Smiley, Texas TESOL Online & Teaching English Jobs

Conditionals and reported speech are tricky for native English speakers as well as foreign learners! Here are the different types of conditionals: Zero conditional states facts that are true and don't depend on time. For example, "if you eat too many jelly beans, you get a stomach ache" or "when you strike a match, a flame appears." The typical form a zero conditional takes is: if + present tense, present tense. First conditional is used to talk about a situation in the future and a probable outcome. For example, "if you study for the test, you will get a good grade" or "if you go outside without a jacket tomorrow, you will be cold." The form of a first conditional looks like this: if + present simple, will. Second conditionals are used to describe a hypothetical or unreal situation. For example, "If I had a million dollars, I would buy you a house on the beach" or "I would go to the 1800's if I had a time machine." The form of a second conditional is as follows: if + past simple, would + base verb. Third conditionals are used to reflect both backward and forwards to see a different outcome. For example, "If I had studied for the test, I would have gotten a better grade" or "If I had known better, I wouldn't have married him!" The form of a third conditional looks like this: if + past perfect, would + have + past participle. Finally, mixed conditionals are used to refer to the past and share a hypothetical present solution. An example might be, "If I had started playing basketball when I was three, I would be in the NBA." The most common form for a mixed conditional is: if + past perfect, would +base verb. Another skill for students to learn is reporting, which is sharing information that you heard from someone else. In reporting, the verb form and pronouns can change, depending on when it was reported and who is reporting.