English Grammar Lessons www.english-grammar-lessons.com • Present Continuous • Present Simple • Present Simple or Continuous • Past Simple • Past Continuous • Past Simple or Continuous • Irregular Verbs • Present Perfect • Present Perfect Continuous • Present Perfect or Present Perfect Continuous • Present Perfect or Past Simple • Past Perfect • The Future -Going to • The Future -Will • Will or Going to • The Future -present forms • Will - other uses • Shall • The Imperative • The Passive • The -ing form • Can • Could • May/Might • Should • Must/Have to • Zero Conditional • First Conditional • Second Conditional • Third Conditional • Wish

The present continuous
The present continuous is used to talk about present situations which we see as short-term or temporary. We use the present simple to talk about present situations which we see as long-term or permanent.
In these examples, the action is taking place at the time of speaking. • It's raining. • Who is Kate talking to on the phone? • Look, somebody is trying to steal that man's wallet. • I'm not looking. My eyes are closed tightly.
In these examples, the action is true at the present time but we don't think it will be true in the long term. • I'm looking for a new apartment. • He's thinking about leaving his job. • They're considering making an appeal against the judgment. • Are you getting enough sleep?
In these examples, the action is at a definite point in the future and it has already been arranged. • I'm meeting her at 6.30. • They aren't arriving until Tuesday. • We are having a special dinner at a top restaurant for all the senior managers. • Isn't he coming to the dinner?
The present simple
The present simple is used to talk about actions we see as long term or permanent. It is very common and very important.
In these examples, we are talking about regular actions or events. • I drive to work every day. • She doesn't come very often. • The games usually start at 8.00 in the evening. • What do you usually have for breakfast?
In these examples, we are talking about facts. • Water freezes at 0° C or 32° F. • I have three children. • What does this word mean? • I don't have any of my original teeth left.
In these examples, we are talking about future facts, usually found in a timetable or a chart. • The plane leaves at 5.00 tomorrow morning. • Christmas Day falls on a Sunday this year. • Ramadan doesn't begin for another 2 weeks. • Does the class begin this week or next?
In these examples, we are talking about our thoughts and feelings at the time of speaking. Notice that, although these feelings can be short-term, we use the present simple and not the present continuous. • I think you are wrong. • She doesn't want to do it. • They don't agree with us. • Do you understand what I am trying to say.
The Present Simple or the Present Continuous
We use the Present Simple • for regular actions or events I watch TV most evenings. • facts The sun rises in the east • facts know about the future The plane leaves at 5.00 in the morning. • thoughts and feelings about the time of speaking I don't understand.
We use the Present Continuous • at the time of speaking ('now') I'm watching a movie on TV. • things which are true at the moment but not always I'm looking for a new job. • present plans for the future I'm taking my husband to New York for his birthday.
Look at these sentences: • I usually don't drink coffee but I'm having one this morning because there is nothing else. • I often drive to work but I'm taking the train this morning because my car is in for repair. • I'm thinking about dying my hair blonde but I don't think my wife will be very happy about it. • My parents live in New York but I'm just visiting.
Notice how in all these examples we use the present continuous to talk about events which are temporary/limited in time and the present simple to talk about events which are habits/permanent.
The past simple
We use the past simple to talk about actions and states which we see as completed in the past.
We can use it to talk about a specific point in time. • She came back last Friday. • I saw her in the street. • They didn't agree to the deal.
It can also be used to talk about a period of time. • She lived in Tokyo for seven years. • They were in London from Monday to Thursday of last week. • When I was living in New York, I went to all the art exhibitions I could.
You will often find the past simple used with time expressions such as these: • Yesterday • three weeks ago • last year • in 2002 • from March to June • for a long time • for 6 weeks • in the 1980s • in the last century • in the past
The past continuous
We use the past continuous to talk about past events which went on for a period of time.
