THE CONDITIONALS - 0,1,2 & 3 Conditionals& QUIZ - English Grammar Lesson (+ Free PDF & Quiz)

Summary

In this English with Lucy video, Lucy delivers an engaging lesson on the four types of conditionals: zero, first, second, and third. She explains each with examples, noting their use in expressing general truths, probable future events, hypothetical situations, and past unrealized conditions. Lucy offers a free PDF and quiz for practice, encouraging viewers to sign up for her mailing list to receive weekly lessons and engage with her on social media for further learning opportunities.

Takeaways

• 📘 The lesson covers the four conditionals in English: zero, first, second, and third conditionals.
• 📝 A free PDF and quiz are available to help practice and reinforce the lesson.
• 💡 The zero conditional discusses general truths and scientific facts, using the present simple in both clauses (e.g., 'If you heat water, it evaporates').
• 🔄 In conditional sentences, the order of clauses (if clause and main clause) can be swapped without changing the meaning.
• 🌍 The first conditional talks about real-world situations and future possibilities, using the present simple after 'if' and the future in the main clause (e.g., 'If you study hard, you will pass the exam').
• 🤔 Modals can be used in the first conditional to express recommendations or uncertainty (e.g., 'If you study hard, you might pass the exam').
• 🎲 The second conditional discusses hypothetical or unreal situations in the present or future, using the past simple after 'if' and 'would' in the main clause (e.g., 'If I won the lottery, I would buy a house').
• 🐾 The second conditional is also used for giving advice or warnings (e.g., 'If I were you, I would stop poking the cat').
• ⏳ The third conditional talks about past situations that didn’t happen, using the past perfect after 'if' and 'would have' in the main clause (e.g., 'If I had studied harder, I would have passed the exam').
• 🎓 To test understanding, a quiz on conditionals is provided in the PDF, and weekly lessons are delivered to subscribers' inboxes.

Q & A

What are the four conditionals discussed in the video?

The four conditionals discussed are the zero conditional, the first conditional, the second conditional, and the third conditional.

What is the structure of a zero conditional sentence?

A zero conditional sentence consists of two present simple verbs, one in the if clause and one in the main clause, both in the present tense.

Why is the zero conditional used?

The zero conditional is used to talk about general truths and scientific facts where there is a guaranteed result.

Can the order of the if clause and the main clause be changed in a conditional sentence?

Yes, the order of the if clause and the main clause can be changed in a conditional sentence without changing the meaning.

What is the structure of the first conditional?

The first conditional has the present simple after 'if' and then the future in the main clause.

How is the first conditional used in real-life situations?

The first conditional is used to talk about things that might happen in the future, expressing probable outcomes in specific situations.

What is the structure of the second conditional?

The second conditional uses the past simple after 'if', then 'would' and the infinitive, or 'would' and the present continuous.

What kind of situations are discussed using the second conditional?

The second conditional is used to talk about improbable future situations, dreams, fantasies, or present situations that are impossible.

What is the structure of the third conditional?

The third conditional uses 'if' and past perfect, then 'would have' and past participle in the main clause.

How is the third conditional different from the other conditionals?

The third conditional is used to talk about a situation in the past that did not happen and to imagine the results of this imaginary situation.

What additional resources does Lucy offer to help with learning English?

Lucy offers a PDF with a quiz covering the lesson, a vlogging channel with subtitled daily life vlogs, and a pronunciation tool on her website.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Introduction to English Conditionals

Lucy begins the lesson by introducing the topic of the four conditionals in English grammar, emphasizing their importance and acknowledging the difficulty students often face with them. She offers a free PDF with a quiz to help students practice and understand the material better. The PDF is accessible by signing up for Lucy's mailing list. Lucy encourages students to share their quiz results in the comments section and dives into the first of the four conditionals, the zero conditional, which involves present simple verbs in both the if clause and the main clause. She explains that the order of these clauses can be flexible without changing the meaning. Lucy uses examples to illustrate the zero conditional, which is used to express general truths and scientific facts. She also notes that 'if' can often be replaced with 'when' or 'whenever' in zero conditionals.

