Conditional Sentences: 80 + Examples For Better English

Today, we are going to check out 80 + examples of conditional sentences to see just how they are used in natural English. We will also be having a look at how to make the actual sentences and the rules, along with a quiz at the end!

Conditional sentences

Conditional sentences are a key part of everyday English. They let you talk about possible situations and their outcomes. Whether you’re imagining a future event or reflecting on the past, knowing how to use conditional sentences can improve your communication. By understanding different types of conditionals, you can express everything from general truths to hypothetical scenarios. Let’s explore how these sentences are structured and see how they can be used in real-life conversations.

Today we will be looking into these topics and answering these questions right here:

What Are Conditional Sentences?	Zero Conditional Sentences	Second Conditional Sentences
Conditional Grammar Rules	First Conditional Sentences	Third Conditional Sentences
What Are Conditional Clauses?	If Clause Sentences	Conditionals test

We’ll be looking at the first, second, and third conditional, among other things today!

conditionals in english, conditional sentence, first second and third conditional — Conditionals in English

What Are Conditional Sentences?

Conditional sentences are statements that describe a situation and its potential outcome. These sentences generally consist of two parts: the “if” clause (the condition) and the main clause (the result). Conditional sentences are used to talk about real or hypothetical situations and their consequences.

In English, there are different types of conditional sentences, depending on how likely or hypothetical the situation is. The most common types are the zero, first, second, and third conditionals.

Here are some examples of conditional sentences:

If it rains tomorrow, we will stay indoors.
If she studies hard, she will pass the exam.
If I had more time, I would travel more often.
If you had told me about the problem, I could have helped you.
If they don’t hurry, they will miss the bus.
If I were you, I would call the doctor.
If she had asked me, I would have said yes.
If the sun is shining, we can go to the beach.
If he finishes his homework, he can play outside.
If you follow the rules, you will avoid trouble.

Conditional Grammar Rules

The rules for forming conditional sentences are based on the type of conditional being used. There are several key elements to consider when creating these sentences, including the tense of the verb and the structure of the clauses.

Conditional Type	What it’s used for	Structure/Grammar needed
Zero conditional	Used for facts or general truths.	if + present simple, present simple
First Conditional	Used for real future possibilities.	if + present simple, will + base verb
Second conditional	Used for hypothetical or unlikely situations.	if + past simple, would + base verb
Third conditional	Used for unreal situations in the past (often showing regret).	if + past perfect, would have + past participle

Here are some examples of conditional sentences based on these rules. Can you spot which type each one is?

If I wake up early, I will make breakfast.
If she eats too much, she will feel sick.
If I won the lottery, I would buy a new house.
If we had left earlier, we would have caught the train.
If he passes the test, he will get a certificate.
If they studied more, they would improve their grades.
If you had helped me, we could have finished on time.
If I had known about the party, I would have gone.
If I see her, I will tell her about the meeting.
If you were more careful, you wouldn’t lose your keys.

Zero Conditional Sentences

Zero conditional sentences express general truths, facts, or situations that are always true under certain conditions. They are used when the result of the condition is always the same, no matter how many times the condition occurs. The structure for the zero conditional is: if + present simple, present simple.

Here are 10 example sentences using the zero conditional:

If you heat water to 100 degrees, it boils.
If it rains, the ground becomes wet.
If you drop an object, it falls to the ground.
If you mix red and blue, purple forms.
If I don’t water my plants, they die.
If you leave food out, it attracts pests.
If you mix yellow and blue, you get green.
If you combine hydrogen and oxygen, water forms.
If you turn off the lights, the room darkens.
If you leave milk out, it spoils.

First Conditional Sentences

The first conditional expresses a real and possible situation in the future. It is used when the condition is likely to happen and the result is a future possibility. The structure for the first conditional is: if + present simple, will + base verb.

Here are 10 example sentences using the first conditional:

If it rains tomorrow in Tokyo, we will still go out!
If I finish my homework early, I will watch a movie.
If she calls me, I will answer.
If they hurry, they will catch the bus.
If I have enough money, I will buy a new phone.
If you study hard, you will pass the test.
If we leave now, we will arrive on time.
If I see her at the store, I will say hello.
If they ask, I will help them.
If it’s sunny tomorrow, we will go hiking.

Second Conditional Sentences

The second conditional is used to talk about hypothetical or unlikely situations in the present or future. It suggests that the condition is not likely to happen, but it imagines what could happen if it did. The structure for the second conditional is: if + past simple, would/could + base verb. When we use could, it suggests possibility, ability, or opportunity in the hypothetical situation.

Here are 10 example sentences using the second conditional with both would and could:

If I were rich, I would travel the world.
If he studied harder, he would pass the exam.
If we had a bigger house, we would invite more friends.
If I were you, I would take the job offer.
If she knew the answer, she would tell us.
If they won the lottery, they would buy a new car.
If I could fly, I would go anywhere I wanted. (Here, could expresses the ability to fly, which is hypothetical.)
If it snowed this weekend, I could go skiing. (Here, could expresses the possibility of skiing if it snowed.)
If I had more time, I could learn a new language. (Here, could reflects the possibility of learning a new language if there were more time.)
If we had a swimming pool, we could swim every day. (Here, could reflects the possibility of swimming every day if we had a pool.)

Third Conditional Sentences

The third conditional talks about hypothetical situations in the past—situations that did not happen. It is often used to express regret or missed opportunities. The structure for the third conditional is: if + past perfect, would have + past participle.