We use it when we want to emphasize the continuing process of an activity or the period of that activity. (If we just want to talk about the past event as a simple fact, we use the past simple.) • While I was driving home, Peter was trying desperately to contact me. • Were you expecting any visitors? • Sorry, were you sleeping? • I was just making some coffee. • I was thinking about him last night. • In the 1990s few people were using mobile phones.
We often use it to describe a "background action" when something else happened. • I was walking in the street when I suddenly fell over. • She was talking to me on the phone and it suddenly went dead. • They were still waiting for the plane when I spoke to them. • The company was declining rapidly before he took charge. • We were just talking about it before you arrived. • I was making a presentation in front of 500 people when the microphone stopped working.
The past simple and the past continuous
Both the past simple and the past continuous refer to completed actions in the past.
Most of the time when we are talking about such actions, we use the past simple. This is by far the most common way about talking about the past. • I lived there for 6 years. • I only found out a few moments ago. • I asked her but she didn't know anything. • The company made 100 people redundant last year.
Only use the past continuous when you want to emphasize the continuity of the action. • Everybody was talking about it all evening. • They were really trying hard but couldn't do it. • I was thinking about you the other day. • Were you expecting that to happen?
When we use these two forms in the same sentence, we use the past continuous to talk about the "background action" and the past simple to talk about the shorter completed action. • It was raining hard when we left the building. • I was reading the report when you rang. • He was going out to lunch when I saw him. • The company was doing well when I last visited it.
(British English and American English have different rules for the use of the present perfect. The comments being made here and the exercises state the correct grammar for British English. However, in American English, it is often considered acceptable to use the past simple in some of these examples.)
The present perfect
We use the present perfect when we want to look back from the present to the past.
We can use it to look back on the recent past. • I've broken my watch. • She's taken my copy. • They have cancelled the meeting. • The company has doubled its turnover.
Often when we look back on the recent past we use the words 'just' 'already' or the word 'yet' (in negatives and questions only). • I've just finished. • She's just arrived. • We've already spoken about that. • They've already met. • I haven't finished yet. • They don't know yet. • Have you spoken to him yet? • Has he got back to you yet?
We can also use it to look back on the more distant past. • I've been to Singapore a lot over the years. • He's done this type of project several times before. • They've talked about it in the past. • We've spoken to them on several occasions over the years.
Often when we look back on the more distant past we use the words 'ever' (in questions) and 'never'. • Have you ever been to Indonesia? • Has he ever spoken to you about the problem? • I've never met him. • We've never considered investing in Canada.
The present perfect continuous
We use the present perfect continuous to talk about an action or actions that started in the past and continued until recently or continues into the future.
Sometimes it refers to an action that has finished but where you can still see evidence. • You look tired. Have you been sleeping properly? • I can smell smoke. Has somebody been smoking? • I've got a headache and a stiff neck. I've been working too long on computer.
Sometimes it refers to an action that has not finished. • I've been waiting for him for 30 minutes and he still hasn't arrived. • I've been learning English for 20 years and I still don't know very much. • He's been asking me about it for days. I wish he would stop.
Sometimes it refers to a series of actions. • He's been phoning me all week for an answer. • I've been writing to her regularly for a couple of years. • The company has been sending students here for over twenty years.
Typical time expression that are used with the present perfect continuous include 'since', 'for', 'all week', 'for days', 'lately', 'recently', 'over the last few months'. • He's been working here since 2001. • I've been wanting to do that for ten years. • They haven't been answering all week. • She hasn't been talking to me for days. • I've been working hard lately. • We've been looking at other options recently. • You haven't been performing well over the last few months.
The past simple and the present perfect simple
(British English and American English have different rules for the use of the present perfect. The comments being made here and the exercises state the correct grammar for British English. However, in American English, it is often considered acceptable to use the past simple in some of these examples.)
We use the past simple to talk about actions in the past that have finished. It talks about 'then' and definitely excludes 'now'.
We use the present perfect simple to look back on actions in the past from the present. It always includes 'now'.
These sentences are in the past with no connection to the present. • I first met him 10 years ago. • I started work here in 1987. • I ate too much at lunchtime.
