PRESENT CONTINUOUS CONDITIONAL

In type 2 conditional sentences, the continuous form of the present conditional may be used:

If I were a millionaire, I wouldn't be doing this job!

1. Present continuous conditional - form.

This form is composed of two elements: the present conditional of the verb 'to be' (would be) + the present participle of the main verb (base+ing).

Subject	would be	base+ing
He They	would be would be	going living
Affirmative
We	would be	coming
Negative
You	wouldn't be	working
Interrogative
Would	you be	sharing?
Interrogative negative
Wouldn't	they be	playing?

Example: to live, Present continuous conditional.

Affirmative	Negative	Interrogative
I would be living	I wouldn't be living	Would I be living?
You would be living	You wouldn't be living	Would you be living?
He would be living	She wouldn't be living	Would he be living?
We would be living	We wouldn't be living	Would we be living?
You would be living	You wouldn't be living	Would you be living?
They would be living	They wouldn't be living	Would they be living?

2. Present continuous conditional - function

This form is common in Type 2 conditional sentences. It expresses an unfinished or continuing action or situation, which is the probable result of an unreal condition:

• I would be working in Italy if I spoke Italian. 
  (but I don't speak Italian, so I am not working in Italy.
• She would be living with Jack if she wasn't living with her parents.
  (but she is living with her parents so she's not living with Jack).

More examples:

• I wouldn't be eating this if I wasn't extremely hungry.
• If I had an exam tomorrow, I'd be revising now.
• You wouldn't be smiling if you knew the truth.

NOTE: This form is also found in: mixed conditional sentences (See section on Mixed Conditional Sentences); in indirect speech:

She said "I'll be working in the garden."  She said she would be working in the garden.(See section on Indirect Speech)

TYPE 1 CONDITIONAL

1. Form

In a Type 1 conditional sentence, the tense in the 'if' clause is the simple present, and the tense in the main clause is the simple future

IF' CLAUSE (CONDITION)	MAIN CLAUSE (RESULT)
If + simple presentIf it rains If you don't hurry	Simple futureyou will get wet we will miss the train.

2. Function

In these sentences, the time is the present or future and the situation is real. They refer to apossible condition and its probable result. They are based on facts, and they are used to make statements about the real world, and about particular situations. We often use such sentences to give warnings:

• If you don't leave, I'll call the police.
• If you don't drop the gun, I'll shoot!

• If you drop that glass, it will break.
• Nobody will notice if you make a mistake.
• If I have time, I'll finish that letter.
• What will you do if you miss the plane?

NOTE: We can use modals to express the degree of certainty of the result:

• If you drop that glass, it might break.
• I may finish that letter if I have time.

TYPE 2 CONDITIONAL SENTENCES

In a Type 2 conditional sentence, the tense in the 'if' clause is the simple past, and the tense in the main clause is the present conditional:

IF' CLAUSE	MAIN CLAUSE
If + simple pastIf it rained

THE 'ZERO' CONDITIONAL

1. Form

In 'zero' conditional sentences, the tense in both parts of the sentence is the simple present:

IF' CLAUSE (CONDITION)	MAIN CLAUSE (RESULT)
If + simple presentIf you heat ice If it rains	simple presentit melts. you get wet

NOTE: The order of the clauses is not fixed - the 'if' clause can be first or second:

Examples

• Ice melts if you heat it.
• You get wet if it rains.

2. Function

In these sentences, the time is now or always and the situation is real and possible. They are used to make statements about the real world, and often refer to general truths, such as scientific facts.

Examples

• If you freeze water, it becomes a solid.
• Plants die if they don't get enough water.
• If my husband has a cold, I usually catch it.
• If public transport is efficient, people stop using their cars.
• If you mix red and blue, you get purple.

This structure is often used to give instructions, using the imperative in the main clause:

Examples

• If Bill phones, tell him to meet me at the cinema.
• Ask Pete if you're not sure what to do.

IF' SENTENCES AND THE 'UNREAL' PAST

In this section you will find information on sentences containing the word 'if', the use of conditional tenses, and the 'unreal past', that is, when we use a past tense but we are not actually referring to past time.

IF AND THE CONDITIONAL

There are four main types of 'if' sentences in English:

1. The 'zero' conditional, where the tense in both parts of the sentence is the simple present:

IF' CLAUSE	MAIN CLAUSE
If + simple presentIf you heat ice If it rains	simple presentit melts. you get wet

In these sentences, the time is now or always and the situation is real and possible. They are often used to refer to general truths.

2. The Type 1 conditional, where the tense in the 'if clause is the simple present, and the tense in the main clause is the simple future

IF' CLAUSE	MAIN CLAUSE
If + simple presentIf it rains If you don't hurry	Simple futureyou will get wet we will miss the train.

In these sentences, the time is the present or future and the situation is real. They refer to apossible condition and its probable result.

3. The Type 2 conditional, where the tense in the 'if' clause is the simple past, and the tense in the main clause is the present conditional:

IF' CLAUSE	MAIN CLAUSE
If + simple pastIf it rained If you went to bed earlier	Present conditionalyou would get wet you wouldn't be so tired.

In these sentences, the time is now or any time, and the situation is unreal. They are notbased on fact, and they refer to an unlikely or hypothetical condition and its probable result.

4. The Type 3 conditional, where the tense in the 'if' clause is the past perfect, and the tense in the main clause is the perfect conditional:

IF' CLAUSE	MAIN CLAUSE
If + past perfectIf it had rained If you had worked harder	Perfect conditionalyou would have got wet you would have passed the exam.

In these sentences, the time is past, and the situation is contrary to reality. The facts they are based on are the opposite of what is expressed, and they refer to an unreal past condition and its probable past result.

A further type of 'if' sentence exists, where Type 2 and Type 3 are mixed. The tense in the 'if'clause is the past perfect, and the tense in the main clause is the present conditional:

IF' CLAUSE	MAIN CLAUSE
If + past perfectIf I had worked harder at school If we had looked at the map	Present conditionalI would have a better job now. we wouldn't be lost.

In these sentences, the time is past in the 'if' clause, and present in the main clause. They refer to an unreal past condition and its probable result in the present.