Cohesive Devices - Exercise

Conditional sentences are a fundamental part of English grammar, expressing hypothetical situations and their potential outcomes. These sentences are constructed with an "if" clause (the conditional clause) and a main clause. The type of conditional sentence depends on the likelihood or certainty of the condition being met. There are four main types of conditional sentences in English: zero conditional, first conditional, second conditional, and third conditional.

1. Zero Conditional:
The zero conditional expresses general truths, facts, or scientific facts. It is used when the result will always happen if the condition is met. Both the conditional clause and the main clause are in the present simple tense.

If + present simple, present simple.

Examples:
If you heat water to 100 degrees Celsius, it boils.
If the sun sets, it gets dark.

2. First Conditional:
The first conditional is used to talk about real and possible future situations. It expresses a condition that is likely to happen. The conditional clause is in the present simple tense, and the main clause is in the future simple tense.

If + present simple, will + base form of the verb.

Examples:
If it rains, we will stay indoors.
If she studies hard, she will pass the exam.

3. Second Conditional:
The second conditional is used to talk about unreal or unlikely present or future situations. It expresses a condition that is not likely to happen. The conditional clause is in the past simple tense, and the main clause is in the would + base form of the verb.

If + past simple, would + base form of the verb.

Examples:
If I won the lottery, I would travel the world.
If she knew the answer, she would tell us.

4. Third Conditional:
The third conditional is used to talk about unreal or hypothetical past situations. It expresses a condition that did not happen, and its result also did not happen. The conditional clause is in the past perfect tense, and the main clause is in the would have + past participle form.

If + past perfect, would have + past participle.

Examples:
If they had studied, they would have passed the test.
If he had known about the traffic, he would have come earlier.


Mixed Conditional:

In addition to the four main types, there are mixed conditionals that combine elements of different types. These sentences often express a connection between a past condition and a present or future result, or vice versa.

We can use mixed conditionals when we imagine a past change with a result in the present or a present change with a result in the past.

1. Past/Present
Here are some sentences imagining how a change in a past situation would have a result in the present.

If I hadn't got the job in Tokyo, I wouldn't be with my current partner.
If I had taken the earlier train, I wouldn't be late now.
If she had saved more money, she wouldn't be struggling financially now.

So the structure is: If + past perfect >> would + infinitive.

2. Present/Past
Here are some sentences imagining how a different situation in the present would mean that the past was different as well.

It's really important. If it wasn't, I wouldn't have called you on your holiday.
If he wasn't so forgetful, he would have remembered to bring the documents to the meeting yesterday.
If I knew her, I would have said hi.

And the structure is: If + past simple >> would have + past participle.