Now look at these same situations seen from the present. • I've known him for 10 years. • I've worked here since 1987. • My stomach hurts. I've eaten too much.
Typical time phrases that we use with the past simple are 'yesterday', 'ago', 'last year', 'in 1999'. • I spoke to him yesterday. • She came in a few moments ago. • We made our last purchase over a year ago. • He joined the company in 1999.
Typical time phrases that we use with the present perfect are 'ever', 'never', 'since'. • I've never seen so many people. • Have you ever been more shocked? • I've done a lot since we last spoke.
Typical time phrases always used with the present perfect in British English but often used with the past simple in American English are 'already', 'just', 'yet'. • I haven't done it yet. (UK) • I didn't do it yet. (US) • I've just done it. (UK) • I just did it. (US) • I've already done it. (UK) • I already did it. (US)
The time phrase 'for' can be used with both forms, but with different meanings. • I went to Munich for the weekend but I came back on Sunday evening. • I've been in Munich for the weekend and I've brought you back some German sausages. The past perfect simple
We use the past perfect simple to talk about what happened before a point in the past. It looks back from a point in the past to further in the past. • I hadn't known the bad news when I spoke to him. • I checked with the supplier and they still hadn't received the contract. • She had already told him before I got a chance to give him my version. • The company has started the year well but was badly hit by the postal strike.
The past perfect simple is often used when we report what people had said/thought/believed. • He told me they had already paid the bill. • He said he believed that John had moved to Italy. • I thought we had already decided on a name for this product.
We use the past perfect continuous to look back at a situation in progress. • It looked like a good time to invest. Inflation had been falling for several months. • Before I changed jobs, I had been working on a plan to reduce production costs. • We had been thinking about doing that but then decided against it.
The Future Going to
There is no one 'future tense' in English. There are 4 future forms. The one which is used most often in spoken English is 'going to', not 'will'.
We use 'going to' when we want to talk about a plan for the future. • I'm going to see him later today. • They're going to launch it next month. • We're going to have lunch first. • She's going to see what she can do. • I'm not going to talk for very long.
Notice that this plan does not have to be for the near future. • When I retire I'm going to go back to Barbados to live. • In ten years time, I'm going to be boss of my own successful company.
We use 'going to' when we want to make a prediction based on evidence we can see now. • Look out! That cup is going to fall off. • Look at those black clouds. It's going to rain soon. • These figures are really bad. We're going to make a loss. • You look very tired. You're going to need to stop soon.
We can replace 'going to go' by 'going'. • I'm going out later. • She's going to the exhibition tomorrow.
The Future “will”
Some people have been taught that 'will' is 'the future' in English. This is not correct. Sometimes when we talk about the future we cannot use 'will'. Sometimes when we use 'will' we are not talking about the future.
We can use 'will' to talk about future events we believe to be certain. • The sun will rise over there tomorrow morning. • Next year, I'll be 50. • That plane will be late. It always is. • There won't be any snow. I'm certain. It's too warm.
Often we add 'perhaps', 'maybe', 'probably', 'possibly' to make the belief less certain. • I'll probably come back later. • He'll possibly find out when he sees Jenny. • Maybe it will be OK. • Perhaps we'll meet again some day.
We often use 'will' with 'I think' or 'I hope'. • I think I'll go to bed now. • I think she'll do well in the job. • I hope you'll enjoy your stay. • I hope you won't make too much noise.
We use 'will' at the moment we make a new decision or plan. The thought has just come into our head. • Bye. I'll phone you when I get there. • I'll answer that. • I'll go. • I won't tell him. I promise. The Future Going to or The Future “will”
When we want to talk about future facts or things we believe to be true about the future, we use 'will'. • The President will serve for four years. • The boss won't be very happy. • I'm sure you'll like her. • I'm certain he'll do a good job.
If we are not so certain about the future, we use 'will' with expressions such as 'probably', 'possibly', 'I think', 'I hope'. • I hope you'll visit me in my home one day. • She'll probably be a great success. • I'll possibly come but I may not get back in time. • I think we'll get on well.
