ANDREE ENGLISH SCHOOL

ENGLISH DEPARTMENT

CONDITIONALS

Name: Class: Date:

CONDITIONALS

We use the so-called ZERO CONDITIONAL when the result of the condition is always true, like a scienti c fact.
Notice that we are thinking about a result that is always true for this condition. The result of the condition is an
absolute certainty. We are not thinking about the future or the past, or even the present. We are thinking about a
simple fact. We use the Present Simple tense to talk about the condition. We also use the Present Simple tense to
talk about the result. The important thing about the zero conditional is that the condition always has the same
result. We often use when instead of if, for example: When I get up late, I miss my bus.

Ifclause Main clause

Present tense Present tense
If youfreezewater, |It turns toice.

IfI worktoomuch,Igettired.
I havetime,Iusuallygo to themovies.
If sheeatshamburgers,shegetsanallergy.
If theycomehere,theyalwaysbringapresent.
If shedoesn'tknowtheanswer,shekeepssilent.
If we don'tgo out onSaturdays,we rent avideoandstayhome.

Conditional clauses can also use words such as: unless, if, provided, providing that, in case: You won't pass the
exam unless you study harder.

Unless -a menos que

Unless we book now, we won't nd a place to stay.

John's wife will leave him, unless he pays more attention to her.

Provided/ing (that) - siempre y cuando

You can go to Spain, provided that you get goodgrades at school.

Provided/ing he doesn't misbehave; Paul won't be expelled from our school.

As long as - siempre y cuando

V Il help you with Biology,as longas you help me with French.

Dan will come as long as he nishes early at the of ce.

Exercises 1: Provide a suitable answer for the following zero conditional sentences

1. If people eat too much,

2. If you touch a re,
3. People die
4. You get water
5. Snakes bite
6. If babies are hungry,

Ifyowpicka shout ofwatwr,

itdies
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 When we use FIRST CONDITIONAL we are talking about the future. We are thinking about a particular
condition or situation in the future, and the result of this condition. There is a real possibility that this condition
will happen. Notice that we are thinking about a future condition. It is not raining yet. But the sky is cloudy and
you think that it could rain. We use the Present Simple tense to talk about the possible future condition. We use
will +can/may/must + base verb to talk about the possible future result. The important thing about the rst
conditional is that there is a real possibility that the condition will happen.

Ifclause Main clause

|If+ Presenttense will /can/may/ must+verb
|If itrainstoday, I'l stay athome.

If heisbusynow,I willcomebacktomorrow.
I havetime,I'll visitmyparentsthisafternoon.
V I t is warm tomorrow, we'll go to thebeach.
If it iscold,youmustwearwarmclothes.
If hedoesn'tdohishomework,hecannotgoto theparty.
If shedoesn'tcallyou,youcancallher.
V If you work hard, you may become a millionaire someday.
V If they don't invite you, you must not go.

Exercise 2: Fill in the blanks using the verbs given.

1. If you (have) an apple every day, you'll be very healthy.

2. You. (get) heart disease if you eat too much meat.

3. You won't pass the course ifyou (study)

4. If we don't protect the elephant, it. _extinct. (become)

5 If1_ (cook)some eggs, how many 2(eat)

6. Sara will pay higher insurance if she L (buy) a sports car.

7. Ifyou don't put so much sugar in your coffee, you_ (put on) so much weight!

8. She (look) completely diferent ifshe .(cut) her hair.

9. Ifa deer (get) into yourgarden, it_ (eat) all your plants.

10. You (able to see) better ifyou turn on the lamp.

There's no rush,
Come on,Rachel. is Uhere? lf we miss it,
If we hurry, well catch
therell be another one in
the half-past-ninebus, tccnminutcs.
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 The SECOND CONDITIONAL İs like the rst conditional. We are still thinking about the future. We are thinking
about a particular condition in the future, and the result of this condition. But there is not a real possibility that
this condition will happen. For example, you do not have a lottery ticket. Is it possible to win? No! No lottery
ticket, no win! But maybe you will buy a lottery ticket in the future. So you can think about winning in the future,
like a dream. Notice that we are thinking about a future condition. We use the Past Simple tense to talk about the
future condition. We use would + base verb to talk about the future result. The important thing about the second
conditional is that there is an unreal possibility that the condition will happen. Sometimes, we use could or
might instead of would, for example: IfI won a million dollars, I could stop working.

