Conditional sentences are used to talk about situations and their consequences. In English, different types of conditionals are used depending on whether we are talking about facts that are always true or possible events in the future.
✅ Zero Conditional: Facts and Things That Always Happen
The zero conditional is used for situations that are always true. It shows a cause and effect relationship that does not change.
Examples:
If you heat water to 100°C, it boils. 💧
If it rains, the ground gets wet. 🌧️
If I am tired, I go to bed early. 🛏️
Key points:
Used for facts, routines, or general truths.
Both parts use the present simple tense.
✅ First Conditional: Real Possibilities in the Future
The first conditional is used for possible events in the future and their likely results. It is often used for predictions, warnings, promises, or advice.
Examples:
If it rains tomorrow, we will stay at home. 🌧️🏠
If I study hard, I will pass my exam. 📚
If she doesn’t hurry, she will miss the bus. 🚌
Key points:
Talks about possible future situations.
The if-part uses present simple, and the result uses will + base verb.
Sometimes we don’t know the facts, but we can make guesses or deductions about what’s true. In English, we use modal verbs like may, might, could, must, and can’t to do this. They help us show how sure or unsure we are about something.
Talking About Possibility
When we aren’t sure, but we think something is possible, we use may, might, or could + base form (the base form of the verb, without to).
These modals all mean “maybe”. They show that we’re guessing, not stating a fact.
💭 Examples of Possibility
💬 Sentence
💡 Meaning
She may be ill.
Maybe/ It’s possible she’s ill.
She might be lost.
Maybe/ It’s possible she’s lost.
She could be from another country.
Maybe/ It’s possible she’s is from another country.
She might not be here tomorrow.
Maybe/ It’s possible she won’t come tomorrow.
🎯 Quick Notes
may, might, and could all express the same level of possibility.
To make a negative, add not: might not / may not.
Example: He might not come to class today.
They’re followed by a base form verb
✅ She might be late. ✖️ She might to be late.
🌦 Think of it like this:
Modal
How sure are you?
Example
may / might / could
🤔 Maybe yes, maybe no
It might rain later.
They’re your “maybe modals”
These modals are perfect when you’re not 100% sure, but something is possible!
Talking About Strong Possibility
Sometimes things look or sound true, even if we aren’t completely certain. In this case, we use seem + to + verb to show a strong possibility or something that appears or feels true.
Think of it as saying:
“It looks like…” or “It sounds like…”
💭 Examples of Strong Possibility
💬 Sentence
💡 Meaning
She seems to be very cold.
It looks like she’s cold.
They seem to know each other well.
It appears they know each other.
This café seems to be popular.
It looks busy — probably true.
He seems to be tired.
It looks that way — I’m quite sure.
🧩 Grammar Pattern
seem + to + verb(base form)
✅ She seems to be tired. ✅ It seems to work well.
🌟 Remember
“Seem” is stronger than may, might, or could.
You use it when something looks or feels true, but you don’t have proof.
It’s a polite, soft way to make an observation.
🎯 Compare
Expression
Meaning
Example
may / might / could
possible, not sure
She might be cold.
seem (to)
strong possibility
She seems to be cold.
Talking About Certainty
When you feel quite certain about something or you have good evidence or a strong reason, use must + verb.
It means you are almost 100% sure something is true.
💭 Examples of Deduction (Strong Certainty)
💬 Sentence
💡 Meaning
She must work at McDonald’s.
I’m almost sure. She is wearing a uniform.
He must be tired after the trip.
I’m almost sure. He traveled all night.
You must know her.
I’m sure it’s true. You work in the same office!
That must be our bus.
I’m certain — it’s the right number.
🧩 Grammar Pattern
must + verb (base form)
✅ She must be at work. ✅ He must live nearby.
🧠 Remember
Use must when you see evidence or know facts that make something very likely.
It’s much stronger than may, might, or could.
Don’t use it for the past. This form talks about the present.
🎯 Compare
Expression
Meaning
Example
may / might / could
possible
He might be tired.
seem (to)
strong possibility
He seems to be tired.
must
sure, strong evidence
He must be tired.
Talking About Something is Impossible
When you are certain something is impossible, use can’t + verb. It shows you are sure that your guess or idea is not true.
Think of it like saying:
“That’s impossible!” or “No way!”
💭 Examples of Deduction (Strong Negation)
💬 Sentence
💡 Meaning
She can’t be at work
I’m sure she isn’t. Her car is still here.
That can’t be his house.
Impossible. It’s too big!
He can’t know the answer
I’m certain he doesn’t. He didn’t come to class.
You can’t be serious!
I don’t believe it. It’s not true.
🧩 Grammar Pattern
can’t + verb (base form)
✅ He can’t be at school — it’s Sunday. ✅ That can’t be real!
🧠 Remember
Use can’t when you are sure something isn’t true.
It’s the opposite of must.
Both talk about deduction in the present — what we think now.
