Conditionals
Conditionals
Conditionals
Grammar Vocabulary
5a Zero, first and second conditionals 5d want, expect, love, can't bear, etc
5b Third conditional, mixed conditionals 5e Prefixes (2)
5c wish, if only
Eptry test
Q Choose the correct answer.
1 If you don't / won't hurry, you'll miss the train.
2 What do/can I do if she refuses to listen to me?
3 His French won't improve provided/ unless he studies harder.
4 If I have/had more time, I would take up tennis.
5 If I were / would be you, I'd buy a new suit.
Now look at ^ on pages 82-83. LA
80
ENTRY TEST
5
O Complete the words in the following sentences. Use the prefixes in the box.
de ex mono multi semi
21 The detective managed to ............ code the message.
22 Samantha is through to the............ -final of the women's singles.
23 Sarah is h is............ -wife. They got divorced five years ago.
24 This is a (n )............ lingual English dictionary - all the definitions are in English.
25 Jamie was wearing a (n )............ coloured shirt.
Now look at ^ on pages 92-93. J_ 5
____ /2 5
81
Grammar
Z e m ff first and second condlilQ®Biais
Conditional sentences have two parts: the ♦ i f + present continuous —►will/modal verb/
conditional clause, which begins with i f (or other imperative
words such as when, unless, etc.), and the main I f y ou ’re leaving, I’ll com e with you.
clause. Conditional sentences follow basic patterns. ♦ i f + present perfect -> wz7//modal verb/
imperative
See also: © I f you’ve fin ish ed your homework, you can
go out.
♦ i f + present perfect continuous —> will/modal
Zero conditional
verb/imperative
» We use the zero conditional to talk about If she’s been w aitin g for ages, she m ay g et
things that are always or generally true as a worried.
result of an action. ♦ imperative + and/or —►wz'W/modal verb
» T o form zero conditional sentences, we use: E at less an d y ou ’ll lose weight.
i f + present simple -> present simple: » We can also use the following words and
W hen water freezes, it turns to ice. phrases in first conditional sentences:
I f you m ix red and blue, you get purple. ♦ (just) in case: This means ‘because it is
» The conditional clause can come before or after possible that’ and it usually comes after the
the main clause. When it comes first, we put a main clause:
comma after it: Ann will bring you a coat in case it gets cold.
When I travel by boat, I often get sick. ♦ p rov ided/providin g (that), as long as:
I often get sick when I travel by boat. These phrases mean ‘on condition that’:
P rovided you rest, you ’ll feel better soon.
First conditional ♦ unless: This means ‘if not’:
I f you d o n ’t leave now, you ’ll be late.
° We use the first conditional to talk about
—> Unless you leave now, you ’ll be late.
possible actions or events in the future.
» T o form first conditional sentences, we use:
i f + present simple —►will + infinitive: Second conditional
I f it rains, we’ll stay at home. • We use the second conditional to talk about
» Other structures are also possible in first unlikely events or situations in the future, or
conditional sentences: improbable/impossible events or situations in
♦ i f + present simple -* modal verb the present.
I f you p rom ise to behave yourself, you can = To form second conditional sentences, we use:
com e. i f + past simple + would + infinitive:
» i f + present simple -> be going to I f I h a d enough money, I w ould retire.
I f you d o n ’t w ork hard, you’re goin g to fa il. ° In the main clause, we can also use could or
♦ i f + present simple - » imperative might instead of would:
I f you n eed anything, just ask. I f I lost my job, I m ight go abroad fo r a while.
» In the if clause, we can use were instead of was:
I ’d quit my jo b i f I w ere rich.
82
ZERO, FIRST AND SECOND CONDITIONALS
Third conditional
• We use the third conditional to talk about
events that were possible in the past but did O Complete the sentences. Use the correct
not happen. form of the verbs in brackets.
o To form third conditional sentences, we use: i f
0 If you had c o m e (come) to the theatre
+ past perfect + would have + past participle: yesterday, you .Wowjd haye.ey^joyed,
I f Bruce had asked me, I would have said yes. (enjoy) the play.
I f I hadn’t become a teacher, I would have
1 If I .............. (come) to Athens last year, I
liked to be an actor. </
..............(visit) you.
I f I wouldn’t have become a teacher, I would
like to be an actor. X 2 If w e.............. (know) you already had
tickets, w e.............. (not get) any for you.
° Notice how changing the clauses from positive
to negative changes the meaning: 3 If y o u .............. (not destroy) my computer, I
I f I had taken an umbrella, I wouldn’t have got .............. (not need) a new one now!
wet. (= I did get wet.) 4 If y o u .............. (not leave) the party so early
I f I hadn’t taken an umbrella, I would have got on Saturday, y o u .............. (might / meet) Joe.
wet. (= I didn’t get wet.) 5 If y o u .............. (not spend) all your money,
• Both clauses can be negative: your fath er.............. (not be) angry now.
They wouldn’t have missed their plan e i f they 6 I .............. (could / become) an accountant if
hadn ’t overslept. (= They did oversleep and they I .............. (be) good at maths.
did miss their plane.) 7 If sh e .............. (try) harder, sh e ................(get)
®In the main clause, we can use could or might that promotion last year.
instead o f would: 8 H e .............. (not get) the job if h e ................
I f y ou ’d asked, I could have told you the answer. (miss) his interview.
I might have got the jo b i f I had applied fo r it. 9 If I .............. (meet) you before, my life
.............. (be) different now.
Mixed conditionals 10 If h e .............. (not see) that car, th ere................
