What is the difference between real and unreal conditional sentences in tenses?

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What is the difference between real and unreal conditional sentences in tenses?

Real and unreal conditional sentences in tenses refer to different types of hypothetical situations and their corresponding verb forms.

Real conditional sentences, also known as open or possible conditionals, are used to talk about situations that are likely to happen or are possible in the present or future. These sentences express real or factual conditions and their probable outcomes. In real conditional sentences, the verb forms used are the present simple tense in the if-clause (condition) and the future simple tense (will + base form of the verb) in the main clause (result). For example: "If it rains, I will take an umbrella."

On the other hand, unreal conditional sentences, also known as hypothetical or unreal conditionals, are used to talk about situations that are contrary to reality or unlikely to happen. These sentences express unreal or imaginary conditions and their hypothetical outcomes. In unreal conditional sentences, the verb forms used are the past simple tense in the if-clause and the present conditional tense (would + base form of the verb) in the main clause. For example: "If I won the lottery, I would buy a mansion."

In summary, the difference between real and unreal conditional sentences lies in the likelihood or reality of the conditions and their corresponding verb forms. Real conditionals deal with possible or likely situations in the present or future, while unreal conditionals deal with hypothetical or contrary-to-reality situations.