CONDITIONALS (शर्त वाक्य) – Complete Guide for Competitive Exams
📚 WHAT ARE CONDITIONALS?
Conditional Sentences = वाक्य जिनमें एक शर्त (Condition) और उसका परिणाम (Result) होता है।
✅ Structure: If + Condition , Result
✅ Example: If you study hard, you will pass.
🔥 4 TYPES OF CONDITIONALS (पूरा चार्ट)
| Type | Condition (If Clause) | Result (Main Clause) | Use | Example |
| Type 0 | Present Tense | Present Tense | Universal Truth / Scientific Facts | If you heat ice, it melts. |
| Type 1 | Present Tense | Will/Shall/Can/May + V1 | Possible / Real Condition | If it rains, I will stay home. |
| Type 2 | Past Tense (Were for all) | Would/Could/Might + V1 | Unreal / Imaginary Present | If I were rich, I would travel. |
| Type 3 | Past Perfect (Had + V3) | Would have/Could have + V3 | Unreal / Imaginary Past | If I had studied, I would have passed. |
📝 TYPE 0 – UNIVERSAL TRUTH (सामान्य सत्य)
Rule: If + Present Tense , Present Tense
🧠 TRICK: हमेशा सच (Always True) → Scientific Facts / Habits / General Truth
| If Clause (Present) | Main Clause (Present) |
| If you heat ice | it melts. |
| If you mix red and blue | you get purple. |
| If water reaches 100°C | it boils. |
| If I wake up late | I miss the bus. |
✅ Examples:
- If you touch fire, you get burned.
- If it rains, the ground gets wet.
- If you eat too much, you feel sick.
🔑 KEYWORDS: Always, Usually, Generally, Whenever
📝 TYPE 1 – POSSIBLE CONDITION (संभावित स्थिति)
Rule: If + Present Tense , Will/Shall/Can/May + V1
🧠 TRICK: Future में हो सकता है (Real / Possible) → 70-80% Possibility
| If Clause (Present) | Main Clause (Future) |
| If it rains | I will stay home. |
| If she comes | I will go with her. |
| If he works hard | he will succeed. |
✅ Examples:
- If you study well, you will pass the exam.
- If she invites me, I will attend the party.
- If they arrive early, we can start the meeting.
🔑 KEYWORDS: Tomorrow, Next week, In future
Variation:
- If + Present, Can/May + V1
- If you finish early, you can leave.
📝 TYPE 2 – UNREAL/IMAGINARY (अवास्तविक/काल्पनिक)
Rule: If + Past Tense , Would/Could/Might + V1
🧠 TRICK: अभी नहीं है (Unreal) → काल्पनिक स्थिति (Imaginary) → 0% Possibility
| If Clause (Past) | Main Clause (Would + V1) |
| If I were rich | I would travel the world. |
| If he had money | he would buy a car. |
| If she knew the answer | she would tell me. |
✅ Examples:
- If I were you, I would accept the offer.
- If she studied hard, she would pass the exam.
- If we had wings, we could fly.
🧠 SPECIAL TRICK: I/He/She/It के साथ WERE आता है (Not “was”)
- ✅ If I were a bird, I would fly.
- ❌ If I was a bird… (Wrong in exams)
🔑 KEYWORDS: Wish, If only, As if, Suppose
📝 TYPE 3 – UNREAL PAST (अवास्तविक भूतकाल)
Rule: If + Past Perfect (Had + V3) , Would have/Could have + V3
🧠 TRICK: Past में नहीं हुआ (Unreal Past) → बीती बात (Past के बारे में अफसोस)
| If Clause (Past Perfect) | Main Clause (Would have + V3) |
| If I had studied | I would have passed. |
| If she had come | she would have met him. |
| If he had worked hard | he would have succeeded. |
✅ Examples:
- If I had known your address, I would have visited you.
- If she had taken the medicine, she would have recovered.
- If we had left earlier, we could have caught the train.
🔑 KEYWORDS: Had, If only, Earlier, Before
🔥 MIXED CONDITIONALS (मिश्रित शर्तें)
Type 1: Present Result of Past Condition
If + Past Perfect , Would + V1
✅ If I had studied (past), I would be a doctor now (present).
Type 2: Past Result of Present Condition
If + Past , Would have + V3
✅ If I were smarter (present), I would have succeeded (past).