05:02

🔍 Deep Dive into Conditionals: First to Third

The lesson continues with the first conditional, which is used to talk about possible future events. Lucy explains that it is formed with the present simple after 'if' and the future in the main clause. She provides examples and discusses the use of modals in the main clause to express recommendations or degrees of certainty. Lucy then moves on to the second conditional, which is used for hypothetical situations that are unlikely to occur. She explains the structure, which includes the past simple after 'if' and 'would' followed by either the infinitive or the present continuous. Lucy also touches on the use of 'were' instead of 'was' in certain contexts. The third conditional is introduced as a way to discuss past unreal situations and their imagined outcomes, using the past perfect after 'if' and 'would have' plus the past participle in the main clause. Lucy concludes this section by encouraging students to test their understanding with a quiz and reminding them of the resources available, including her vlogging channel for vocabulary and listening practice.

10:04

🌐 Engaging with English Resources and Community

In the final paragraph, Lucy extends an invitation for students to engage with her on social media and her website, where she offers a pronunciation tool. She highlights the benefits of following her vlogs, which are subtitled and provide real-life language use in context. Lucy's approach is to make learning English practical and enjoyable by connecting with her audience through various platforms. The upbeat music signifies the end of the lesson on a positive note, looking forward to the next session.

Keywords

💡Conditionals

Conditionals are grammatical structures used to talk about different types of possible or hypothetical situations. In the video, Lucy discusses the four types of conditionals in English, which are crucial for expressing various scenarios that are not certain or are based on certain conditions. Each conditional type is explained with examples to help learners understand their usage in different contexts.

💡Zero Conditional

The zero conditional is used to express general truths or facts that are always true, regardless of time. It consists of two present simple verbs, one in the 'if' clause and one in the main clause. In the video, Lucy uses the example 'If you heat water, it evaporates' to illustrate how zero conditionals are used to convey scientific facts.

💡First Conditional

The first conditional is used to talk about possible or probable future events. It is formed using the present simple after 'if' and the future simple in the main clause. Lucy explains that this conditional is used when we are discussing real-world possibilities, as in the example 'If we don't leave now, we will miss the train.'

💡Second Conditional

The second conditional is used to discuss hypothetical situations that are unlikely or impossible in the present or future. It is formed with the past simple after 'if' and 'would' plus the base form of the verb in the main clause. Lucy provides examples like 'If I won the lottery, I would buy a house in Barbados' to show how it's used for unreal or improbable scenarios.

💡Third Conditional

The third conditional is used to talk about past situations and their hypothetical results. It is formed with 'if' plus the past perfect in the subordinate clause and 'would have' plus past participle in the main clause. Lucy uses the example 'If I had studied harder, I would have passed the exam' to demonstrate how it's used to speculate about the past.

💡Modals

Modals are auxiliary verbs that express necessity, possibility, permission, and other concepts. In the context of conditionals, modals can be used in the main clause to express recommendations, certainty, or permissions. Lucy mentions that modals like 'might', 'could', 'should', and 'would' can replace 'will' in the first conditional to convey different nuances.

💡Imperative

The imperative mood is used to give commands or instructions. Lucy explains that the zero conditional is often used with the imperative in the main clause to give instructions, as in 'If she rings the doorbell, tell her to go away.' This shows how imperatives can be combined with conditionals for directive language.

💡Present Simple

The present simple tense is used to describe habitual actions, general truths, and states. In the video, Lucy discusses how the present simple is used in both the 'if' clause and the main clause of the zero conditional to express general truths, such as 'If you melt ice, it becomes a liquid.'

💡Past Simple

The past simple tense is used to describe completed actions or states in the past. In the context of the second conditional, Lucy explains that the past simple is used after 'if' to set up a hypothetical situation that did not occur, as in 'If he had more money, he would buy a boat.'

💡Present Continuous

The present continuous tense is used to describe actions that are currently in progress. Lucy mentions that in the second conditional, the present continuous can be used with 'would be' to describe hypothetical ongoing actions, as in 'If I spoke French, I would be living in Paris.'

💡Past Perfect

The past perfect tense is used to describe an action that was completed before another action or time in the past. In the video, Lucy explains that the past perfect is used after 'if' in the third conditional to set up a hypothetical past situation, as in 'If we had left earlier, we wouldn't have arrived late.'

