Egypt Secondary 1 English (Connect), Week 6: Zero, first and second conditionals

Unit 3 Truth Vs. Lies: tricks, kind advice and conditionals

Week 6 · Unit 3 Truth Vs. Lies (A): a text on trust, honesty and trickery (reference only), reputation / deceive / betrayed / exploit and the idioms ‘too good to be true’ and ‘trust but verify’, a role-play on a suspicious offer, an advice interview (our own read-aloud text), healthy boundaries, the zero, first and second conditionals · 3 lessons

Zero, first and second conditionals

English Secondary 1 Term 1, Unit 3 Lesson 3: pp. 42–43

GoalUse zero, first and second conditionals correctly and choose the right type for each situation.

New words

conditional · a sentence with if that shows a condition and its resultcondition · what must happen firstresult · what happens because of the conditionunreal · not true now, or very unlikelygeneral truth · something that is always trueif-clause · the part of the sentence that begins with if

Explanation

A conditional sentence has an if-clause and a result clause. Zero conditional: if + present simple, present simple. It talks about general truths and facts: If you heat ice, it melts. First conditional: if + present simple, will + base verb. It talks about a real possibility in the future: If the shop is closed tomorrow, we will come back on Friday. Second conditional: if + past simple, would + base verb. It talks about an unreal or unlikely situation in the present: If I had a bicycle, I would ride to school. After if we use were for all persons in the second conditional: If I were you … Never put will or would in the if-clause: not If it will rain. When the if-clause comes first, put a comma after it. We can use when instead of if in a zero conditional, because the result always happens: When you heat ice, it melts. Use if when you are not sure.

Type	If-clause	Result clause	Use
Zero	present simple	present simple	general truth
First	present simple	will + base	real future possibility
Second	past simple (were)	would + base	unreal or unlikely
Rule	no will / would after if	comma after the if-clause	if or when

Worked examples

Zero: “If you mix blue and yellow, you get green.” It is always true, so both verbs are in the present simple.

First: “If the bus is late, we will take a taxi.” Perhaps the bus will be late tomorrow. If-clause: present simple; result: will + base verb.

Second: “If I had a free afternoon every day, I would learn the guitar.” I do not have a free afternoon every day, so the situation is unreal. Past simple after if, would + base verb in the result.

Find the mistake: “If the weather will be cold, we will take coats.” After if we do not use will, so the sentence is: If the weather is cold, we will take coats.

Class activity

Message check. Write a short plan (60 to 80 words) called “How to check a message before I forward it”. Use one first conditional (If a message asks for a password, I will …) and one zero conditional (If a message makes you hurry, it is …). Underline the if-clauses. Read it to a friend and ask if the advice is clear.

Practice

Complete with the correct form: If you heat ice, it ___ (melt).

Complete with the correct form: If the bus is late, we ___ (take) a taxi.

Complete with the correct form: If I ___ (be) you, I would ask a teacher.

Correct the mistake: “If I will see him, I will tell him.”

Which type is this: “If I were a bird, I would fly over the town”? (zero / first / second)