Conditional Clause and Main Clause
If I have enough money,
conditional clause
I will go to Japan.
main clause
I will go to Japan,
main clause
if I have enough money
conditional clause
First, Second, and Third Conditional
1. First conditional:
If I have enough money, I will go to Japan.
2. Second conditional:
If I had enough money, I would go to Japan.
3. Third conditional:
If I had had enough money, I would have gone to Japan.
Conditional clause
Main clause
1. If + Present Tense
will + inf / present tense / imperative
If you help me with the dishes, I will help you with your homework.
If the sum of the digits of a number is divisible by three, the number is divisible by three (Present tense)
If you see Mr Fox tonight, tell him I am ill. (imperative).
2. If + Past Tense
would + inf / present tense
3. If + Past Perfect Tense
would have + past participle
We do not normally use will or would in the conditional clause, only in the main clause.
Uses of the Conditional
First conditional
Nature: Open condition, what is said in the condition is possible.
Time: This condition refers either to present or to future time.
example
If he is late, we will have to go without him.
If my mother knows about this, we are in serious trouble.
Second conditional
Nature: unreal (impossible) or improbable situations.
Time: present; the TENSE is past, but we are talking about the present, now.
example
If I knew her name, I would tell you.
If I were you, I would tell my father.
Third conditional
Nature: unreal
Time: Past (so we are talking about a situation that was not so in the past.)
example
If you had warned me, I would not have told your father about that party. (But you didn't, and I have).
Remember!
The conditional construction does not normally use will or wouldin if-clauses.
EXCEPTION: If will or would express willingness, as in requests, they can be used in if-clauses.
example
If you will come this way, the manager will see you now.
I would be grateful if you would give me a little help.
(= ± please, come this way; please, give me...)
For the second conditional, were replaces was :
example
If I were a rich man...
After if, we can either use "some(-one, -where...)" or "any(-one, -where...).
example
If I have some spare time next weekend....or :
If I have any spare time...
Instead of if not, we can use unless.
example
I'll be back tomorrow unless there is a plane strike.
He'll accept the job unless the salary is too low.
There is a "mixed type" as well, for the present results of an unreal condition in the past :
If + Past Perfect - would + inf.
If you had warned me [then], I would not be in prison [now].
Source : http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/conditional2.htm
