Grammar 2

Conditionals

Zero conditional

• Present real

• Used to express fact, rule, method, etc.

• If = when

• If you heat water to 100 degrees, it starts boiling.

  • If + present simple, present simple

First conditional

• Present real

• Describes real or possible situations in the present or future

• If you take these pills, you will feel better.

  • If + present simple, will + infinitive

Second conditional

• Present unreal

• Describes unreal, imaginary situations in the present or future

• If I had your brain, I would work in research.

  • If + past simple, would + infinitive

• If I were you, I would leave the experiment for another time.

Third conditional

• Past unreal

• Describes unreal, imaginary situations in the past

• If I had studied more, I would have passed the exam.

  • If + past perfect, would + present perfect

Mixed conditional

• Third conditional combined with second conditional

• Third conditional for an unreal situation in the past

• Second conditional for an unreal present situation

• If I had studied more, I would be prepared for today's exam.

  • If + past perfect, would + infinitive

Passive voice

Structure:

• Subject + verb to be (in appropriate tense form) + 3rd form of the content verb

Examples:

Active:

I wrote the thesis.

I have written the thesis.

I will write the thesis.

I’m writing the thesis.

Passive:

The thesis was written.

The thesis have been written.

The thesis will be written.

The thesis is being written.

• Verbs believe, expect, know, report, say, think, suppose, and understand are used in present simple passive and followed by infinitive

Quantifiers

• Large quantities:

  • Many, much, a lot, a number of, plenty of

• Small quantities:

  • Few, a few, little, a little, a bit of

• Zero quantity:

  • None, no

• More than you need:

  • Too much, too many

• Less than you need:

  • Not enough

• Countable nouns (How many?)

  • few

  • a few

  • many

  • a number of

  • too many

• Uncountable (How much?)

  • much

  • little

  • a little

  • a bit of

  • too much

• Both (How much/How many?)

  • a lot

  • not enough

  • plenty of

Rules:

• Many and much - mostly in negative (-) sentences or questions (?)

• A lot of – in affirmative sentences (+)

• A few/a little – some, but not a lot

• Few/little – not much/many