⚖️ Compare
Expression
Meaning
Example
must
sure it’s true
She must be tired. (I’m almost sure she is tired)
can’t
sure it’s not true. It’s impossible
She can’t be tired. She just woke up! (It’s impossible she is tired)
🧠 Grammar Focus
Here’s a complete overview of the modals and expressions we use to talk about possibility, certainty, and impossibility:
When we speak or write in English, we often need to give extra information about a person, a place, or a thing. For example:
I met a woman. She works at the museum. → I met a woman who works at the museum.
We combine the two sentences using a relative clause.
Defining relative clauses help us identify exactly who or what we are talking about — they define the noun. Without this information, the sentence would be unclear.
What Is a Defining Relative Clause?
A defining relative clause gives essential information about a noun. It tells us which person, thing, or place we mean.
Without relative clause
With defining relative clause
The man is my teacher.
The man who is wearing a blue jacket is my teacher.
I read the book.
I read the book that you recommended.
The café is closed.
The café where we had breakfast is closed.
🟢 The information in the relative clause is necessary to understand the sentence. If we remove it, the meaning changes.
Relative Pronouns
We use relative pronouns to connect the main clause and the relative clause.
Relative Pronoun
Refers to
Example
who
people
She’s the student who won the prize.
that
people / things
This is the song that I like.
which
things
That’s the laptop which I bought yesterday.
where
places
This is the park where I go running.
whose
possession/ relationship
I met a man whose car was stolen. I met a woman whose husband is an actor.
when
time
Do you remember the day when we met?
🟡 Tip: In defining relative clauses, we don’t use commas because the information is essential.
When Can We Omit the Relative Pronoun?
We can leave out “who,” “which,” or “that” when it’s the object of the clause (not the subject).
✅ The book that I read was interesting. → The book I read was interesting. ❌ The teacher teaches English is great. → (cannot omit — “who” is the subject)
We can omit
We cannot omit
The film (that I watched) was amazing.
The film that won the award was amazing.
The man (who I met) is from Spain.
The man who lives next door is from Spain.
Examples in Context
She’s the woman who teaches our English class.
That’s the shop where I bought my shoes.
He’s the actor whose movies are very popular in Asia.
This is the place where we met for the first time.
Each clause gives key information that helps the listener understand exactly who or what we’re talking about.
A relative clause gives extra information about a noun (a person, thing, or place). It tells us which person, which thing, or which place we are talking about.
💬 Example:
That’s the man who teaches English. → “who teaches English” tells us which man.
So, instead of two sentences:
That man is my teacher. He teaches English. You can join them: That’s the man who teaches English.
Relative Pronouns
Relative Pronoun
Used for
Example
Meaning
who
people 👩🏫
She’s the woman who works in the office.
→ “who” = the woman
which
things 🧁
This is the cake which I made yesterday.
→ “which” = the cake
that
people and things 🙋♂️📱
He’s the man that lives next door. It’s the phone that I bought.
→ “that” = who / which
where
places 🏫
That’s the school where I studied.
→ “where” = in that place
💡 Note: In speaking, we often use that instead of who or which — it’s more common and informal.
How to Form a Relative Clause
Step
Example
1️⃣ Start with two simple sentences.
This is the girl. She lives next door.
2️⃣ Replace the repeated word (she → who).
This is the girl who lives next door.
✅ Final sentence:
This is the girl who lives next door.
Examples
💡Remember
Don’t use a subject after who, which, or that. ❌ This is the woman who she works here. ✅ This is the woman who works here.
That can often replace who or which, especially in speech: ✅ It’s the restaurant that I like best.
When we describe the world around us, we often talk about how things are similar or different. We compare people, places, animals, objects, and even situations, sometimes without thinking about it!
In English, there are several ways to make comparisons. You might already know the basic forms:
But English allows us to go further. We can make stronger comparisons to emphasize big differences, and we can use adverbs to compare actions. For example, how people speak, drive, or work.
Comparing with Adjectives and Adverbs
A. Short adjectives and adverbs
Add -er / -ier to short adjectives or adverbs. Use than to compare.
Type
Form
Example
Short adjectives (1 syllable)
adjective + -er + than
“Millennials cook more at home, their food is healthier than before.”
Adjectives ending in -y
change -y → -ier
“Fresh food is tastier than fast food.”
Short adverbs
adverb + -er + than
“He runs faster than his brother.”
B. Long adjectives and adverbs
Use more / less + adjective/adverb + than for longer words.
Type
Form
Example
Long adjectives (2+ syllables)
more + adjective + than
“This café is more comfortable than that one.”
Adverbs ending in -ly
more + adverb + than
“Millennials exercise more regularly than older generations.”
Opposite idea
less + adjective/adverb + than
“Fresh food is less fattening than fast food.”
Stronger Comparisons
We can make comparisons stronger using words like much, far, or a lot before the adjective.
Form
Example
much / far / a lot + comparative
“This city is much bigger than my hometown.”
much / far + more + adjective
“Electric cars are far more expensive than gas cars.”
🟢 Tip: These words make the difference sound stronger or more surprising.
Irregular Comparatives
Some adjectives and adverbs don’t follow normal rules.