If you are making a future prediction based on evidence in the present situation, use 'going to'. • Not a cloud in the sky. It's going to be another warm day. • Look at the queue. We're not going to get in for hours. • The traffic is terrible. We're going to miss our flight. • Be careful! You're going to spill your coffee.
At the moment of making a decision, use 'will'. Once you have made the decision, talk about it using 'going to'. • I'll call Jenny to let her know. Sarah, I need Jenny's number. I'm going to call her about the meeting. • I'll come and have a drink with you but I must let Harry know. Harry, I'm going to have a drink with Simon.
The Future in present forms
We use the present continuous to talk about things that we have already arranged to do in the future. • I've got my ticket. I'm leaving on Thursday. • I'm seeing Julie at 5 and then I'm having dinner with Simon. • He's picking me up at the airport. • The company is giving everyone a bonus for Christmas.
In many situations when we talk about future plans we can use either the present continuous or the 'going to' future. However, when we use the present continuous, there is more of a suggestion that an arrangement has already been made. • I'm going to see him./I'm seeing him • I'm going to do it./I'm doing it.
We use the present simple to talk about events in the future which are 'timetabled'. We can also use the present continuous to talk about these. • My plane leaves at 6 in the morning. • The shop opens at 9.30. • The sun rises a minute earlier tomorrow. • My plane is leaving at 8.30. • The shop is closing at 7.00. • The sun is rising at 6.32 tomorrow.
Will: Other Uses
A lot of students have been confused by older textbooks which refer to 'will' as 'the future tense'.
A key factor to remember about 'will' is that when we talk about the future we cannot always use 'will' and that when we use 'will' we are not always talking about the future.
In these examples 'will' is clearly referring to the future. • I'll probably visit Sue Kay when I go to Oxford. • If I see her, I'll tell her about it. • Next year she'll be 42. Or so she says.
However, in these examples 'will' is referring to events happening at the present. • My car won't start. • I'll answer that. • Will you have another cup of tea?
When we use 'will' referring to the present, the idea being expressed is usually one of 'showing willingness' or 'will power'. • My baby won't stop crying. I've tried everything and I'm really exhausted. • I am the boss. You will do as I say. • I need quiet to write this but he will keep on talking to me. I wish he would leave me alone.
Use 'will' for requests, orders, invitations and offers. • Will you help me? • Will you please sit down? • Will you have some cake? • I'll help you.
Use 'will' for promises and threats. • I'll do it at once. I'll phone him immediately. • I'll remember this. I'll get my own back some day.
Use 'will' for insistence. • He will insist on smoking cigars during the meeting and it makes me ill. • He won't listen to reason.
Use 'will' for habit. • A cat will always find a warm place to sleep. • My car won't go any faster than this.
Use 'will' for deduction. • The phone's ringing. That will be Mark. • I expect he'll want us to start without him.
Look again at all of these examples of 'will'. They are all to do with the present or are 'timeless'.
Shall
'Shall' is fairly rare in modern English, particularly in American English.
We can use it to make offers and suggestions and to ask for advice. • Shall I open the window? • Shall we start the meeting? • What time shall we start? • What dress shall I wear?
That is really all you need to know about 'shall' in modern English. Only read the rest of this if you want to know more about how some older speakers still use 'shall'.
In older grammar, 'shall' was used as an alternative to 'will' with 'I' and 'we'. Today, 'will' is normally used. When we do use 'shall', it has an idea of a more personal, subjective future. • I shall go to see the boss and I shall ask him to explain this decision.
Notice that the negative of 'shall' can be 'shall not' or 'shan't' – though the second one is now very rare in American English. • I don't like these people and I shall not go to their party. • I shan't object if you go without me.
The Imperative
We can use the imperative to give a direct order. • Take that chewing gum out of your mouth. • Stand up straight. • Give me the details.
We can use the imperative to give instructions. • Open your book. • Take two tablets every evening. • Take a left and then a right.
