A Structure and Sample Paragraph
Real conditionals describe situations that are true, possible, expected, or realistically capable of happening.
They show a relationship between a condition and a result. The condition tells us what must happen first. The result tells us what happens, can happen, or will happen because of that condition.
If employees work from home, they save time on commuting.
If the company expands, it will hire more employees.
If demand continues to increase, the company may need to expand.
At CLB 9+, the result does not always need will. Different verb forms and modals allow us to communicate certainty, possibility, ability, obligation, and expected consequences.
→ regular or factual result
If employees work overtime this weekend, they will receive additional pay.
→ specific future possibility
If our city continues to grow, public transportation will need to expand as well. If more people use buses and trains, traffic congestion may decrease, particularly during rush hour. The city can accommodate more passengers if additional buses are added to busy routes, and commuters will have more options if new express services are introduced. If the government provides sufficient funding next year, several planned improvements could move forward sooner than expected. As long as these investments are carefully managed, residents should benefit from a more efficient transportation system.
CLB 9+ Tip: Real conditionals are not limited to if + present simple → will + verb.
The result can express:
certainty → will
possibility → may / might / could
ability → can
recommendation → should
necessity → need to / have to / must
B First Conditional
Use the first conditional for a real or possible future condition and its likely or expected result.
If housing prices continue to rise, more families will consider renting.
If the weather improves, construction will resume tomorrow.
The speaker does not know whether the condition will happen, but considers it a real possibility.
If the company will expand, it will hire more employees. ✗
The present simple can refer to the future after if.
If interest rates decrease, more people may apply for mortgages.
→ possibility
Could
If additional funding becomes available, the organization could expand its services.
→ possible result or opportunity
Can
If employees complete the training, they can apply for supervisory positions.
→ ability or opportunity
Should
If traffic continues to increase, the city should consider expanding public transportation.
→ recommendation
If your address changes, you have to update your information.
If the alarm sounds, employees must leave the building immediately.
The company will hire more employees if it expands.
When the if-clause comes first, use a comma. When it comes second, a comma is normally unnecessary.
CLB 9+ Tip: Do not automatically choose will. Ask what the result means:
will → expected result
may / might → possible result
could → possible opportunity or result
can → ability or opportunity
should → recommendation
must / have to → requirement
C Second Conditional
The second conditional is normally used for hypothetical, imaginary, or less realistic situations. It is important at CLB 9+ because it helps us contrast a real future possibility with a hypothetical alternative.
If public transportation were cheaper, more commuters would use it.
If I had more flexibility at work, I would take evening classes.
Although the condition uses the past simple, the meaning normally concerns the present or future.
→ real future possibility
If the company expanded, it would hire more employees.
→ hypothetical or less likely situation
→ the promotion is presented as realistically possible
If I got the promotion, I would move to Calgary.
→ the speaker is imagining the situation
If housing became more affordable, more young families might remain in the city.
could → hypothetical ability or possibility
might → uncertain hypothetical result
In formal and careful English, were is commonly used instead of was in hypothetical conditions.
If the building were larger, the organization could offer more programs.
CLB 9+ Tip: The difference between the first and second conditional is not simply present tense vs. past tense.
It communicates the speaker's perspective:
If it happens... → real possibility
If it happened... → imagined or less likely possibility
D Mixed Real Conditionals
At CLB 9+, real conditional sentences can combine different result forms depending on the time, certainty, and consequence being expressed.
The clauses do not always need matching time references.
The condition is realistic, but the result is uncertain.
The condition is possible, while could emphasizes an opportunity rather than a guaranteed result.
One condition can lead to several different types of results.
could decrease → possible outcome
will need to develop → expected necessity
CLB 9+ Tip: Do not force every result into the same modal structure. Advanced conditional sentences often combine different modals because each consequence has a different degree of certainty or necessity.
E Other Real Conditional Forms
Real conditions can be expressed with several structures besides if.
Unless means approximately if not.
If you do not submit the application by Friday, it will not be considered.
Avoid unnecessary double negatives.
Unless you don't submit the application... ✗
when the intended meaning is “if you do not submit it”
Use as long as when a result is possible only while a particular condition is satisfied.
You may use the equipment as long as you follow the safety procedures.
It often means on the condition that.
These expressions introduce a condition that must be satisfied before something else can happen.
Employees may change their schedules providing that their supervisors agree.
These structures are especially useful in formal and professional English.
Only if introduces a necessary condition.
This means that increasing demand is required for the expansion to happen.
The company will expand only if demand increases.
Only if places stronger emphasis on the requirement.
Use even if when the result remains true regardless of whether the condition happens.
Even if the company offers higher salaries, some employees may decide to leave.
Use in case when someone prepares for a possible future situation.
Bring additional identification in case the officer requests it.
→ Call only when the problem occurs.
Take my number in case there is a problem.
→ Prepare now because a problem is possible later.
For formal future conditions, should can replace if.
This means:
If you require additional information, please contact our office.
CLB 9+ Tip: Structures such as provided that, only if, and should + subject are especially useful for formal workplace communication, reports, policies, notices, and professional correspondence.
F Key Points to Remember
| Meaning | Common Structure | Example |
| Regular / factual result | if + present → present | If demand rises, prices increase. |
| Real future result | if + present → will | If demand rises, prices will increase. |
| Future possibility | if + present → may / might | If demand rises, prices may increase. |
| Possible opportunity | if + present → could | If funding increases, services could expand. |
| Ability | if + present → can | If you qualify, you can apply. |
| Recommendation | if + present → should | If costs rise, we should review the budget. |
| Requirement | if + present → must / have to | If the alarm sounds, employees must leave. |
| Hypothetical contrast | if + past → would | If funding increased, services would expand. |
Do not memorize only:
At CLB 9+, you should be comfortable with:
If X happens, Y may happen.
If X happens, Y could happen.
If X happens, Y can happen.
If X happens, we should do Y.
If X happens, we may need to do Y.
If X happens, we must do Y.
The grammar changes because the relationship between the condition and result changes.
If demand will increase, the company will expand. ✗
The present simple can express future meaning after if, unless, as long as, provided that, and similar conditional expressions.
If the government provides more funding, the program will expand.
→ The speaker presents this as a real possibility.
Second Conditional
If the government provided more funding, the program would expand.
→ The speaker presents this as hypothetical or less likely.
The difference is not necessarily about when the event happens. Both sentences can refer to the future.
The difference is the speaker's view of how realistic the condition is.
| Conditional Marker | Meaning |
| unless | if not |
| as long as | on the condition that |
| provided / providing that | only if a requirement is satisfied |
| only if | necessary condition |
| even if | the result remains unchanged |
| in case | preparation for a possibility |
| should + subject | formal possible condition |
Final CLB 9+ Tip: When building a real conditional, make three decisions.
1. Is the condition real, possible, or hypothetical?
Real / possible → usually present form
Hypothetical → usually past form
2. What kind of result are you expressing?
Expected → will
Possible → may / might / could
Ability → can
Recommendation → should
Requirement → must / have to / need to
3. Which conditional marker best expresses the relationship?
if → general condition
unless → negative condition
as long as / provided that → requirement
only if → necessary condition
even if → result remains unchanged
in case → preparation
should + subject → formal condition
At CLB 9+, strong conditional grammar is about more than choosing the correct tense. It shows exactly how realistic the condition is, how certain the consequence is, and what relationship exists between the two ideas.