Unless you hurry, you will miss the bus.
In case describes a precaution.
Take an umbrella in case it rains.
Provided, providing and as long as state a required condition.
You can go, provided you finish your homework first.
Wish and if only express a wish about something not true.
I wish I had more time this week.
Recognition clues
A few clues help identify a conditional sentence.
No single test covers every case; use several clues together.
01
Is there a condition and a result?
Look for two connected parts, one stating what needs to happen and one stating what follows.
02
Does the sentence use if, unless, in case or a similar word?
These words commonly signal that a condition is being introduced.
03
Does the verb form match how real the condition sounds?
A general fact, a real possibility, an imaginary idea and an alternate past each use a different verb pattern.
04
Is the sentence expressing a wish rather than a plain condition?
Sentences with wish or if only follow a related, but slightly different, pattern.
Where do you go next?
Explore the conditional lessons.
Everything you’ve learned so far explains what a conditional sentence is. The topics below each explore one pattern in much more detail. Choose any lesson that matches what you want to learn next.
Understanding Conditionals
Start here for a full introduction to how conditional sentences are built and how the main patterns relate to one another.
Covers: the if-clause • the result clause
Zero Conditional
Learn the pattern used for general facts and things that are always true.
Example: If you heat water, it boils.
First Conditional
Learn the pattern used for realistic, possible situations in the future.
Example: If it rains, we will stay inside.
Second Conditional
Learn the pattern used for unlikely or imaginary situations in the present or future.
Example: If I were you, I would apologise.
Third Conditional
Learn the pattern used for hypothetical situations in the past that cannot be changed.
Example: If I had known, I would have helped.
Mixed Conditionals
See how a condition and a result can belong to two different time periods within the same sentence.
Example: If I had studied medicine, I would be a doctor now.
Unless
Learn how unless introduces a negative condition, meaning “if not.”
Example: Unless you hurry, you will miss the bus.
In Case
Discover how in case describes a precaution taken for something that might happen.
Example: Take an umbrella in case it rains.
Provided (That), Providing & As Long As
Learn how these phrases state a required condition, often used for permission or agreement.
Example: You can go, provided you finish your homework.
Wish & If Only
Learn how to express a wish or regret about something that is not true.
Example: I wish I had more time.
Common Conditional Mistakes
Review the mistakes that appear most often across conditional sentences, and how to correct them.
Covers: mixed-up patterns • misused would
Quick overview
Conditionals match a verb pattern to a level of reality.
A conditional sentence connects a condition with a result.
The zero, first, second and third conditionals move from general facts, to realistic possibilities, to imaginary situations, to alternate versions of the past.
Mixed conditionals combine two of these time periods in a single sentence.
Words such as unless, in case, and provided, providing or as long as introduce a condition in place of, or alongside, if.
Wish and if only express a wish about something that is not true, using a related pattern.
Each pattern has its own lesson, with a full explanation, examples and practice.
Continue when you are ready
Each lesson builds on the same core idea: a condition, and a result.
Conditionals appear constantly in everyday English, so understanding them well is worth the time. Work through the lessons above in any order that suits you, returning to this page whenever you need to choose the next one.