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.

Other ways of talking about the future

OTHER WAYS OF TALKING ABOUT THE FUTURE

1. IS TO + INFINITIVE

Form

This form is composed of two elements: the appropriate form of the verb to be + to (am to, are to, is to), and the infinitive of the main verb without 'to'..

Subject	to be to	infinitive without to
We	are to	leave

Affirmative
She	is to	travel
Negative
You	are not (aren't) to	travel
Interrogative
Am	I to	travel?
Interrogative negative
Aren't	they to	travel?

Function

This form refers to an obligation to do something at a time later than now. It is similar to'must', but there is a suggestion that something has been arranged or organised for us. It is not normally used in spoken English, but might be found in spy stories, e.g.

• "You are to leave this room at once, and you are to travel by train to London. In London you are to pick up your ticket from Mr Smith, and you are to fly to your destination alone. When you arrive, you are to meet our agent, Mr X, who will give you further information. You are to destroy this message now."

2. BE + ABOUT TO + INFINITIVE

Form

This form is composed of three elements : the appropriate form of the verb to be, present tense, + 'about to' + the infinitive of the main verb without 'to':

Subject	be	about to	infinitive without to
I	am	about to	leave
She	is	about to	arrive

Function

This form refers to a time immediately after the moment of speaking, and emphasises that the event or action will happen very soon:

Examples

• She is about to leave.
• You are about to see something very unusual.
• I am about to go to a meeting - can I talk to you later?

It is often used with the word 'just', which emphasises the immediacy of the action:

• We are just about to go to sleep.
• Sally is just about to take an exam.

This form can also be used in the simple past tense to refer to an action that was imminent, but was interrupted. In such cases it is often followed by a 'when - clause':

• She was about to leave when he arrived.
• I was just about to telephone her when she walked into the house.

FUTURE PERFECT CONTINUOUS

Verb Tenses: Future Perfect Continuous

FUTURE PERFECT CONTINUOUS

Future Perfect Continuous: Form

This form is composed of two elements: the future perfect of the verb to be (will have been) + the present participle of the main verb (base+ing):

Subject	will have been	base+ing
We	will have been	living

Affirmative
I	will have been	working
Negative
I	won't have been	working
Interrogative
Will	I have been	working?
Interrogative negative
Won't	I have been	working?

Example: to live, Future Perfect Continuous

Affirmative	Negative	Interrogative
I'll have been living	I won't have been living	Will I have been living?
You'll have been living	You won't have been living	Will you have been living?
He'll have been living	He won't have been living	Will she have been living?
We'll have been living	We won't have been living	Will we have been living?
You'll have been living	You won't have been living	Will you have been living?
They'll have been living	They won't have been living	Will they have been living?

Future Perfect Continuous: Function

Like the future perfect simple, this form is used to project ourselves forward in time and to look back. It refers to events or actions in a time between now and some future time, that may be unfinished.

Examples

• I will have been waiting here for three hours by six o'clock.
• By 2001 I will have been living here for sixteen years.
• By the time I finish this course, I will have been learning English for twenty years.
• Next year I will have been working here for four years.