Conditionals: the structure that moves you to Band 7.
In Part 3 the examiner asks hypothetical questions on purpose, to see whether you can reason in conditionals. Most candidates can't, yet.
Why this matters. Conditionals are a Tier-2, high-impact structure: when the examiner asks “What would happen if…?”, they're testing exactly this. Answer with a flat statement and you've shown a Band 6; answer in a controlled second conditional and you've shown a 7. Five forms, one cardinal rule, and the deployment map for Part 3.
From always-true to impossible.
Each conditional describes a different level of reality. Match the form to the reality and the grammar takes care of itself.
Zero conditional
If + present simple, present simple
A general truth, always true, cause and effect.
If you heat water to 100°C, it boils.
First conditional
If + present simple, will + base verb
A real, likely future possibility.
If I get the band I need, I'll apply this year.
Second conditional
If + past simple, would + base verb
An unreal or hypothetical present or future, the Part 3 workhorse.
If governments prioritised early education, outcomes would improve.
Third conditional
If + past perfect, would have + past participle
An impossible, imagined past.
If universities had embraced online learning earlier, the transition would have been smoother.
Mixed conditional
If + past perfect, would + base verb
A past condition with a present result.
If I had studied medicine, I would be a doctor now.
The one rule that caps Band 7
“Would” never appears in the if-clause. “If I would have known…” is always wrong, it's “If I had known…”. This single error is the most common thing keeping otherwise-strong speakers at a 7.
What conditionals sound like at each band.
At Band 5
Conditionals are mostly avoided, or limited to the first conditional with errors (if I will go). The if-clause and the result clause frequently do not match, and the second and third conditionals rarely appear. Hypothetical meaning is usually attempted without the structure to carry it.
At Band 6
Conditionals are largely absent. Hypothetical questions, “What would you do if…?”, are answered with flat assertions instead of conditional reasoning.
At Band 7
The second conditional is present and mostly accurate, and the third is attempted. But the occasional “would” slips into the if-clause, and mixed conditionals don't appear.
At Band 8+
The full range, used naturally and without hesitation. Mixed conditionals surface in reflection, the third conditional is controlled, and “would” never appears in the if-clause.
Match the question to the form.
Part 3 questions signal which conditional to reach for. Learn the trigger and the right form arrives without thinking.
| The examiner asks… | Use | For example |
|---|---|---|
| “What would happen if…?” | 2nd | If governments invested in transport, congestion would fall significantly. |
| “How might things have been different if…?” | 3rd | If the policy had been introduced earlier, the outcome would have been better. |
| “What could be done about…?” | 2nd | If schools prioritised early reading, results would improve. |
| “If current trends continue…?” | 1st | If current trends continue, we'll see a shift toward remote work. |
Twenty to drill.
Choose the correct form for each gap. Press Check answers for your score and the rule behind each one. Nothing is sent anywhere.
Conditionals, as people actually get it wrong.
16 real corrections on this point sit in the marking archive, across 6 first languages. Three of them, and the rule they produced.
If I had travelled, I would learn
If I had travelled, I would have learned
The unreal past needs its full stack in BOTH clauses: IF + had + V3, then WOULD + HAVE + V3.
If a packet would be lost, the client resends it
If a packet is lost, the client resends it
Would never enters the if-clause. This is a first conditional – a real, repeatable situation – so the if-clause takes the present.
If I am doing it correctly...
If I am doing it correctly, my confidence grows.
An if-clause is only half a sentence – finish the pair with a main clause.
English allows would in one half of a conditional only – the result. In the if-clause it must be a plain past.
All 42 entries on conditionals are in the marking archive, filtered to this point, with the first language and the reason beside each.
The forms are learnable in an afternoon. The reflex takes practice.
Knowing the second conditional and reaching for it mid-answer are different skills.
In a lesson we run Part 3 questions until the right conditional arrives under pressure, and catch the “would” before it reaches the if-clause. Lessons are £20 for fifty minutes, one to one, in proper British English; the first step is a discounted trial lesson. This is adapted from the grammar chapter of the forthcoming PEG Guide to IELTS Speaking.