We can use the imperative to make an invitation. • Come in and sit down. Make yourself at home. • Please start without me. I'll be there shortly. • Have a piece of this cake. It's delicious.
We can use the imperative on signs and notices. • Push. • Do not use. • Insert one dollar.
We can use the imperative to give friendly informal advice. • Speak to him. Tell him how you feel. • Have a quiet word with her about it. • Don't go. Stay at home and rest up. Get some sleep and recover.
We can make the imperative 'more polite' by adding 'do'. • Do be quiet. • Do come. • Do sit down.
Voice
We use the active form to say what the subject does. • He drove the car yesterday. • I clean my house once a week.
We use the passive form to say what happens to the subject. • The car was driven by somebody else yesterday. • The house was cleaned only yesterday
Sometimes when we use the passive we do not know who did the action. • My watch was made in Switzerland. • My car has been damaged.
Sometimes we know who did something but it is not as important as what was done. • It was sent by Harry yesterday. • I was told by Sarah.
Often we use the passive to bring the topic we are interested in to the front of the sentence. • The vegetables are all grown by local farmers. • This door should be replaced when you have time.
Notice that the correct form is ' I was born' (not 'I am born'. • I was born in 1987 • You were born in the same year as me.
Notice that the passive of 'doing' is 'being done'. • I don't like you staring at me. • I don't like being stared at.

• I hate people talking to me in clubs. • I hate being talked to in clubs.
When things happen or change, and especially in informal English, you can use 'get' instead of 'be' in the passive. • There was an accident but nobody was hurt • There was an accident but nobody got hurt

• I was offered the job but I didn't take it. • I got offered the job but I didn't take it.
The –ing form
The –ing form can be used like a noun, like an adjective or like a verb. • Smoking is forbidden. • I have a long working day. • I don't like dancing.
When it is used like a noun it may or may not have an article before it. • Marketing is a very inexact science. • The marketing of the product will continue for a few months yet.
It can also be part of a 'noun phrase'. • Speaking to an audience is always stressful. • Swimming after work is very relaxing.
In formal English, we would use a possessive with the –ing form. In informal English, many people do not. • I'm angry about his missing the meeting. • I'm angry about him missing the meeting. • Do you mind my coming? • Do you mind me coming?
As an adjective, the –ing form can be used before a noun. • I was met by a welcoming party at the airport. • Let's go to the meeting room.
The –ing form is used after prepositions. • Before leaving, you need to speak to Sarah. • After discussing it with her, I've changed my mind. • Instead of feeling sorry for yourself, do some work for charity.
Notice that when 'to' is used as a preposition, it is followed by the –ing form. • I don't object to working this Sunday. • I'm looking forward to seeing him again. • I'm used to working long hours.
There are many verb + -ing combinations. Here are some common ones: • I admit telling her. • I appreciate having the raise. • I avoid speaking to him. • I consider blowing your nose in public to be wrong. • I delayed coming until the last possible moment. • He denied telling her. • I detest going to parties. • I dislike speaking in public. • I enjoy dancing. • I feel like having a party. • I've finished writing the report. • I've given up going to the gym. • I can't help thinking about it. • I can't imagine ever leaving this company. • I don't mind doing that. • He put off talking to her as long as he could. • I can't stand drinking beer.
Some verbs can be followed by either the infinitive or –ing form but with different meanings. Here are some common ones: • I stopped smoking last month. (I no longer smoke.) • I stopped to smoke a cigarette. (I stopped what I was doing and had a cigarette.) • I remember telling him. (A memory of the past.) • I must remember to tell him. (Something to remember for the future.) • I'm interested in finding out more details. (Interested about the future.) • I was interested to read his report. (Interested about the past.)
Some verbs can be followed by either the infinitive or –ing form but with the same meaning.
Here are some common ones: • I love to go shopping. • I love going shopping. • I'm afraid to fly. • I'm afraid of flying. • I started to learn English 5 years ago. • I started learning English 5 years ago.
