CONDITIONALS & MIXED CONDITIONALS

What is a conditional sentence? 

A conditional sentence is always based on the word "If". There are always two parts to a conditional sentence, one part begins with "if" to describe a possible situation, and the second part which describes the consequence.

• ZERO CONDITIONAL
• It is used to talk about things that are ALWAYS true or scientific facts. 
• Talk about a condition always has the same result.
• The structure is the following: 
• If + Simple Present + Simple Present
• Some examples could be: 
• If you heat ice, it melts 
• If you stand in the rain, you get wet.

• FIRST CONDITIONAL
• It is used to talk about possible situations in the present or in the future.
• Predicting a likely result in the future (if the condition happens) 
• The structure is the following: 
• If + Simple Present + Will / Won't + Verb 
• Some examples could be:
• If it rains, we will cancel the trip.
• If you study, you will pass the exam.

• SECOND CONDITIONAL
• It is used to talk about an imaginary/hypothetical situation in the future.
• To talk about an unreal or improbable situation in the present or in the future.
• The structure is the following: 
• If + Simple Past + Would + Verb 
• Some examples could be: 
• If I won a million dollars, I would buy a new car.
• If I were you, I would quit smoking. 

• THIRD CONDITIONAL
• It is used to talk about an imaginary situation in the past.
• An imaginary situation that did not happen.
• The structure is the following: 
• If + Past Perfect + Would have + Past Participle.
• Some examples could be:
• If you had studied, you would have passed the exam.
• If I hadn't been sick, I would have gone to your party.

Mixed conditionals

As you can be able to understand, they are a combination of two different conditionals. There are two types of those:

• The first one is a combination of the third condition with the second conditional. 
• The second one is a combination of the second conditional with the third conditional. 

1st MIXED CONDITIONAL

• It is used to talk about a present result of a past condition
• The structure is the following:
  
• If + Past Perfect + Would/Wouldn't + Verb (bare form) 
• Some examples could be: 
• If I has listened to your advice, I wouldn't be in the mess.
• If she had checked the map, she wouldn't be lost.
• If I had gone to the university, I would be a doctor now. 

2nd MIXED CONDITIONAL

• It is used to talk about past results of a present or continuing condition.
• The structure is the following:
• If + Simple Past + Would/wouldn't + Have + Past Participle.
• Some examples could be:
• If I were a good cook, I would have invited them to dinner.
• If you weren't such a poor dancer, you would have got a job in the chorus line in that musical.

Here is a video explaining with more information all the conditionals.