Conditional sentences, if-clauses type I, II, III

Conditional sentences are sometimes confusing for English learners as a second language.

Watch out:

Which type of conditional sentences is it?
Where is the if-clause (e.g. at the beginning or at the end of the conditional sentence)?

There are three types of conditional sentences.

type	condition
I	condition possible to fulfill
II	condition in theory possible to fulfill
III	condition not possible to fulfill (too late)

1. Form

type	if-clause	main clause
I	Simple Present	will-future or (Modal + infinitive)
II	Simple Past	would + infinitive *
III	Past Perfect	would + have + past participle *

type		Examples
		long forms	short/contracted forms
I	+	If I study, Iwill passthe exam.	If I study, I'll pass the exam.
I	-	If I study, I will not fail the exam. If I do not study, I will failthe exam.	If I study, I won't fail the exam. If I don't study, I'll fail the exam.
II	+	If I studied, I would pass the exam.	If I studied, I'd pass the exam.
II	-	If I studied, I would not fail the exam. If I did not study, I would failthe exam.	If I studied, I wouldn't fail the exam. If I didn't study, I'd fail the exam.
III	+	If I had studied, I would have passedthe exam.	If I'd studied, I'd have passed the exam.
III	-	If I had studied, I would not have failed the exam. If I had not studied, I would have failed the exam.	If I'd studied, I wouldn't have failed the exam. If I hadn't studied, I'd have failed the exam.

* We can substitute could or might for would (should, may or must are sometimes possible, too).

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