Pearson's comment:
This is a complicated area of grammar. (In my experience, many English teachers feel unsure about teaching this area!) Keep a little notebook and write down 'real' examples of the -ing form that you see.
Can
We use 'can' to talk about 'possibility'. • Can you do that? • I can't manage to do that. • You can leave your car in that parking space. • You cannot smoke in here.
Notice that there are two negative forms: 'can't' and 'cannot'. These mean exactly the same thing. When we are speaking, we usually say 'can't'.
We use 'can' to talk about 'ability'. • I can speak French. • I can't drive.
We use 'can' to ask for and give permission. (We also use 'may' for this but is more formal and much less common.) • Can I speak to you or are you too busy? • You can use my phone. • You can't come in.
We use 'can' in offers, requests and instructions. • Can I help? • Can you give me a hand? • When you finish that, you can take out the garbage.
We use 'can' with 'see' 'hear' 'feel' 'smell' 'taste' to talk about something which is happening now . (Where you would use the present continuous with most other verbs.) • I can smell something burning. • Can you hear that noise? • I can't see anything.
We can use 'can't' for deduction. The opposite of 'can't' in this context is 'must'. • You can't be hungry. You've just eaten. • You must be hungry. You haven't eaten anything all day. • He was in London one hour ago when I spoke to him. He can't be here yet. • When I was living in Boston, I could walk to work. • He phoned to say he couldn't come. • I could see him clearly but I couldn't hear him and then the videoconference line went dead.
'Could'
'Could' is used to make polite requests. We can also use 'can' for these but 'could' is more polite. • Could you help me, please? • Could you lend me some money? • Could I have a lift? • Could I bother you for a moment?
If we use 'could' in reply to these requests, it suggests that we do not really want to do it. If you agree to the request, it is better to say 'can' • Of course I can. • I could help you if it's really necessary but I'm really busy right now. • I could lend you some money but I'd need it back tomorrow without fail. • I could give you a lift as far as Birmingham.
'Could' is used to talk about theoretical possibility and is similar in meaning to 'might'. • It could rain later. Take an umbrella. • He could be there by now. • Could he be any happier? • It could be Sarah's.
May
We can use 'may' to ask for permission. However this is rather formal and not used very often in modern spoken English. • May I leave now? • May I borrow your dictionary? • May we think about it until tomorrow?
We use 'may' to suggest something is possible. • Philip may come to stay with us • I may not have time to do it straightaway. • It may snow later today.
Might
We use 'might' to suggest a small possibility of something. Often we read that 'might' suggests a smaller possibility that 'may', there is in fact little difference and 'might is more usual than 'may' in spoken English. • It might rain this afternoon. • She might be at home by now but it's not sure at all. • I might not have time to go to the shops for you. • I might not go.
For the past, we use 'might have'. • He might have tried to call you while you were out. • I might have left it in the taxi.
Should
We use 'should' for giving advice. • You should speak to him about it. • You should see a doctor. • You should ask a lawyer.
We use 'should' to give an opinion or a recommendation. • We should invest more in China. • They should do something about this terrible train service. • He should resign.
'Should' expresses a personal opinion and is much weaker and more personal than 'must' or 'have to'. It is often introduced by ' I think'. • I think they should replace him. • I don't think they should keep the contract. • Do you think I should tell her?
Must and Have to
We can use 'must' to show that we are certain something is true. We are making a logical deduction based upon some clear evidence or reason. • There's no heating on. You must be freezing. • You must be worried that she is so late coming home. • I can't remember what I did with it. I must be getting old. • It must be nice to live in Florida.

We also use 'must' to express a strong obligation. When we use 'must' this usually means that some personal circumstance makes the obligation necessary (and the speaker almost certainly agrees with the obligation.) • I must go to bed earlier. • They must do something about it. • You must come and see us some time. • I must say, I don't think you were very nice to him.
We can also use 'have to' to express a strong obligation. When we use 'have to' this usually means that some external circumstance makes the obligation necessary. • I have to arrive at work at 9 sharp. My boss is very strict. • We have to give him our answer today or lose out on the contract. • You have to pass your exams or the university will not accept you. • I have to send a report to Head Office every week.
