Lesson: Complete Guide to Conditionals and Wishes

🔹 Zero Conditional

We use the Zero Conditional to talk about general truths, facts, and things that always happen under certain conditions — often related to science, routines, or rules.

if / when + present simple → present simple

Examples:

If you mix red and blue, you get purple.
Plants die if they don't get sunlight.
When water freezes, it expands.

📝 Practice: Zero Conditional

Put the verbs in brackets into the correct form.

1. If you (drop) a glass, it (break) .

2. People (feel) tired if they (not sleep) well.

3. If the alarm (ring) , the staff (evacuate) the building.

🔹 First Conditional

The First Conditional is used for real or likely situations in the future. It talks about what will happen if a certain condition is met.

if / when + present simple → will + base verb

Examples:

If she studies hard, she'll pass the test.
We'll leave early if the weather is bad.
When I see him, I'll give him your message.

✅ Note: We can also use unless, as long as, as soon as, or in case instead of "if":

I'll stay in the library unless it gets too noisy.
He'll call as soon as the meeting ends.

📝 Practice: First Conditional

1. If he (arrive) late, we (start) without him.

2. If you (not take) your umbrella, you (get) wet.

3. She (not come) to the party unless you (invite) her.

🔹 Second Conditional

The Second Conditional is used to talk about unreal or unlikely situations in the present or future. It imagines what would happen if things were different.

if + past simple → would + base verb

Examples:

If I had wings, I would fly everywhere.
She would buy a boat if she lived by the sea.
If I were rich, I wouldn't work.

✅ Note: With the verb to be, it is more formal and correct to use were for all subjects in conditional sentences (e.g. "If I were taller").

📝 Practice: Second Conditional

1. If I (know) his number, I (call) him.

2. They (buy) a new car if they (have) enough money.

3. I (not worry) if I (be) you.

🔹 Third Conditional

The Third Conditional is used to imagine a different outcome in the past — something that didn't happen, but we think about what would have occurred if it had.

if + past perfect → would have + past participle

Examples:

If he had checked the map, he wouldn't have gotten lost.
We would have caught the train if we had left earlier.

📝 Practice: Third Conditional

1. If I (set) my alarm, I (wake up) on time.

2. They (win) the match if they (practice) more.

🔹 Expressing Wishes

We use wish to talk about things we would like to be different, often expressing regret or frustration about the present or an inability.

1. Wish + Past Simple → Unreal Present

Used when you want the present situation to be different.

I wish I had more energy. (= I don't have energy now.)
She wishes she lived near the sea.

2. Wish + Could → Ability or Possibility

Used to talk about things we cannot do now but would like to.

He wishes he could play the piano. (= He can't play now.)

📝 Practice: Wishes

1. I wish I (know) how to bake a cake.

2. They wish they (can) speak Spanish.

3. He wishes he (not spend) so much time online.

💡 Pro Tip: Each conditional expresses a different relationship with reality: Zero (always true), First (likely future), Second (unlikely present/future), Third (impossible past).