📝 OLD EXAM QUESTIONS (पुराने प्रश्न पत्र)
SET 1: Type 0 (Universal Truth)
Q.1 If you ______ ice, it melts. (SSC GD 2020)
- (a) heat (b) heated (c) will heat (d) would heat
Answer: (a) heat ✅
Reason: Universal Truth → Present + Present
Q.2 If water ______ 100°C, it boils. (SSC CHSL 2021)
- (a) reach (b) reaches (c) reached (d) will reach
Answer: (b) reaches ✅
Reason: Water = Singular → reaches; Universal Truth
SET 2: Type 1 (Possible Condition)
Q.3 If it rains, I ______ at home. (SSC MTS 2022)
- (a) stay (b) will stay (c) stayed (d) would stay
Answer: (b) will stay ✅
Reason: Possible condition → Present + Future (will)
Q.4 If she ______ hard, she will pass. (NDA 2018)
- (a) works (b) worked (c) will work (d) would work
Answer: (a) works ✅
Reason: Type 1 → If + Present (works) + Future (will pass)
Q.5 If you ______ now, you can catch the train. (SSC CPO 2020)
- (a) leave (b) left (c) will leave (d) would leave
Answer: (a) leave ✅
Reason: If + Present (leave) + Can (catch)
SET 3: Type 2 (Unreal/Imaginary)
Q.6 If I ______ you, I would accept the offer. (SSC CGL 2019)
- (a) was (b) were (c) am (d) had been
Answer: (b) were ✅
Reason: Unreal condition → were for all subjects
Q.7 If I ______ a bird, I would fly. (Bank PO 2018)
- (a) was (b) were (c) am (d) had been
Answer: (b) were ✅
Reason: Imaginary → were
Q.8 If he ______ rich, he would buy a car. (SSC CHSL 2022)
- (a) was (b) were (c) is (d) had been
Answer: (b) were ✅
Reason: Unreal → were
Q.9 If she ______ the truth, she would tell us. (SSC MTS 2021)
- (a) knows (b) knew (c) had known (d) would know
Answer: (b) knew ✅
Reason: Type 2 → If + Past (knew) + Would + V1
Q.10 I wish I ______ rich. (SSC GD 2020)
- (a) was (b) were (c) am (d) had been
Answer: (b) were ✅
Reason: Wish → Subjunctive mood → were
SET 4: Type 3 (Unreal Past)
Q.11 If I ______ hard, I would have passed. (SSC CGL 2022)
- (a) studied (b) had studied (c) have studied (d) would study
Answer: (b) had studied ✅
Reason: Type 3 → If + Past Perfect + Would have + V3
Q.12 If he ______ earlier, he would have caught the train. (Bank PO 2021)
- (a) left (b) had left (c) have left (d) would leave
Answer: (b) had left ✅
Reason: Unreal Past → Past Perfect
Q.13 If she ______ the medicine, she would have recovered. (SSC CHSL 2023)
- (a) took (b) had taken (c) has taken (d) would take
Answer: (b) had taken ✅
Reason: Type 3 → Had + V3
Q.14 ______ I known, I would have helped. (CDS 2022)
- (a) If (b) Had (c) Would (d) Should
Answer: (b) Had ✅
Reason: “Had” can be used without “If” in Type 3 (Inversion)
Q.15 He would have succeeded if he ______ hard. (SSC CPO 2023)
- (a) worked (b) had worked (c) has worked (d) would work
Answer: (b) had worked ✅
Reason: Unreal Past → Past Perfect
SET 5: Error Detection
Q.16 Find the error: (SSC CGL 2022)
If I was (A) / you, I would (B) / not accept (C) / this offer. (D)
- (a) A (b) B (c) C (d) D
Answer: (a) A ❌
Correct: “If I were you…”
Reason: Subjunctive mood → were (not was)
Q.17 Find the error: (Bank PO 2021)
If she will come (A) / tomorrow, I (B) / will go with (C) / her to the market. (D)
- (a) A (b) B (c) C (d) D
Answer: (a) A ❌
Correct: “If she comes tomorrow…”
Reason: Type 1 → If + Present (will नहीं आता)
Q.18 Find the error: (SSC CHSL 2023)
If I had known (A) / about the party (B) / I would (C) / come yesterday. (D)
- (a) A (b) B (c) C (d) D
Answer: (c) C ❌
Correct: “I would have come…”
Reason: Type 3 → Would have + V3
Q.19 Find the error: (CDS 2022)
If it rains (A) / the ground (B) / will got (C) / wet. (D)
- (a) A (b) B (c) C (d) D
Answer: (c) C ❌