In British English, we often use 'have got to' to mean the same as 'have to'. • I've got to take this book back to the library or I'll get a fine. • We've got to finish now as somebody else needs this room.
We can also use ' will have to' to talk about strong obligations. Like 'must' this usually means that that some personal circumstance makes the obligation necessary. (Remember that 'will' is often used to show 'willingness'.) • I'll have to speak to him. • We'll have to have lunch and catch up on all the gossip. • They'll have to do something about it. • I'll have to get back to you on that.
As you can see, the differences between the present forms are sometimes very small and very subtle. However, there is a huge difference in the negative forms.
We use 'mustn't' to express strong obligations NOT to do something. • We mustn't talk about it. It's confidential. • I mustn't eat chocolate. It's bad for me. • You mustn't phone me at work. We aren't allowed personal calls. • They mustn't see us talking or they'll suspect something.
We use 'don't have to' (or 'haven't got to' in British English) to state that there is NO obligation or necessity. • We don't have to get there on time. The boss is away today. • I don't have to listen to this. I'm leaving. • You don't have to come if you don't want to. • He doesn't have to sign anything if he doesn't want to at this stage. • I haven't got to go. Only if I want to.
Zero Conditional
When we want to talk about things that are always or generally true, we can use
If/When/Unless plus a present form PLUS present simple or imperative. • If you press this button, you get black coffee. • When you fly budget airline, you don't expect to get anything to eat. • Unless you need a lot of leg-room, don't pay the extra for first class.
Notice that we are talking about something which is generally true, not a specific event.
In the condition clause, there can be a variety of present forms. In the result clause, there can only be the present simple or imperative. • If you visit Barcelona, look out for the spectacular architecture. • If unemployment is rising, people tend to stay in their present jobs. • If you've finished everything, go home. • When you go to Barbados, take plenty of sun cream. • When I'm working, please be quiet. • When I've written a new article, I run it through my spell-checker.
Notice that 'unless' means the same as 'if not'. • Unless he asks you to continue, stop all work on the project. • Unless interest rates are rising, it's not a good investment. • Unless you've been to Tokyo yourself, you don't really understand how fantastic it is.
First Conditional
We use the First Conditional to talk about future events that are likely to happen. • If we take John, he'll be really pleased. • If you give me some money, I'll pay you back tomorrow. • If they tell us they want it, we'll have to give it to them. • If Mary comes, she'll want to drive.
The 'if' clause can be used with different present forms. • If I go to New York again, I'll buy you a souvenir from the Empire State Building. • If he's feeling better, he'll come. • If she hasn't heard the bad news yet, I'll tell her.
The "future clause" can contain 'going to' or the future perfect as well as 'will'. • If I see him, I'm going to tell him exactly how angry I am. • If we don't get the contract, we'll have wasted a lot of time and money.
The "future clause" can also contain other modal verbs such as 'can' and 'must'. • If you go to New York, you must have the cheesecake in Lindy's. • If he comes, you can get a lift home with him.
Second Conditional
We can use the Second Conditional to talk about 'impossible' situations. • If I had one million dollars, I'd give a lot to charity. • If there were no more hungry people in this world, it would be a much better place. • If we were in New York today, we would be able to go to the free Elton John concert in Central Park.
Notice that after I / he/ she /it we often use the subjunctive form 'were' and not 'was'. (Some people think that 'were' is the only 'correct' form but other people think 'was' is equally 'correct' .) • If I were in Tokyo, I'd have sushi every day. • If she were really happy in her job, she'd be working much harder. • If IBM were to enter our market, we would have big problems.
Notice the form 'If I were you' which is often used to give advice. • If I were you, I'd change my job. • If I were you, I'd sign up for Pearson's fantastic English lessons.
We can also use the Second Conditional to talk about 'unlikely' situations. • If I won the lottery, I'd buy my parents a big house. • If I went to the moon, I'd bring back some moon rock. • If you met him, you'd really like him.
