Conditionals
This is a theoretical introduction of the conditionals.
In this unit we will dwell on only one of the conditionals, the present or second conditional.
The following story about the beggar will help you to remember the three forms of the conditional.
Many books and teachers speak of the first, seocnd and third conditional
First conditional>
If if have enough money I’ll go .......
Second conditional>
If I had enough money I’d go .........
Third conditional> If I had had enough money I would’ve gone .........
Usually it is easier if they are termed the future, present and past conditionals.
Here is a story to help clarify the difference.
Let’s say I am a person who likes to give money to beggars. It makes me feel good that I am doing something good for someone else and I feel good at the same time.
Let’s say then that after this class I go down the street. I see a beggar about 40 metes ahead. I say to myself “aha… a chance to do a good deed”.
I start to search my pockets for a coin, saying to myself:
1. “If I have a coin I will give it to the beggar.”
This is the future conditional. I don’t know if I have a coin, but if I have one I will give it to the beggar, that is in the immediate future.
If + present tense + future tense.
I continue walking towards the beggar, searching every pocket. Finally, when I reach the beggar I realise that I don’t have a coin. I look at the beggar and apologise:
“I’m sorry Mr Beggar. I don’t have a coin but …..
2. if I did, I’d give it to you.”
This is the present conditional. I don’t have a coin right now, at the present time but if I did have a coin right now, at the present time I would give it to you.
If + past tense + simple conditional form.
Finally, 30 minutes later, when I get home, I tell my wife what happened. I say “I saw a beggar 30 minutes ago and I didn’t have a single coin…..
3. If I had had a coin I would have given it to the beggar”.
This is the past conditional. But if 30 minutes ago I had had a coin I would have given it to the beggar.
In the end I didn’t have a coin. That was 30 minutes ago …… in the past.
If + past perfect tense + past conditonal form.