Correct: “will get wet”
Reason: Will + V1 (not V3)
Q.20 Find the error: (SSC CPO 2023)
If I were (A) / the principal (B) / I would (C) / change the rules. (D)
- (a) A (b) B (c) C (d) D
Answer: No error ✅
Type 2 → If + were + Would + V1 (Correct)
SET 6: Mixed Practice
Q.21 If you heat ice, it ______. (SSC GD 2022)
- (a) melt (b) melts (c) will melt (d) would melt
Answer: (b) melts ✅
Reason: Universal Truth → Present + Present
Q.22 If they ______ now, they will reach on time. (Bank PO 2019)
- (a) start (b) started (c) will start (d) would start
Answer: (a) start ✅
Reason: Type 1 → If + Present (start) + Future (will reach)
Q.23 If he ______ the truth, he would not have lied. (SSC CGL 2020)
- (a) knew (b) had known (c) has known (d) would know
Answer: (b) had known ✅
Reason: Type 3 → If + Past Perfect (had known) + Would have + V3
Q.24 If I ______ a millionaire, I would buy a yacht. (SSC CPO 2021)
- (a) was (b) were (c) am (d) had been
Answer: (b) were ✅
Reason: Type 2 → Imaginary → were
Q.25 ______ you helped me, I would have finished. (CDS 2022)
- (a) If (b) Had (c) Would (d) Should
Answer: (b) Had ✅
Reason: Inversion without “If” → Had
📊 QUICK REVISION TABLE
| Type | If Clause (Condition) | Main Clause (Result) | Example |
| 0 | Present (V1/V1+s) | Present (V1/V1+s) | If you heat ice, it melts. |
| 1 | Present (V1/V1+s) | Will/Can/May + V1 | If it rains, I will stay home. |
| 2 | Past (V2 / were) | Would/Could + V1 | If I were rich, I would travel. |
| 3 | Past Perfect (had + V3) | Would have + V3 | If I had studied, I would have passed. |
🎯 SUPER TRICKS SUMMARY
TRICK 1: “IF” को हटाकर भी शुरू कर सकते हैं (Inversion)
- Had I known → If I had known
- Were I rich → If I were rich
- Should he come → If he should come
TRICK 2: “WERE” का प्रयोग याद रखें
🧠 SUPER TRICK: I, He, She, It के साथ WERE आता है (Unreal conditions में)
- ✅ If I were a bird
- ✅ If she were rich
- ❌ If I was a bird (Wrong)
TRICK 3: “Will” कभी नहीं आता “If” के साथ
- ❌ If you will come… (Wrong)
- ✅ If you come… (Correct)
TRICK 4: Type Chart याद रखें
text
0 → Present + Present (Universal Truth)
1 → Present + Future (Possible)
2 → Past + Would (Imaginary)
3 → Past Perfect + Would have (Unreal Past)
TRICK 5: Keyword से पहचानें
| Keyword | Type |
| Always, Usually, Generally | Type 0 |
| Tomorrow, Next week | Type 1 |
| Wish, If only, Suppose | Type 2 |
| Had, Before, Earlier | Type 3 |
💪 COMMON EXAM TRAPS
Trap 1: “Were” vs “Was”
- ❌ If I was you… (Wrong)
- ✅ If I were you… (Correct)
Trap 2: Will in If Clause
- ❌ If she will come… (Wrong)
- ✅ If she comes… (Correct)
Trap 3: Type 2 में Past → Present Meaning
- If I studied hard, I would pass. (अभी नहीं पढ़ता, इसलिए पास नहीं होता)
Trap 4: Type 3 में Past Perfect → Past Meaning
- If I had studied, I would have passed. (पढ़ा नहीं था, इसलिए पास नहीं हुआ)
Trap 5: Would have + V3 vs Would + V1
- ❌ If I had studied, I would pass. (Wrong – Past)
- ✅ If I had studied, I would have passed. (Correct)
📌 MOST IMPORTANT FOR EXAMS:
- Type 1 (Present + Future) → 2-3 questions (पक्का!)
- Type 2 (Past + Would) → 2-3 questions (पक्का!)
- Type 3 (Past Perfect + Would have) → 2-3 questions
- “Were” for all subjects → 1-2 questions
- Error Detection → 1-2 questions
- Inversion (Had I known / Were I rich) → 1 question
💪 Practice Tips:
- Type Chart याद करें (0, 1, 2, 3)
- “Were” Rule याद रखें (Unreal conditions)
- If के साथ Will नहीं याद रखें
- Had I known (Inversion) का practice करें
- Previous Papers (SSC, Bank, NDA, CDS) solve करें
- Daily 10 sentences practice करें
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