Highlights

Introduction to the four conditionals in English grammar

Availability of a free PDF and quiz for practice

Explanation of the zero conditional with present simple verbs

Use of zero conditional for general truths and scientific facts

Substitution of 'if' with 'when' or 'whenever' in zero conditionals

Examples of zero conditional sentences

Instructions on using the imperative with zero conditionals

Transition to the first conditional with present simple and future tense

Use of first conditional for probable future events

Modals in the first conditional for recommendations and permissions

Introduction to the second conditional with past simple and 'would'

Use of second conditional for improbable future scenarios and fantasies

Application of second conditional for giving advice or warnings

Discussion on the use of 'I were' versus 'I was' in second conditionals

Continuous form in second conditionals for hypothetical situations

Introduction to the third conditional for past unreal situations

Use of third conditional with past perfect and 'would have'

Encouragement to test understanding with a quiz

Promotion of the vlogging channel for vocabulary and listening practice

Invitation to connect on social media for additional learning resources

Transcripts

(bright upbeat music)

- Hello, everyone and welcome back

to English with Lucy today.

Very exciting, I have a grammar lesson for you.

We are going to discuss the four conditionals.

This is a very, very important lesson.

I know that this is a topic,

that lots of my students struggle with.

There's so much to remember,

but hopefully I can clarify,

lots of your doubts today.

To help you even further, I have created a PDF which covers

everything we're going to talk

about, and it also has a quiz,

so you can practise what you've learned,

and you can check your understanding.

If you would like to download that free PDF and quiz,

all you've got to do is click on the link

in the description box,

you enter your name and your email address.

You sign up to my meeting list,

and I will send that PDF and quiz directly to your inbox.

After that every week,

as soon as I've made the PDF for each lesson,

as soon as it becomes available,

you will receive it in your inbox.

It's automatic and very convenient and it means every week,

you get lovely new activities,

and PDFs to review.

Don't be afraid to share your results

in the comment section.

Right, let's get started with the grammar lesson.

So we're going to talk about the four conditionals.

We have the zero conditional,

the first conditional,

the second conditional,

and can you guess what the last conditional is?

Congratulations, it's the third conditional.

Each conditional sentence has an if clause,

and a main clause.

With all conditional sentences,

the order of these clauses is not fixed,

so you can swap them around.

If I practise, I will get better.

I will get better, if I practise.

It doesn't matter which way,

but when you change the order of the clauses,

the meaning is the same.

Now we've got that introduction out of the way,

let's start with the zero conditional.

A zero conditional sentence consists

of two present simple verbs.

One is in the if clause,

and one is in the main clause.

Both parts of the sentence are in the present tense.

Nice and easy!

If this thing happens,

that thing happens.

Or that thing happens,

if this thing happens.

We use the zero conditional to talk about general truths.

When in general there is a guaranteed result,

like scientific facts.

If you heat water, it evaporates,

that's a scientific fact.

We're not talking about specific conditions

on that day or anything.

In general, if you heat water, it evaporates.

Interestingly, you can usually replace

if with when or whenever, without the meaning changing.

When I am happy, I smile.

I smile when I'm happy.

Remember that when we use the word you in zero conditionals,

we are often talking about people in general,

not you in particular.

If you melt ice, it becomes a liquid.

Let's take a look at some examples.

If I'm sad, I eat chocolate.

People die if they don't drink enough water.

If dogs get angry, they growl.

If you don't eat enough, you lose weight.

If British people get bored, they talk about the weather.

That's a scientific fact.

(air whooshing)

We often use the zero conditional to give instructions,

with the imperative in the main clause.

If she rings the doorbell, tell her to go away.

Text me if you get lost.

Okay.

Before we move on to the first conditional,

I want you to check your understanding in that PDF,

to make sure you've grasped everything,

you've understood everything.

Right, let's move on to the first conditional.

The first conditional has the present simple

after if and then the future in the main clause.

If this thing happens,

that thing will happen.

We use the first conditional to talk about things

that might happen in the future.

We can't know for sure what will happen in the future,

but we can use the first conditional

to talk about things that will probably be true.

With the zero conditional,

we spoke in general,

but with the first conditional

we speak about the real world,

and about specific situations.

Some examples, if we don't leave now,

we will miss the train.

