Conditional and wish

Conditional Type 0 (Fact or General truth)

[If + simple present] + [Subject + simple present]

If you touch a fire, you get burned.

water boils if it reaches 100 C

• Conditional type I (Possible or real situation in future)

[ If/unless* + subject + simple present ] + [ Subject + will + Infinitive ]

*Unless = If + not

Tom: Shall we go by bus or by Taxi?

Adam: If we go by bus, it will be cheaper

For Adam it is possible that they will go by bus, that’s why he says: If we go by bus, it will be cheaper.

• Conditional type II (Impossible or unreal situation in present)

[ If/unless* + subject + simple past ] + [ Subject + would + Infinitive ]

*Unless = If + not

Tom: we are going on a trip; do you like to go with us?

Adam: I am busy; I don’t have time. If I had time, I would go with you.

This means that Adam doesn’t have time in the present.

• Conditional type III (Impossible or unreal in past)               

[ If/unless* + subject + past perfect] + [ Subject + would/could…. + have+ past participle ]

*Unless = If + not

Last month, Lisa was sick. Tom didn’t know that and he didn’t visit her.

Lisa: I was sick last month.

Tom: Oh, If I had known that, I would have visited you.

• Present wish

  If only } + simple past

  Subject + wish } + simple past

It is a situation in the present that we don’t like or we like to have it the other way.

Tom lives far from school so he usually arrives late.

Tom: I wish I didn’t live far from school.

If only I didn’t live far from school.

• Past wish

If only } + past perfect

Subject + wish } + past perfect

It is a situation in the present that we don’t like or we like to have it the other way.

Tom had an accident because he drove very fast.

Tom: If only I hadn’t driven very fast.

I wish I hadn’t driven very fast.

TIP: Look at the verb, if it is affirmative then change it to negative and if it is negative change it to affirmative.

Need some exercises? Conditionals and wishes exercises