Adjective/Adverb
Comparative
Example
good / well
better
“She cooks better than her brother.”
bad / badly
worse
“Their diet is worse than before.”
Non-Equatives and Equatives
Non-Equatives → Use not as + adjective/adverb + as to show difference (in a polite or softer way).
“Millennials are not as hard-working as their parents.”
“This café isn’t as quiet as the one downtown.”
Equatives → Use as + adjective/adverb + as to show equality.
“My town is as peaceful as yours.” → Add emphasis with just as or almost as.
“This park is just as beautiful as the beach.”
“This phone is almost as fast as my laptop.”
Comparing Nouns
We can also compare how many or how much people or things there are.
Form
Example
more + noun
“More millennials are happy to pay a higher price for eco products.”
fewer + plural noun (countable)
“Fewer adults own their homes today.”
less + uncountable noun
“Millennials earn less money than their parents.”
🧠 Grammar Focus
Type
Form
Example
Short adjectives
adjective + -er + than
“New York is bigger than Boston.”
Long adjectives/adverbs
more / less + adj/adv + than
“Tokyo is more crowded than Seoul.”
Stronger comparisons
much / far / a lot + comparative
“London is far bigger than Oxford.”
Irregular adjectives
better / worse/ further
“This café is better than that one.”
Irregular adverbs
well/ badly/ fast/ hard
“John runs faster than Mike”.
Non-equatives
not as + adj/adv + as
“This hotel isn’t as clean as that one.”
Equatives
(just/almost) as + adj/adv + as
“The park is just as nice as the beach.”
Nouns
more / fewer / less + noun
“Fewer people drive to work now.”
✨ Remember:
Use -er or more to show differences.
Use as … as to show similarities.
Add much / far / a lot to make your comparison stronger.
Use not as … as to sound polite.
Use more / fewer / less to compare amounts.
Let’s Practice!
Practice 1
Practice 2
Speaking
Look at the prompts in the cards and make sentences using comparatives.
We use be going to, want to, and would like to to talk about plans, intentions and desires for the future. These expressions help us describe what we have already decided to do, what we want to do, or what we would like to do politely.
Future Plans
We use be going to to talk about things we plan to do or intend to do in the future. These are decisions we’ve already made.
✅ Structure: am / is / are + going to + base form (verb)
Examples:
I’m going to invite my neighbours for dinner.
She’s going to buy a new phone.
We’re going to visit our grandparents this weekend.
💡 Remember: Use the correct form of be:
Subject
Be verb
I
am
You / We / They
are
He / She / It
is
Example:
I am going to call my friend. He is going to clean his room.
Desires
A desire is something you really want , something you hope to have or do in the future. It’s usually possible and realistic.
It comes from your feelings or needs.
Example
Meaning
I desire peace and quiet.
You really want calmness in your life.
She desires to travel the world.
It’s something she really wants to do.
They desire success.
They want to be successful.
💬 In everyday English, we don’t often say “desire” in conversation. It sounds formal or literary. Instead, we usually say “want” or “would like”.
👉 Desire = Strong “want” (formal word)
Want to = a strong desire
Use want to + verb to talk about something you really plan to do or feel sure about. It’s direct and very common in everyday English.
✅ Form: Subject + want to + base form (verb)
Examples:
I want to see my friends this weekend.
She wants to travel next summer.
We want to buy a new car.
🧠 Meaning: You have a clear plan or strong wish to do something.
Would like to = a polite or softer desire
Use would like to + verb to talk about something you want, but in a more polite or gentle way. It’s often used when we are being nice, formal, or not completely sure.
✅ Form: Subject + would like to + base form (verb) (We often say ’d like instead of would like.)
Examples:
I’d like to make a traditional meal.
He’d like to visit Paris one day.
We’d like to go out this Saturday.
🧠 Meaning: You want to do it, but you say it politely — it sounds friendly and nice.
🗣 Compare:
I want to go out tonight. → (simple, direct)
I’d like to go out tonight. → (polite and friendly)
🕐 Talking About the Future
Common Time Expressions
⏰ Expression
Meaning / When
💬 Example Sentence
⏳ in an hour
60 minutes from now
I’m going to call you in an hour.
📅 this Saturday
The coming Saturday
We’re going to a concert this Saturday.
📆 in two months’ time
Two months from now
She’s going to start a new job in two months’ time.
🌸 next April
The April that’s coming
They’re going to travel to Japan next April.
🕑 at two o’clock tomorrow
A specific time tomorrow
I’m meeting my teacher at two o’clock tomorrow.
🌞 the day after tomorrow
Two days from today
We’re going to visit our grandparents the day after tomorrow.
🎓 the year after next
Two years from now
I’m going to finish university the year after next.
🚀 in 2060
A specific year in the future
People might live on Mars in 2060.
These words help make your future sentences more natural and specific.
We use the present perfect tense to talk about experiences or actions in the past when we don’t say exactly when they happened. We care about the result or the experience, not the specific time.
✅ Example: I’ve visited Paris. (It happened at some time before now, but we don’t say when.)
