What’s a conditional verb?

What are conditional verbs, and when are they used

A conditional verb, often referred to as a “conditional mood” or “conditional tense,” is a verb form used to express actions or events that are dependent on a certain condition or circumstances. They are found in conditional sentences , or sentences that follow the “if-then” format. In English, there are several conditional verbs that allow speakers and writers to depict hypothetical situations, possibilities, or outcomes that depend on a specific condition being met. Conditional verbs take the form of modal verbs like could, would, may, might, should, and will.

Here are some examples of conditional verbs in use:

• If I am able to travel to Spain this summer, I would start my trip in Barcelona.
• If my passport isn’t expired by then, I should go on the trip as well.
• If I ever meet my favorite band, I may end up fainting.

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What tenses can conditional verbs be used in?

Conditional verbs can be used in several different tenses, depending on the context and the time frame of the condition and the result. The most common tenses for conditional verbs in English are the simple present, simple past, and simple future. Here are some examples of each of these tenses:

• Simple present: If Tera is going to the store, I may go too.
• Simple past: If Tera was going to the store, I would have gone too.
• Simple future: If Tera goes to the store, I will too.

Using conditional verbs in hypothetical scenarios

There are four main types of conditional verb forms in English, which are the zero conditional, the first conditional, the second conditional, and the third conditional. Zero conditional deals with general truths and scientific facts, while first and second conditional is reserved for more hypothetical scenarios. Here are some examples of how conditional verbs work for hypotheticals:

• If I lose tonight’s match, I will be very frustrated.
• If the opening band is good, I may want to get some of their merch.
• If Julia isn’t going, then Robert won’t want to go either.

Using conditional verbs in unlikely scenarios

The fourth type of conditional verb is the third conditional, which is used for unlikely scenarios. Third conditional is written in the past tense to indicate things that can no longer happen. Here are some examples of how these sentences might look:

• If I hadn’t missed the train, I would have been at work by now.
• If Devin had gone to the party last night, she would have met Matt sooner.
• If they had shared the prize money evenly, they would still be friends today.

Get practice with writing conditional verbs

The choice of which conditional verb form to use depends on the context and the likelihood of the condition being met. By using them more in your writing, you can gain a better understanding of how to use them. Browse our writing tips to learn more ways to write with verbs.