Something that could happen is not necessarily something that must happen. Now, letвЂ™s look at the way вЂњcould,вЂќ вЂњshould,вЂќ and вЂњwouldвЂќ are used in conditionals:Д¬ould:В вЂњCouldвЂќ is used to express possibility. (вЂњ If Christopher Columbus had not sailed to America, someone else eventually would have.вЂќ) Just not very likely at all.) The third conditional deals with causes and effects that were possible in the past, but did not actually happen. ( вЂњIf I magically grew wings, I would be able to fly.вЂќ Since it is in theory possible that magic exists, this is possible. ( вЂњIf itвЂ™s sunny tomorrow, weвЂ™ll go to the beach.вЂќ) Second conditional statements mention causes and effects that are possible in theory, but are unlikely. ( вЂњWhen the temperature drops below 0 Centigrade, water freezes.вЂќ) The first conditional deals with predictions of future cause and effect.

The zero conditional deals with real cause and effect, things that really do happen. The four conditionals deal with four different kinds of cause and effect. Then weвЂ™ll look at three modal verbs that are common in conditional statements: вЂњcould,вЂќ вЂњshould,вЂќ and вЂњwould.вЂќ

IвЂ™ll give you a brief review of these four conditionals.

As Kate says, there are four types of conditionals: the zero, first, second, and third conditionals ( click here for a special grammar lesson on the third conditional). Kate has written a very good overview of conditional statements for this blog. By David Recine on Febru, UPDATED ON December 10, 2020, in English GrammarД¬onditional statements are statements are sentences that express cause and effect.

Be in second conditional exercises