Conditional Sentences (TEAS Reading & Grammar)
Conditional sentences describe cause-and-effect relationships or hypothetical situations. Each type has a specific tense pattern and meaning.
If Clause (Condition Clause)
Definition:
The part of a conditional sentence that states the condition that must be met.
It begins with the word "if" (or sometimes unless, provided that, as
long as). It describes what needs to happen for the result to occur.
Also called: Dependent clause (cannot stand alone as a complete
sentence).
Examples (if clause in bold):
- If you study,
you will pass.
- If the patient had taken the medication, she would have improved.
- If water reaches 100°C, it boils.
TEAS Tip: The if clause contains the condition, not the result. Ask
yourself: “What must happen first?”
Main
Clause (Result Clause)
Definition:
The part of a conditional sentence that states the result or consequence that
happens if the condition in the if clause is met. It can usually stand alone as
a complete sentence.
Also called: Independent clause.
Examples (main clause in bold):
- If you study, you will pass.
- If the patient had taken the medication, she would
have improved.
- If water reaches 100°C, it boils.
TEAS Tip: The main clause answers the question: “What happens then?”
Type
0 — General Truths / Scientific Facts
Short definition:
Used for things that are always true (laws of nature, routines, habits).
Structure:
If + present simple, ... present simple
Use:
- Stating facts or universal truths
- Giving instructions or scientific cause-effect
Examples:
- If you heat water to 100°C, it boils.
- If the nurse wears gloves, she reduces infection risk.
- If patients take antibiotics incorrectly, bacteria
become resistant.
TEAS Tip: Type 0 is common in science
passages and procedural texts (lab manuals, safety protocols).
Type
1 — Real / Possible Future Condition
Short definition:
Used for a realistic or likely situation in the present or future.
Structure:
If + present simple, ... will + base verb
(Can also use: can, may, should, imperative)
Use:
- Making predictions about specific future outcomes
- Giving warnings or promises
- Stating plans contingent on a condition
Examples:
- If you study TEAS Reading daily, you will improve your
score.
- If the patient develops a fever, notify the physician
immediately.
- If they complete the consent form, we can start the
procedure.
TEAS Tip: Look for “will” in the main clause;
this is the most tested conditional on TEAS Reading.
Type
2 — Unreal / Imaginary Present or Future
Short definition:
Used for a hypothetical or unlikely situation in the present or future
(contrary to fact now).
Structure:
If + past simple, ... would + base verb
(Can also use: could, might)
Use:
- Imagining a different present/future
- Giving advice (often with “If I were you...”)
- Talking about something that is not true now
Examples:
- If I were the charge nurse, I would change the shift
schedule.
- If the hospital had more beds, we would admit more
patients.
- If she studied more, she might pass the exam. (but she
doesn’t study much now)
Important: Use “were” for all subjects in
formal English (especially TEAS):
- If he were here... (not “was”)
TEAS Tip: Distinguish Type 1 (real
possibility) vs. Type 2 (imaginary).
- Type 1: If it rains, we will cancel outdoor triage.
(possible)
- Type 2: If it rained in this desert, we would be
surprised. (unlikely)
Type
3 — Unreal Past (No possibility)
Short definition:
Used for a situation in the past that did NOT happen – imagining a different
past outcome.
Structure:
If + past perfect (had + past participle), ... would have + past participle
(Can also use: could have, might have)
Use:
- Expressing regret or criticism about the past
- Imagining a changed outcome for something already
finished
Examples:
- If the paramedic had arrived sooner, the patient would
have survived. (but he did not arrive sooner)
- If we had worn gloves, we could have avoided exposure.
(but we did not wear them)
- If the lab had reported results faster, the doctor
might have changed the treatment.
TEAS Tip: Type 3 is tested in complex reading
passages where the author reflects on past events. Note had + past
participle in the ‘if’ clause and would have in the main clause.
Quick
Comparison Table for TEAS Review
|
Type |
If
clause tense |
Main
clause tense |
Meaning |
Example |
|
0 |
present simple |
present simple |
Always true |
If you mix blue and yellow, you
get green. |
|
1 |
present simple |
will + base verb |
Real future possibility |
If you call, I will answer. |
|
2 |
past simple |
would + base verb |
Unreal present/future |
If I had time, I would help. (I
don’t) |
|
3 |
past perfect (had + past part.) |
would have + past part. |
Unreal past |
If I had known, I would have
called. (I didn’t know) |
Common
TEAS Question Formats
Identify the type from a sentence:
- “If the patient stops breathing, the ventilator will
alarm.” → Type 1
Choose the correct verb form to
complete a conditional:
- If she ___ (study) harder, she would have passed. → had
studied (Type 3)
Recognize meaning (real vs unreal vs
impossible):
- “If I were the doctor...” → Unreal present (Type 2)
Distinguish between Type 1 and Type
2 in reading passages – ask:
- Is it likely/possible? → Type 1
- Is it imaginary or unlikely now? → Type 2
Final
Memory Aids
- Type 0 = Zero chance of being false (facts)
- Type 1 = One real possibility
- Type 2 = Two (unreal) → uses past tense for present
- Type 3 = Three (past impossible) → uses past perfect +
would have
Questions
1–5: Type 0 (General Truths / Scientific Facts)
1.
If
a person does not consume enough vitamin C, they _____ scurvy over time.
a) will develop
b) develop
c) would develop
d) developed
2.