Notice that the choice between the first and the second conditional is often a question of the speaker's attitude rather than of facts. For example, consider two people Peter Pessimist and Otto Optimist. • Otto – If I win the lottery, I'll buy a big house. • Peter – If I won the lottery, I'd buy a big house. • Otto – If I get promoted, I'll throw a big party. • Peter – If I got promoted, I'd throw a big party. • Otto – If my team win the Cup, I'll buy champagne for everybody. • Peter – If my team won the Cup, I'd buy champagne for everybody.
Notice that the 'If clause' can contain the past simple or the past continuous. • If I was still living in Brighton, I would commute by train. • If they were thinking of coming, they would let us know. • If she were coming, she would be here by now.
Notice that the main clause can contain 'would' 'could' or 'might. • If I met him again, I wouldn't recognize him. • If we met up for lunch one day, I could take you to that new restaurant. • If I spoke to him directly, we might be able to reach an agreement.
Also notice that sometimes the 'if clause' is implied rather than spoken. • What would I do without you? ("if you stopped working here") • Where would I get one at this time of night? ("if I went looking for one") • He wouldn't agree. ("if we asked him")
Third Conditional
We can use the Third Conditional to talk about 'impossible' conditions, impossible because they are in the past and we cannot change what has happened. • If I had worked harder at school, I would have got better grades. • If I had had time, I would have gone to see him. But I didn't have time. • If we had bought that house, we would have had to rebuild the kitchen. • If we had caught the earlier train, we would have got there on time but we were late.
Notice that the main clause can contain 'would' 'could' or 'might. • If I had seen him at the meeting, I would have asked him. (But he wasn't there so I didn't.) • If I had seen him at the meeting, I could have asked him. ( But he wasn't there so it wasn't possible.) • If I had seen him at the meeting, I might have asked him. (But I'm not sure. Perhaps if the opportunity had arisen.) • If I had paid more attention in class, I would have understood the lesson.
Also notice that sometimes the 'if clause' is implied rather than spoken. • I'd have done it. ("if you had asked me but you didn't.") • I wouldn't have said that. ("if I'd been there.") • He wouldn't have let him get away with that. ("if he had tried that with me.")
Wish
Let's start off with the easy part. ' I wish to' can mean the same as 'I want to' but it is much, much more formal and much, much less common. • I wish to make a complaint. • I wish to see the manager.
You can also use 'wish' with a noun to 'offer good wishes'. • We wish you a merry Christmas. • I wish you all the best in your new job.
Notice that when you want to offer good wishes using a verb, you must use 'hope ' and not 'wish'. • We wish you the best of luck. • We hope you have the best of luck. • I wish you a safe and pleasant journey. • I hope you have a safe and pleasant journey.
However, the main use of 'wish' is to say that we would like things to be different from what they are, that we have regrets about the present situation. • I wish I was rich. • He wishes he lived in Paris. • They wish they'd chosen a different leader.
Notice that the verb tense which follows 'I wish' is 'more in the past' than the tense corresponding to its meaning. • I'm too fat. I wish I was thin. • I never get invited to parties. I wish I got invited to parties. • It's raining. I wish it wasn't raining. • I went to see the latest Star Wars film. I wish I hadn't gone. • I've eaten too much. I wish I hadn't eaten so much. • I'm going to visit her later. I wish I wasn't going to visit her later.
In the case of 'will' , where 'will' means 'show willingness' we use 'would'. • He won't help me. I wish he would help me. • You're making too much noise. I wish you would be quiet. • You keep interrupting me. I wish you wouldn't do that.
Where 'will' means a future event, we cannot use 'wish' and must use 'hope'. • There's a strike tomorrow. I hope some buses will still be running • I hope everything will be fine in your new job.
In more formal English, we use the subjunctive form 'were' and not 'was' after 'wish'. • I wish I were taller. • I wish it were Saturday today. • I wish the options were a little clearer.english