Here are 10 example sentences using the third conditional:

If I had known about the meeting, I would have attended.
If she had studied harder, she would have passed the test.
If they had left earlier, they would have caught the train.
If we had known about the problem, we would have fixed it.
If I had been more careful, I wouldn’t have made that mistake.
If he had asked for help, he would have finished on time.
If we had stayed longer, we would have seen the fireworks.
If I had told you earlier, you would have been prepared.
If they had taken the other road, they would have avoided traffic.
If I had realized it was your birthday, I would have bought a gift.

What Are Conditional Clauses?

Conditional clauses are the parts of a conditional sentence that describe the condition. They often begin with “if” and express the situation that must be true for the result to happen. There are several types of conditional clauses, depending on the type of conditional sentence (zero, first, second, third).

Here are 10 example sentences with conditional clauses:

If I don’t get enough sleep, I feel tired.
If we go to the park, we can play soccer.
If I had a car, I would drive to work.
If you don’t water the plants, they die.
If I had seen the movie, I would have enjoyed it.
If you study hard, you will pass the test.
If they arrive on time, we can start the meeting.
If I knew the answer, I would tell you.
If you ask nicely, I will help you.
If she had listened to me, she wouldn’t have made that mistake.

If Clause Sentences

If clause sentences are a specific type of conditional sentence where the “if” clause presents the condition, and the other part presents the result. They are used to discuss both real and hypothetical situations. Here are 10 example sentences with if clause sentences:

If I see her tomorrow, I will give her the message.
If you arrive early, we can have coffee before the meeting.
If they work hard, they will succeed.
If I were you, I would take that offer.
If it’s raining, I will bring an umbrella.
If you feel tired, take a break.
If I had more money, I would buy a car.
If we had known about the event, we would have attended.
If you need help, just ask.
If she had called, I would have picked up.

Conditionals Test

Test your understanding of conditional sentences with this quiz! Conditional sentences are used to express possible or hypothetical situations and their results. By the end of this test, you’ll have a clearer grasp on how to use zero, first, second, and third conditionals in different situations. Ready to test your skills? Let’s get started!

1. Which conditional is used for facts or general truths?
a) Zero Conditional
b) First Conditional
c) Second Conditional
d) Third Conditional

2. What is the structure of a zero conditional sentence?
a) if + present simple, will + base verb
b) if + past simple, would + base verb
c) if + present simple, present simple
d) if + past perfect, would have + past participle

3. Choose the correct conditional for this situation: “If I were rich, I would travel the world.”
a) Zero Conditional
b) First Conditional
c) Second Conditional
d) Third Conditional

4. What is the structure of a first conditional sentence?
a) if + present simple, will + base verb
b) if + past simple, would + base verb
c) if + past perfect, would have + past participle
d) if + present simple, present simple

5. Which sentence is an example of a second conditional?
a) If I study hard, I will pass the test.
b) If I had known about the meeting, I would have attended.
c) If I were you, I would take that job.
d) If it rains, we stay inside.

6. What type of situation does the third conditional describe?
a) Hypothetical present situations
b) Real future possibilities
c) General truths
d) Unreal situations in the past

7. Which conditional sentence expresses a real future possibility?
a) If she worked harder, she would pass the exam.
b) If he eats too much, he will feel sick.
c) If I had known, I would have helped.
d) If I were you, I would call her.

8. Which sentence is an example of a zero conditional?
a) If I had more money, I would buy a car.
b) If it rains, the ground gets wet.
c) If I see him tomorrow, I will talk to him.
d) If I had studied, I would have passed the test.

9. What structure should you use for a second conditional?
a) if + past simple, would + base verb
b) if + present simple, will + base verb
c) if + past perfect, would have + past participle
d) if + present simple, present simple

10. Which of the following sentences is in the third conditional?
a) If you don’t hurry, you will miss the bus.
b) If I had known about the concert, I would have gone.
c) If it is sunny tomorrow, we can go swimming.
d) If you study hard, you will pass the exam.

11. Which conditional is used for unlikely or hypothetical situations?
a) Zero Conditional
b) First Conditional
c) Second Conditional
d) Third Conditional

12. Choose the correct conditional for this situation: “If I had woken up earlier, I would have caught the train.”
a) Zero Conditional
b) First Conditional
c) Second Conditional
d) Third Conditional

13. Which sentence uses the first conditional?
a) If he studied, he would pass the exam.
b) If it rains, we will stay home.
c) If I had known, I would have helped.
d) If I were rich, I would buy a yacht.

14. Which sentence is an example of a second conditional?
a) If I had studied, I would have passed.
b) If I were in your shoes, I would do the same.
c) If you arrive on time, we will start the meeting.
d) If it rains, the ground will get wet.

15. Which conditional type is used for unreal past situations?
a) Zero Conditional
b) First Conditional
c) Second Conditional
d) Third Conditional

Here are the correct answers: a, c, c, a, c, d, b, b, a, b, c, d, b, b, d

Conditional sentences: improving your English

I hope you have enjoyed reading through and repeating all of today’s 80+ conditional sentences and have seen how useful they are to know. Learning the main types of conditional sentences—zero, first, second, and third—is key to improving your English. These structures help you talk about different situations and their possible outcomes. The zero conditional is useful for stating facts or things that are always true.

The first conditional talks about real future possibilities, helping you make predictions or plans. The second conditional is great for imagining unlikely situations and expressing wishes. Finally, the third conditional helps you discuss past events that didn’t happen and their possible results. Understanding these conditionals makes it easier to express yourself clearly in both everyday conversations and more complex situations. Mastering them will improve your communication and help you feel more confident when speaking or writing in English.