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Verb Tenses - Lesson 115

Conditional Simple

Lesson 115 - learn the simple conditional: how to form it, when to use it, common mistakes, examples and a short video.

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How to form the conditional simple

How To Form The Conditional Simple:

Take a subject (I, the people etc) then put the auxiliary verb would (I would..., the people would...) then use the compliment of the verb you want to use. (I would take, the people would visit.). This would can be contracted to 'd. To form negatives put not after the auxiliary would. I would not take, the people would not visit. Notice that this can be contracted to I wouldn't take, the people wouldn't visit. To make questions change the positions of the subject and the auxiliary verb would. Would I take? Would the people visit? If you wish you can add a question word at the beginning of the sentence. What would I take? Where would the people visit?

The table set out below shows how it works:

Affirmative Negative Interrogative
I would improve I would not improve Would I improve?
You would improve You would not improve Would you improve?
He would improve He would not improve Would he improve?
She would improve She would not improve Would she improve?
It would improve It would not improve Would it improve?
We would improve We would not improve Would we improve?
You would improve You would not improve Would you improve?
They would improve They would not improve Would they improve?

The following video explains how to form the conditional simple:

When to use it

  • Unreal or hypothetical present and future situations (the second conditional). If I had more time, I would travel more.
  • Polite requests and offers. Would you help me? I would love a cup of tea.
  • Imagining results. Life would be easier with a car.

Signal words & time expressions: if, would, I'd, imagine, in that case, otherwise

Watch the video lesson

Video transcript

How to make the conditional simple in English. OK, to make the conditional we use the auxiliary verb would. OK. So, to make positive sentences in the conditional simple. We take a subject, I, then the auxiliary would, then our verb in the compliment, the infinitive without to. So, for this example improve. I would improve. Second person, you would improve. He would improve. She would improve. It would improve. We'd improve. You'd improve. They'd improve. So, notice the contraction of would to 'd. We'd. You'd. For negatives put not after the would. So, we'd get, I would not improve. You would not improve. He, she, it wouldn't improve. We wouldn't improve. You wouldn't improve. They wouldn't improve. OK. Notice the contraction of not, would not to wouldn't. OK. To make questions, invert the position of the subject and the auxiliary verb would. Would I improve? Would you improve? Would he improve? Would we improve> Would you improve? Would they improve? And if you like you can put a question word before. How much would I improve? So there you are, that's how to make phrases in the conditional simple in English. I hope you enjoyed the video and we'll see each other in another. Bye for now.

Common mistakes to avoid

Not quite…Better
If I would have more money, I'd travel.If I had more money, I'd travel. — don't put would in the if-clause.
I would to help you.I would help you. — would is followed by the base verb, with no to.

Frequently asked questions

How do I form it?

would + base verb, for every person. The condition uses the past simple: If I won the lottery, I would buy a house.

What does ‘'d’ mean?

In I'd, she'd, they'd the ‘'d’ is the short form of would here (it can also be had — the verb that follows tells you which).

Continue the course

This lesson is part of our free English Verb Tenses course — work through it in order or jump to what you need next.

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