Question

Select the category to which the following sentence belongs: If we had bought a new house, we would not be in this situation now.
A) First Conditional
B) Second Conditional
C) Third Conditional
D) Zero Conditional

Answer 1

Hint: Conditional sentences are statements that explore known or hypothetical circumstances and their implications. A conditional clause (commonly referred to as the if-clause) and a consequence make up a complete conditional sentence.

Complete answer:
 In English, there are four main forms of conditional sentences. Each one reflects a different degree of likelihood that an event will occur or would have occurred under specific conditions: Conditional Sentences are divided into four categories: zero conditional sentences, first conditional sentences, second conditional sentences, and third conditional sentences.

Option A) First Conditional: The first conditional sentence is used to represent circumstances where the outcome is expected (but not guaranteed) to occur in the future. Therefore, this option is incorrect.

Option B) Second Conditional: Second conditional sentences can be used to represent outcomes that are utterly implausible or unlikely to occur in the future. In the if-clause, use the simple past tense, and in the main clause, use an auxiliary modal verb (e.g., could, should, would, may) (the one that expresses the unrealistic or unlikely outcome). Thus, this option is inappropriate.

Option C) Third Conditional: The Third Conditional is used to describe hypothetical prior events in which the event's criteria were not met, as well as the consequences of that failure. Simply put, it imagines a past that never happened and speculates on what could have happened if it had. The third conditional has the following structure: if + past perfect tense, would have + verb form (can be conjugated). The verb in this situation is 'to be,' hence the sentence follows the pattern of the Third Conditional - i.e. Option C).

Option D) Zero Conditional: Situations in which one thing always causes another is expressed with zero conditional statements. You're talking about a general fact rather than a specific instance of anything when you employ a zero conditional. Hence, this option is incorrect.

Therefore the correct answer is option ‘C’.

Note: The following are the rules for conditional sentences:
- When a specific result is guaranteed, use the zero conditional (i.e., simple present Plus simple present).
- Use the simple past tense in the if-clause when using the second conditional.
- The third conditional mood describes a circumstance that could only have occurred in the past if a specific condition was met. We utilise the modal auxiliary verb + have + the past participle for this reason.