Which
sentence is an example of a Type 0 conditional?
a) If the nurse reviews the chart, she will find the allergy.
b) If the medication expires, it loses its effectiveness.
c) If I were the patient, I would ask for a second opinion.
d) If you had taken the full course, you would have recovered.
3.
According
to the lab manual: “If the solution turns blue, the pH _____ basic.”
a) is
b) will be
c) would be
d) would have been
4.
If
you mix equal parts of hydrogen peroxide and water, it _____ a mild
disinfectant.
a) creates
b) will create
c) would create
d) would have created
5.
Which
situation best fits a Type 0 conditional?
a) A possible future side effect of a new drug
b) A universal biological fact about enzyme activity
c) A regret about a past medical error
d) An imaginary scenario where the hospital has unlimited staff
Questions
6–10: Type 1 (Real / Possible Future)
6.
If
the patient’s blood pressure drops below 90/60, the protocol _____ immediate IV
fluids.
a) requires
b) will require
c) would require
d) required
7.
“If
you complete the informed consent form, you may participate in the study.”
This sentence expresses:
a) An impossible past condition
b) A real possibility for the future
c) A general scientific truth
d) An imaginary present situation
8.
Complete
the sentence correctly: If the lab results arrive before noon, the doctor _____
the treatment plan.
a) adjusts
b) will adjust
c) would adjust
d) would have adjusted
9.
Which
sentence is NOT a Type 1 conditional?
a) If you call the pharmacy now, they will refill the prescription.
b) If the patient complains of chest pain, page the cardiologist immediately.
c) If the hospital had more ventilators, they would treat more patients.
d) If the wound shows signs of infection, the nurse will notify the provider.
10. A nurse tells a patient: “If you
take this medication with food, you will avoid stomach upset.”
This is an example of:
a) Type 0 – general fact
b) Type 1 – specific future warning/advice
c) Type 2 – unreal present
d) Type 3 – past regret
Questions
11–15: Type 2 (Unreal / Imaginary Present or Future)
11. If the clinic _____ more funding, it
would offer free diabetes screenings.
a) has
b) will have
c) had
d) would have
12. “If I were the charge nurse, I would
change the shift schedule.”
This sentence implies:
a) The speaker is the charge nurse.
b) The speaker is going to become charge nurse.
c) The speaker is not the charge nurse now.
d) The shift schedule was changed in the past.
13. Which sentence uses the correct
formal structure for a Type 2 conditional?
a) If she was the team lead, she would approve the protocol.
b) If she were the team lead, she would approve the protocol.
c) If she is the team lead, she will approve the protocol.
d) If she had been the team lead, she would have approved the protocol.
14. Complete the sentence: If we _____
enough isolation rooms, we could reduce the spread of infection.
a) have
b) will have
c) had
d) have had
15. A student says: “If I had more time,
I would review the TEAS grammar section.”
This means:
a) The student has plenty of time.
b) The student does not have enough time now.
c) The student reviewed grammar yesterday.
d) The student will have time tomorrow.
Questions
16–20: Type 3 (Unreal Past – Impossible)
16. If the paramedic _____ the airway
sooner, the patient would have survived.
a) secured
b) would secure
c) had secured
d) will secure
17. “If the lab had reported the critical
value immediately, the doctor would have administered the antidote.”
This sentence implies:
a) The lab did report the value immediately.
b) The doctor administered the antidote.
c) The lab did NOT report the value immediately.
d) The patient fully recovered.
18. Which is an example of a Type 3
conditional?
a) If you heat the specimen, it denatures.
b) If you call ahead, we will save you a bed.
c) If I knew the answer, I would tell you.
d) If the surgeon had washed his hands, the infection might have been prevented.
19. Complete the sentence to express
regret about a past action: If the nurse _____ the wristband, she would not
have given the wrong medication.
a) checked
b) will check
c) had checked
d) would check
20. A quality report states: “If the
team had followed the fall prevention protocol, the patient would not have
fallen.”
This conclusion suggests that:
a) The team followed the protocol.
b) The patient did not fall.
c) The team did NOT follow the protocol, and the patient fell.
d) The protocol is ineffective.
Answers
with short reasons
Questions
1–5 (Type 0)
1.
b)
develop
→ Type 0 uses present simple in both clauses.
2.
b
→ General scientific fact (always true result).
3.
a)
is
→ Present simple for scientific condition.
4.
a)
creates
→ Habitual/general result → present simple.
5.
b
→ Universal biological fact = Type 0.
Questions
6–10 (Type 1)
6. a) requires
→ Rule/protocol = present real condition result.
7. b
→ Real future possibility.
8. b) will adjust
→ If + present → will + verb.
9. c
→ “Had more ventilators” = Type 2, not Type 1.
10. b
→ Real advice/warning → Type 1.
Questions
11–15 (Type 2)
11. c) had
→ If + past simple → would + verb.
12. c
→ Shows unreal present situation.
13. b
→ “were” is correct formal Type 2 form.
14. c) had
→ Hypothetical present situation.
15. b
→ Implies lack of time now.
Questions
16–20 (Type 3)
16. c) had secured
→ If + past perfect for unreal past.
17. c
→ Action did NOT happen.
18. d
→ “Had washed… would have” = Type 3.
19. c) had checked
→ Past perfect for missed action.
20. c
→ Shows cause of past failure (no protocol followed).
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