What is Conditional sentence ?

• If I were a bird, I would fly across the sky.
Seen from the above mentioned sentence, it is actually formed from two clauses. They are:
1. I were a bird -> the requirement
2. I would fly across the sky -> the result achieved when the requirement (clause 1) is fulfilled.
To combine those two clauses to be one sentence (conditional sentence) we need the word “if” here. Actually, conditional sentence can be divided into 3 major types, they are:
1. Type I
This type is used to reveal something that possibly happen. The pattern is as below:
If + S + Verb1, S + will + Infinitive / S + will + Infinitive + if + S + Verb1
Example: 1. If you go to the cinema, you will see her.
2. You will need to wash your bike if you ride it under the rain.

**Note: this type of sentence is usually used when we expect/ focus on/for something for the future.
2. Type II
This one is used when there is only a very small possibility to get the situation achieved.
If + S + Verb2, S + would + infinitive/ S + would + infinitive + if + verb2
Example: 1. If she did her homework, mother would let her go out.
2. He would win the tournament if he practiced harder.
**Note: this one is used when we focus/ regret for/on something in the present
3. Type III
When we regret something in the past or hoping that something should have been done sometime before the past, we can use this type of conditional sentence. Hereunder is the pattern:
If + S + had + Verb3, S + would + have + Verb3/ S + would + have + Verb3, If + S + had + Verb3
Example: 1. If they had studied harder, they would have got a better score in the test.
2. We would have won the trophy if we had played better in the first round of the league.
**Note: this one is used when we focus on condition in the past.