Conditional Love

The conditional doesn't get enough love - let's change that with a fun, musical look at this mood.

WHAT IS THE CONDITIONAL?

Conditionals are used to speculate (guess/think/imagine/wonder/declare) about…

what happens... if something else happens
what happens... if something will happen
what might have happened… if something else had happened
what we wish would happen… if something were different
what would be happening now… if something else had happened

There are different types of conditionals that we’ll look at later, but for now, let’s look at how we build them.

HOW TO CONSTRUCT A CONDITIONAL

In English, most conditional sentences use “if” (also “when” and “unless”) or an invisible “if”.

An invisible “if” is an “if” that could be added into the sentence to clarify but not change the meaning of the sentence.

Example: Were I rich, I would buy a big house

If I were rich, I would buy a big house.

Example: Had she loved me as I loved her, we would still be together

If she had loved me as I loved her, we would still be together

❗Notice how adding “if” into the sentence means we have to move the verb from first position to third, after the pronoun: “were I” becomes “if I were”.

As you can see from the above examples, all conditional constructions have two clauses: the main clause and the if clause. These two clauses can be placed in any order.

Example: If you eat more candy, you’ll feel sick later.

You’ll feel sick later if you eat more candy.

❗Notice how if the if clause comes first, we must insert a comma before the main clause.

❗A clause contains a predicate (verb) and a subject (noun). Some clauses can be their own sentences (independent); others cannot (dependent).

CONDITIONAL TYPES

We refer to the different usages of the conditional as “types”. Below is a quick summary of the conditional types, when they’re used, and how they’re formed.

Conditional	Usage	If clause verb tense	Main clause verb tense	Example
Type 0	General truths	Simple present	Simple present	If it rains, the grass gets wet.
Type 1	A possible condition... its probable result	Simple present	simple future	If it rains, the grass will get wet.
Type 2	A hypothetical condition… its probable result	Simple past	Present conditional Present continuous conditional	If it rained, the grass would be wet.
Type 3	An unreal past condition… its probable result in the past	Past perfect	Perfect conditional	If it had rained, the grass would have been wet.
Mixed type	An unreal past condition... its probable result in the present	Past perfect	Present conditional	If it had rained, the grass would be wet.

Let’s take a closer look at each of these types...

TYPE 0

The time being referred to in a zero type conditional is now or always and the situation is real or possible. It’s often used for general truths and instructions. Sometimes, the word "if" can be replaced by "when" without changing the meaning.

Both clauses are in the simple present.

General truth: If this happens, that happens.

If it rains, the grass gets wet.

When it rains, the grass gets wet.

Instructions: If this happens, do this.

If my mom calls, tell her I’m not home.

🎵 In their song, "If I die young", The Band Perry uses the Type 0 Conditional. Listen to spot when:

TYPE 1

The time being referred to in a type 1 conditional is the present or future where the situation is real. It is used to refer to a possible condition and its probable result.

The if clause is in the simple present, and the main clause is in the simple future.

Possible truth: If this happens, that will happen.

If it rains today, soccer practice will be canceled.

Modal: If you drop that glass, it might break.

You should answer the phone if he calls you.

🎵 In their song, "If You Leave Me Now", Chicago uses the Type 1 Conditional. Listen to spot when:

TYPE 2

The time being referred to in a type 2 conditional is now or any time, and the situation is unreal. These sentences are not based on fact, but a hypothetical condition and its probable result.

The if clause is in the simple past, and the main clause is in the present conditional.

Possible result: If this happened, that would happen

If I spoke German, I would be living in Germany.

You wouldn't be smiling if you knew the truth.

What would you do, if I sang out of tune?

Modal: If I could turn back time, I would take back those words that hurt you.

Subjunctive: She would go on a date with me if I were taller.

❗Notice in the last example, we say, “if I were” and not “if I was”. This is called the subjunctive, and it is used for hypothetical or doubtful situations. Unlike sentences with “if I was” (e.g., “I apologize if I was rude”, where it is possible I was indeed rude), subjunctive sentences are contrary to current fact.

🎵 Both Beyonce in her song "If I were a boy" and Taylor Swift in her son "The Man" use the type 2 Conditional, BUT only one of these pop icons uses it correctly. Can you figure out who?

That's right, Taylor Swift is incorrectly singing, "if I was a man" when she should be singing "if I were a man". So, lesson learned: be Beyonce, not T-Swift!

TYPE 3

The time being referred to in a type 3 conditional is in the past, and the situation is contrary to reality. It is used to refer to an unreal past condition and its probable past result.

The if clause is in the past perfect and the main clause is in the perfect conditional or perfect continuous conditional.

Hypotheticals: If this had happened, that would have happened.

Regret: If you had studied harder, you would have passed the exam.

Modal: If you had worked harder, you might have passed the exam.

You could have been on time if you had caught the bus.

Luck: You’d have gotten wet if it’d rained.

❗Notice how in that last example, two contractions look the same: ‘d. This is because both “would” and “had” can be contracted into ‘d. To not get confused, remember, “would” never appears in the if-clause so if ‘d appears in the if clause, it must be had.

🎵 In her song, "I Will Survive", Gloria Gaynor uses the Type 3 Conditional. Listen to spot when:

MIXED TYPE

The time being referred to in a mixed type conditional is in the past and the situation is ongoing into the present. It is used to refer to an unreal past condition and its probable result in the present.

The if clause is in the past perfect, and the main clause is in the present conditional.

Unreal past: If this had happened, that would happen.

If I had worked harder in school, I would have a better job now.

If she hadn’t been afraid of flying, she wouldn't have traveled by boat.

If we had looked at the map, we wouldn't be lost.

Modal: I could be a millionaire now if I had invested in ABC Plumbing.

If I had learned to ski, I might be on the slopes right now.

🎵 In her song, "If I Had Only Known", Reba uses the Mixed Type Conditional. Listen to spot when: