• We use Conditional Zero to explain the logical consequences of an action.
ie: If you don’t water the plants, they die.
-Pattern conditional zero: If + v- in present simple / present simple.
• We use the First Conditional to talk about the result of a possible situation in
the future.
ie: If you run, you´ll be on time.
-Pattern First Conditional: If + V- in present simple / future simple (will+ v- in
base form)
-We can also use “unless” in the First Conditional. Unless means “ a menys que
/si no”.
ie: You will be punished unless you apologize.
-In every conditional the If clause expresses the cause and the second clause
expresses the consequence. The If clause can also be in the second part of the
sentence, then we don’t write the comma.
-In the First Conditional, to do the negative form, we use don’t / doesn’t in the if
clause (cause) and won’t in the second clause (consequence).
ie: If you don’t answer these questions correctly, you won’t pass this exam.
cause consequence
• We use the Second Conditional to talk about imaginary or unreal situations
in the present and future and their results.
-The Second Conditional is less probable to happen than the First Conditional.
-Pattern: If + v- in past tense /would + v – in base form
ie: If he asked me, I’d go to the party with him.
-In the Second Conditional to do the negative form, we use didn’t + verb in base
form in the if clause (cause) and wouldn’t in the second clause (consequence).
ie: If I didn’t trust you, I wouldn’t tell you this secret.
-Sometimes we use “were” instead of “was” in Second Conditional sentences.
ie: If I were rich, I would buy a football club.
• We use the Third Conditional to imagine the consequences of an action which
in the past that it didn’t happen.
pattern: If + had + v-past participle / would have + v-past participle
ie: If I had known you were ill , I would have visited you.
• If only or I wish… are used to talk about things we aren’t happy about and and we
would like to change. We use them with the verb in Past Simple tense.
ie: I wish I had a Porsche.
• We use If only / I wish… + past perfect to talk about past situations that we regret.
ie: I wish I had visited the Statue of Liberty in New York.
DIRECT SPEECH REPORTED SPEECH
Present Simple Past Simple
“I like football” She said that she liked football
Present Continuous Past Continuous
“We’re looking at a website”
They said that they were looking
at a website.
Be going to (present) Be going to (past)
“I’m going to buy a piano” He said that he was going to buy
a piano.
Past Simple Past Perfect
“You played really well” She said that I had played really
well.
Present Perfect Past Perfect
“I’ve bought you a present” He said that he had bought me a
present.
Will Would
“I will be late” She said that she would be late
Can Could
“You can borrow my CD.” He said that I could borrow his
CD.
Must / Have to Had to
“I must tell you a secret” She said that she had to tell me a
secret.
• We use the Reported Speech to report what someone has said.
• Say and Tell are the most common verbs to do the Reported Speech.
• We use tell + direct object . ie : She told me that she wouldn’t come.
• We can use “say” without complement, but if we want to specify it, we must add To.
ie: She said that she wouln’t come.
ie: She said to me that she wouldn’t come.
• There are other reporting verbs such as : explain, insist, predict,complain, reply, joke,
promise, order, invite, offer, admit, refuse, convince...
• When we change from Direct Speech to Reported Speech we also need to change the
personal pronouns, the object pronouns and the time adverbs.
TIME ADVERBS
now---------------------------------- then
today / tonight --------------------------------- that day / that night
yesterday---------------------------- the day before, the previous day
tomorrow---------------------------- the following day
next (week,year)-------------------- the following week, year
last ( week, year)-------------------- the previous week, year / the week before
this ------------------------------------ that
• When we report a question, we change the word order so that it reflects the struc-
ture of an affirmative sentence. We don’t use the auxiliary do / did in reported
questions.
ie: Where do you live? He asked me where I lived.
• When we report yes / no questions we use if or whether.
ie: Do you get up early in the morning? He asked me if I got up early in the
morning.
• In reported commands and requests, we use the subject +base form+ object + to /
not to + verb in base form).
ie: Joe, don’t come late at night. She begged / asked me not to come late at night.