Sometimes we use the second and third (be) an accident.
conditionals in the same sentence. We call these
sentences mixed conditional sentences and
we use them when a past event has an effect
on the present. The conditional clause (third
conditional) refers to the past and the main
clause (second conditional) refers to the present
or future. Compare the following sentences:
I f you hadn’t invited me, I wouldn’t have gone
to the party, (third conditional; I did go to the
party.)
I f you hadn’t invited me, I wouldn’t be here now.
(third conditional + second conditional; I’m here
now.)
84
THIRD CONDITIONAL, MIXED CONDITIONALS
®O0
T h e m ille n n iu m b u g
If you were around at the end of 1999, you’ve probably heard about the ‘millennium bug’
affecting the world’s computer systems and its catastrophic effects. We waited and nothing
happened. But what would <0)..KAy.e.. happened if there really had (1)............ a millennium
bug? Some experts claimed that it (2)............ have created chaos on the Internet, the
whole system would have collapsed and all kinds of disasters would (3)............ followed:
there (4)............ have been massive power failures, telephones would (5).............. stopped
working, banks (6)............ have closed and so on.
What will happen if there (7)............ a similar bug in the future? Experts say that it is
unlikely, but(8)............ it did happen, it (9)..............pose a serious problem. And if it
happened unexpectedly, technicians (10)............ not have time to take the necessary action
to prevent all possible problems. It is an unlikely scenario bu t(11)............ we plan ahead,
we may live to find out.
A
|Y
85
w ish + past simple/continuous w ish + w o u ld
• We use wish + past simple/continuous to We often use wish + would to express our
express our dissatisfaction with present dissatisfaction and annoyance about something
situations: that we would like to be different:
I wish I was tall. (= but I’m not) I wish this car would go faster!
I wish I was going on holiday with you. (= but I wish you would stop talking! </
I’m not) I wish you to stop talking! X
Harry wishes his brother were here. (= but he I wish they would stop arguing. /
isn’t) I wish they will stop arguing. X
° We can use were instead o f was after wish:
I wish I were tall. w ish + past perfect
• We often use wish + could to talk about things
• We use wish + past perfect to express regret
we are unable to do:
about the past:
I wish I could help you. /
I wish I hadn’t taken your advice. (= but I did)
I wishr-I would help you. X
• We can also use wish + could have + past
participle:
I wish she could have come. (= but she didn’t)
i f o n ly
I f only can be used in the same way as wish. It is
usually more emphatic. The patterns after i f only
are the same as those after wish:
I f only I had m ore money. (= but I don’t)
I f only I was going with you. (= but I’m not)
I f only you could come, too. (= but you can’t)
I f only the sun would come out!
I f only I had listened to you. (= but I didn’t)
I f only he could have joined us. (= he wasn’t
able to)
86
WISH, IF ONLY
Q Complete the sentences. Use the correct form of the verbs in brackets.
0 My grandad wishes he . . co u ld _u s e .. (can / use) a computer.
1 Bruce wishes h e ...............(have) more money so he could buy a new sweater.
2 If only I ..............(be) taller! I’d love to be in the'basketball team.
3 I wish I ...............(not spend) all my money. Now I don’t have enough for my bus
fare!
4 I wish y o u ...............(not watch) TV while I’m talking to you! , t
5 I wish y o u ...............(not do) that. It’s really annoying!
6 Ella wishes sh e.............. (not speak) to her friend like that last night.
7 If only th ey .............. (not build) that block of flats right in front o f our window!
8 O f course Tom wishes h e ...............(can / come) with us but he has to stay here and
work.
9 I wish w e.............. (can / go) to the match on Saturday but we’re visiting my uncle.
10 I really wish y o u .............. (not tell) Mary. Now she knows everything!
11 If only y o u .............. (not lose) all our money. Now we’re broke.
12 Peter’s always late. If only h e ..............(turn up) on time for a change!
Q W rite two sentences for each item. Use / wish or if only and the phrases in the box.
drive more carefully get to the bus stop five minutes earlier let someone else drive
not be so rude to her not eat so much not forget to set the alarm not lose my temper
play fewer computer games recycle more paper respect the environment
revise for it take more exercise use their bikes instead use their cars less often
watch less TV work harder
0 I’ve gained a lot of weight. 4 W e’re cutting down too many trees.
I wish .1 .kd.dvj’. t. .e flfe tt. s o . WUAC.k. I w ish.....................................................................
If only I ’d fak ev ). e x e r c i.s e ., If only....................................................................
1 He crashed his car. 5 I failed my science test.
I w ish............................................................. I w ish.....................................................................
If only ............................................................ If only....................................................................
2 I had a row with my best friend. 6 I missed my bus.
I w ish............................................................. I w ish.....................................................................
If o n ly ............................................................ If only ....................................................................
3 Children don’t read enough nowadays. 7 People use their cars when they don’t need to.
I w ish............................................................. I w ish.....................................................................
If o n ly ............................................................ If only....................................................................
87
WISH, IF ONLY
Q W rite a sentence for each item. Use / wish or if only and the words in brackets.
0 The weather is awful, (improve)
J j f . ewty. .the. Wefl+Key:. would, .iyjopy o y e ] ..........................................................................
1 He leaves the tap running all the time, (turn off)
4 The people next door have their TV on and it’s too loud, (turn down)
5 Your friend keeps complaining about everything all the time, (stop)
1 If only 5 If only
2 If only 6 If only
3 If only 7 If only
88