English Conditionals, Time Clauses & Wish Clauses — Rules & Examples

Posted on Feb 27, 2026 in English

Conditionals, Time Clauses & Wish Clauses

Conditionals

Zero Conditional

General truths, scientific facts, or things that are always true.

Structure

If + present simple → present simple

Example: If you heat water to 100°C, it boils.

First Conditional

To talk about real and possible future situations.

If + present simple → will + infinitive

Example: If it rains tomorrow, we will stay at home.

Note: Use don’t / doesn’t; doesn’t is used with he, she, it.

Second Conditional

Hypothetical or unlikely situations in the present or future.

If + past simple → would + infinitive

Examples:

  • If I were you, I would study more. (Use were instead of was in formal English.)
  • If he won the lottery, he would buy a mansion.

* Were is used instead of was in formal English (“If I were…”).

Third Conditional

Unreal situations in the past (things that can’t be repaired).

If + past perfect → would have + past participle

Example: If they had left earlier, they would have caught the train.

Mixed Conditionals

Used when the time of the condition and the result are different.

Past condition → present result

If + past perfect → would + infinitive

Example: If I had studied medicine, I would be a doctor now.

Present condition → past result

If + past simple → would have + past participle

Example: If she were more responsible, she wouldn’t have forgotten the meeting.

Additional Conditional Structures

Unless

Unless means if not. It introduces a negative condition in a more natural way.

Examples:

  • You won’t pass the test unless you study. (= You won’t pass the test if you don’t study.)
  • I can’t help you unless you tell me the truth. (= I can’t help you if you don’t tell me the truth.)

*Unless is generally not used with negative verbs because it would create a double negative.

Provided (that) / Providing (that)

On the condition that. More formal than as long as.

Examples:

  • You can take the day off provided that you finish the report first.
  • I’ll come with you providing (that) you pay for the tickets.

Time Clauses

Time clauses are used to say when something happens. They often work like conditionals but use time expressions instead of if.

Common time conjunctions: when, while, before, after, as soon as, until, once, the moment.

Future time clauses

In time clauses referring to the future, we do not use will. We use present forms instead.

Examples:

  • I’ll call you when I arrive. (NOT: when I will arrive)
  • We’ll start the meeting as soon as the boss gets here.
  • Finish your homework before you go out.
  • Stay here until I come back.

Past time clauses

When talking about the past, we use past tenses normally. Examples:

  • When I arrived, they were already waiting.
  • After she had finished her work, she went to bed.

Wish Clauses

Wish + Past Simple (present regret or unreal situation)

Used to express that something is not true in the present and we want it to be different.

Examples:

  • I wish I had more free time. (But I don’t.)
  • I wish she were here. (But she isn’t.)

Wish + Would (annoying habits or future frustration)

Used to express annoyance or a desire for change in the future.

Examples:

  • I wish you would stop making noise.
  • I wish it would stop raining.

Wish + Past Perfect (regrets about the past)

Used for things we regret or wish had been different.

Examples:

  • I wish I had studied more for the exam.
  • I wish we had left earlier.

Alternatives — “If Only”

If only expresses a strong wish or regret. It emphasizes the feeling much more than I wish.

Examples:

  • If only I had more time! (= I really wish I had more time.)
  • If only he would listen! (= I’m annoyed because he doesn’t listen.)
  • If only I had told her the truth! (= I regret not telling her.)

assignment trabajo, tarea
attend asistir / ir a
attendance asistencia
back up apoyar / respaldar a
be into something gustar mucho / apasionar algo
be up to planear, tener en mente
bring up sacar (un tema), mencionar
cheat copiar; hacer trampas; engañar
cheat persona tramposa; engaño, estafa
cheating acto de copiar, trampa(s)
cheer up levantar el ánimo / animar (a)
compulsory obligatorio/a
count on contar con, confiar en
degree título, grado
drop out abandonar / dejar (los estudios)
enhance mejorar
enrolled inscrito/a, matriculado/a
expect esperar, tener la expectativa de que
expectation expectativa
expected previsto/a (it wasn’t ~: no era lo esperado)
expose exponer (a)
eye-catching llamativo/a, vistoso/a
field campo, sector
first-hand de primera mano, personal
force / obligar

forced forzado/a, obligado/a
forceful enérgico/a, fuerte
get around to sacar / encontrar tiempo para
get at querer decir, insinuar
get back recuperar
get by arreglárselas, salir adelante
glad contento/a (be ~: alegrarse de (que))
go over repasar
half-hearted tímido/a, que transmite poco entusiasmo
hand in entregar
hold back retener / frenar a
host acoger / alojar a
keep up seguir el ritmo, estar al día
kind-hearted bondadoso/a, que tiene buen corazón
leave out excluir, dejar fuera
long-lasting duradero/a
look back recordar; volver la vista atrás, pensar en el pasado
look up to admirar / respetar a
narrow-minded cerrado/a de mente, estrecho/a de miras
open-minded abierto/a de mente
outgoing extrovertido/a, sociable
part-time a tiempo parcial
punishment castigo
require requerir / necesitar (que)
requirement requisito

revise repasar
revised revisado/a
revision repaso
roommate compañero/a de habitación
scholarship beca
self-centred egocéntrico/a, egoísta
short-term a corto plazo, temporal
strong-willed tozudo/a, terco/a
stubborn testarudo/a, terco/a
think over pensar en, considerar
time-saving que ahorra tiempo
unfamiliar desconocido/a (be ~ with: no conocer, no estar familiarizado/a con)
well-behaved educado/a, formal (be ~: portarse bien)
well-paid bien pagado/a / remunerado/a