CONDITIONALS

The "conditional" is made with would + infinitive (without to). In the first person, should is possible instead of would, the meaning is the same, and both are usually correct.
.........I should/would return ................... we should/would return
.........You/he/she/it/they would return
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In a conversational style, 'd is used as a contraction of should/would, and there are also contracted negative forms with –n't.
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I'd hurry up if I were you.
Your mother'd be furious if she could see you now.
I knew he wouldn't understand.
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The conditional can also have progressive, perfect and passive forms.
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I thought you would be working today.
I would have told you if I'd realized you didn't know.
If Peter hadn't phoned I'd have been sitting in the house watching TV when the bomb went off.
You'd be invited to more parties if you smiled more often.
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Progressive passive conditional forms (like she would be being interviewed) are possible but very unusual.
Modal verbs like can, may, must have no infinitives, and therefore no conditional forms; the infinitives of other verbs are used instead: would be able to, would be allowed to, would have to. (However, could can be used like a conditional)
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The "conditional" gets its name from its use in sentences with if. However, this is not the only way in which we use the conditional. It is found:
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a in sentences with if, and similar words.
...I wouldn't go there if I didn't have to.
...Supposing war broke out, what would you do?
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b instead of shall or will in "reported speech" after a past "reporting" verb.
...I explained that I should need help.
...Lucy insisted that she'd be all right the next morning.
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c to express the idea of "future" in the past
...I looked at the pile of work I had left. It wouldn’t be easy to get it finished by six o’clock.
...I should have to work very fast.
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d with verbs such as like, prefer, to make polite requests and offers.
....I would like a cup of tea......................Would you prefer beer or wine?
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Do not confuse the conditional with other uses of would and should. For instance, would can be used to talk about past habits (but then the first person is always I would, never I should).
....She would always dress up when she was expecting visitors.
....You shouldn’t use your plate as an ashtray.
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In subordinate clauses, a past tense is often used instead of a conditional.
.....If I had a lot of money, I would do what I liked. (Not:.. what I would like).
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FIRST CONDITIONAL
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If + present simple, will / won’t + infinitive
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Use
To Talk about a future possibility and its consequence.
Example:
If I see her, I’ll tell her.
Phone me if you get home before 6:00 P.M.
She won’t wear it if she doesn’t like it.
Notes / Problems:
Unless can be used with a (+) verb instead of if…not, e.g.
She won’t wear it unless she likes it.
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We don’t use usually use will or shall in the if-clause to refer to the future. A present tense is used instead.
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....If I have enough money next year, I will go to Japan.
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However, will can be used in the if-clause with the meaning of willingness or insistence (not futurity).
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.... If you will come this way, I’ll take you to the manager’s office.
....If you will get drunk every night, it’s not surprising you feel ill.
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In sentences with if, we can either use some (something, somewhere, etc) or any (anything, anywhere, etc.) Some gives a slightly more ‘positive’ meaning, but there is not very much difference.
....If I have some spare time next weekend we’ll go fishing. (or: …any spare time)
....If we catch any fish we’ll have them for dinner. (or: some fish…)
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SECOND CONDITIONAL
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If + past simple, would / wouldn’t + infinitive
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Use
To talk about an imaginary present or future situation and its consequences.
Example:
If I had a lot of money, I'd buy a big house.
I he was richer, he'd be happier.
Notes / Problems:
(= but I'm poor so I can't.)
I'd = I would
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With the verb be, you can use was or were for I and he / she / it, e.g.
If I / he was rich… or If I / he were rich…
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To talk about "unreal or improbable" present and future situations, we use the following structure:
....In the if-clause: past tense
....In the main clause: conditional (would + infinitive)
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Either the if-clause or the main clause can come first.
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If I got rich I'd travel round the world.
If I had longer holidays I would be perfectly happy.
If I had a car things would be fine.
I would like you better if you were quieter.
If I knew her name I would tell you.
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The past tense + conditional structure is also used with if to make a suggestion sound less definite, more tentative (for instance, if we want to be more polite).
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....It would be nice if you helped me a little with the housework.
....Would it be all right if I came round at about seven?
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Would is not usually possible in the if-clause (you cannot say 'if I would become president…), but it can be used in requests to express willingness.
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....I should be grateful if you would reply as soon as possible. ( = … if you were willing to reply…)
....If you would come this way…
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Were is often used instead of was after if, especially in a formal style, and in the expression If I were you…
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....If my nose were a little shorter I would be quite pretty.
....If I were you I'd start packing now.
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THIRD CONDITIONAL
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If + past perfect, would / wouldn’t have + past participle
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Use
To speculate about something that happened in the past and how it could have been different.
Example:
If I’d worked harder, I would have passed the exam.
You wouldn’t have been late if you’d got up earlier.
Note / Problems:
(= but I didn’t work hard so I didn’t pass it.)
You can use could or might instead of would.
Don’t use would have after if.
Not: if you would have got up earlier.
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When we want to talk about things that did not happen in the past (imagining what would have happened if things had been different), we use the structure if + past perfect, with the perfect conditional
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....If you had worked harder last year, you would probably have passed the exam.
....If you had asked me I would have told you the whole story.
....I don’t know what would have happened if Jane hadn't been able to speak Greek.
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Could and might can replace would in conditional structures. In this case, could means would be able to, and might means would perhaps or would just possibly.
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....If I had another U$500, I could buy a car.
....If you asked me nicely, I might take you out to lunch.
....If my parents hadn't been poor I could have gone to university.
....If the illness had been diagnosed a day earlier it might have made all the difference.