If you study hard,

you will pass the exam.

If I see my boss, I'll ask her.

Contraction of I will, I'll.

I'll ask her!

If it gets colder, we'll light a fire.

(air whooshing)

I'll finish my painting,

if I have time.

Now it's important to consider modals,

when it comes to the first conditional.

You can use modals in the main clause,

in place of will to express a recommendation,

a degree of certainty, permission.

Take a look!

If we don't leave now, we might miss the train.

If you study hard, you could pass the exam.

If I see my boss, I shall ask her.

If it gets colder, we should light a fire.

I'll be able to finish my painting,

if I have time.

Right, let's move on to the second conditional.

The second conditional uses the past simple

after if then would and the infinitive,

that's the most common,

or would and the present continuous.

And I'll explain this later.

Sometimes this gets left out of lessons,

but I think it's important that you see

it in case you come across it and think, what's that?

(laughs)

If this thing happened,

that thing would happen,

or if this thing happened,

that thing would be happening.

We can use the second conditional to talk about things

in the future,

that are probably not going to be true.

We often use it to talk about dreams and fantasies.

For example, if I won the lottery,

I would buy a house in Barbados.

Or if he had more money,

he would buy a boat.

We can also use the second conditional

to talk about things in the present that are impossible.

In this case, it's very common to use

I were instead of I was.

If I were you, I would stop poking the cat.

I can't be you, it's impossible.

But if I were you, I would stop that.

It's a good way of giving advice or a warning.

If he were younger,

I would ask him out.

It's impossible, he can't be younger,

so I'm not going to ask him out.

If I was taller, I would wear high heels.

You can choose between I was and I were.

I were sounds a little more formal.

(air whooshing)

I've got a little extra bit of homework

for you, I want you to answer

it in the comment section down below.

I want you to answer this question.

If you were an animal,

which one would you be and why?

If I were an animal, I would be a fruit bat,

(air whooshing)

because I'm completely addicted to fruit.

Let me know, I'm so excited to see

what you come up with, you always surprise me.

Now, let's talk about that continuous.

Now for the slightly complicated bit.

In second conditional sentences,

the continuous form of the present conditional can be used.

If this thing happened, that thing would be happening.

If I spoke French, I would be living in Paris.

I don't speak French, so I couldn't be living

in Paris right now.

(air whooshing)

If I had an exam tomorrow,

I would be revising right now.

It's not so common,

but it's important that you know about it.

Let's move on to the last one,

the third conditional, I can't believe we are here already.

We use the third conditional to talk about the past.

It's used to talk about a situation that did not happen,

and to imagine the results,

of this imaginary situation.

We use if and past perfect,

and then would have and past participle in the main clause.

If this thing had happened,

that thing would have happened.

If I had studied harder, I would have passed the exam,

but I didn't study hard enough, so I didn't pass the exam.

(air whooshing)

If we had left earlier,

we wouldn't have arrived late.

You wouldn't be so tired, if you had gone to bed earlier.

I hope that's enough.

(air whooshing)

Right, that is it for my lesson on conditionals.

There is more to conditionals,

maybe we'll cover that another day,

but I think that gives you a really strong foundation.

Now I want you to test your learning.

I have created a quiz

for you, it goes through zero, first, second

and third conditionals.

The quiz is on the PDF,

which has got all of the information from today's lesson.

Just click on the link in the description box,

enter your name and email address,

you sign up to my mailing list,

and you will receive the PDF directly in your inbox.

And then each week you will receive my PDF lessons,

as soon as they're available.

If you would like to improve your vocabulary

and your listening skills,

then I should just remind

you that I have my vlogging channel,

where I vlog my daily life here on a farm

in the English countryside,

and every single vlog is completely subtitled,

for your understandings.

So you can pick up lots of words

because I show a lot of daily tasks,

things that you can use that are relevant to you.

Don't forget to connect with me on my social media.

I've got my Instagram

at Lucy and I have my website, englishwithlucy.co.uk,

where I have a really cool pronunciation tool,

where you can click on a phoneme

and hear me say it, and hear me say words,

that contain that phoneme.

I will see you soon for another lesson.

(air whooshing)

(upbeat music)

(bright upbeat music)