English grammar by topic › English conditionals: first, second, third and mixed

English conditionals: first, second, third and mixed

Conditionals talk about what happens, or would happen, if something else is true. English chooses the tense by how real the situation is, not only by when it is.

The lessons start with real possibilities, move to imagined situations and regrets about the past, and end with the formal conditionals without if.

The essentials

A real possibility: if + present, will + verb. If it rains, we'll stay in.
An imagined or unlikely situation now or in the future: if + past, would + verb. If I had more time, I'd learn the piano.
An imagined past: if + past perfect, would have + past participle. If I had known, I would have called you.
A mixed conditional links a different past to a different present: If I had studied medicine, I'd be a doctor now.
No will or would in the if-part: If I see her (not If I will see her), I'll tell her.

Every lesson on this topic

Each lesson has a full explanation, examples, common mistakes and practice questions.

B1 (English at B1)

If it rains, we'll stay in: real possibilities: The first conditional for things that may really happen, and when / as soon as / unless
If I had more time…: imagined situations: The second conditional for unreal or unlikely situations now or in the future, and giving advice with If I were you

B2 (English at B2)

If I had known…: third and mixed conditionals: Talk about how the past could have been different, and how a different past would change the present
I wish I had…: wishes and regrets: wish and if only for the present, the past, and things that annoy you

C1 (English at C1)

Should you need…, Had I known…: inverted conditionals: Formal conditionals without if: should, were and had at the start

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