ZERO CONDITIONAL  (Type – 0 ) 

Type 0 is used to describe facts. If action A has happened, action B must happen.

FORM              if + Simple Present  , Simple Present

    

EXAMPLES 

If you mix hydrogen and oxygen, you get water.

If you eat too much, you get fat.

FIRST CONDITIONAL (Type-1)

It is possible and also very likely that the condition will be fulfilled.

FORM                                        if + do / does , will / be going to

                                                                              may, might, could

                                                                              should, ought to

                                                                              have to

                                                                              can, be able to

                                                                

 

EXAMPLES 

  If it rains, I won’t go to the park.

  If I have enough money, I can buy some new shoes.

  If you want to be in good shape, you should do sports.

  If you want to succeed, you have to study.

SECOND CONDITIONALS (Type -2) 

It is possible but very unlikely, that the condition will be fulfilled.

FORM                                      if + was / were ,  would

                                                           V2                 could    +Verb1

                                                                                 might 

EXAMPLES 

If I were you, I wouldn’t accept the job offer.

If I won the lottery, I would buy a big house.

If she studied for the exam, she would pass.

 

THIRD CONDITIONALS (Type -3 ) 

It is impossible that the condition will be fulfilled because it refers to the past.

FORM                                     if + had V3 ,    would have V3

                                                                           could  have V3  

                                                                           might have V3

 

EXAMPLES 

If she had studied, she would have passed the exam.

If we had taken a taxi, we wouldn’t have missed the plane.

If I hadn’t eaten so much, I wouldn’t have felt sick.