Ifclause Main clause

| If+PastSimple would / could / might + verb
|IfI won thelottery, I would travel around the world.

IfI wonthelottery, Iwouldtravelaroundtheworld.

I were inBrazil,I wouldgo to RiodeJaneiro.
IfI wereyou,Iwouldbuythatcar.
If he werein myplace,hewouldn'tdothis.
IfI hadmoremoney,I wouldbuya niceapartment.
If shehadmoretime,shewouldtravelmoreoften.

Exercise 3: Complete the sentences using the verb given to form second conditional sentences.

1. Ifyou, your grandma, I would do the shopping. (help)

2. Andrew the owers if he stayed at home. (water)

3. Ifshe S pounds more, she_ herself this T-shirt. (have/buy)

4. If they. to give me the job, I. it. (offer/give)

5. You holidays from June till August if you in theUSA. (have/live)

6. We. the bike for 20 Euros if Ron, it. (sell/repair)

7. If you a pencil, the drawing. perfect. (use/be)

8. The children happy ifhe. them English.(be/teach)

9. IfIrene S, we out tonight. (visit/ go)

10. They again if he _a second stay. (come/plan)

Ífyou were
my husband,
Td poisonyour
coffee

ffyou
were myY
wife I'd
drink it.
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 The rst conditional and second conditionals talk about the future. With the THIRD CONDITIONAL we talk
about the past. We talk about a condition in the past that did not happen. That is why there is no possibility for
this condition. The third conditional is also like a dream, but with no possibility of the dream coming true. We
use the Past Perfect tense to talk about the impossible past condition. We use would have + past participle to
talk about the impossible past result. The important thing about the third conditional is that both the condition
and result are impossible now.

|Ifclause Main clause

| Past Perfect Tense would/could /might + have + past participle
|I hadwonthelottery, I would have travelled around the world.

I had won the lottery, I would have travelled around the world.
I hadseenhim, I wouldhavetold himaboutyou.
I hadknowntheanswer,I wouldhaveraisedmyhand.
If shehadcomeonSaturday,I wouldhaveseenher.
If theyhadleftearlier,theywouldhavearrivedontime.
If wehadstudiedharder,wemighthavepassedthetest.
If you hadgoneto Brazil,you wouldhavehadlots offun.
I hadn'tbeensobusy, Icouldhavehelpedyou.
If theyhadn'tdrunksomuchlastnight,theywouldn'thavefeltsicktoday.
If hehadworkedmore,hecouldhavesavedmoremoney.

Exercise 4: Complete the sentences using the verb given to form third conditional sentences.

1. IfYvonne had watched the news, she the puzzle. (solve)

2 IfI. a mobile, I could have phoned you. (have)

3. We to the beachif we in Florida. (go/stay)

4. If my mother. breakfast,I really happy.(make/be)

5. Her brother moremnistakes if he the text again. ( nd/read)

6. Ifyou, a little lemon, the soup excellent. (add/taste)

7 They. less if they the tickets yesterday. (pay/book)

8. If the kids more tickets, they more money for their trip. (sell/have)

9. Gerry might his mom to see the doctor if he to her. (convince/talk)

10. She Henry in hospital if she that he was there. (visit/know)

HE WASLATE FOR WORK MÁN

TIMES. HE ST, HIS JOB.

IF HE HADNT BEEN
ATE, HE WOULDNT
HAVE LOST HIS JOB.
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 Exercise 5: Complete the sentences using the verb given to form conditional sentences (0, 1, 2 &3).

1. If you you can stay for two days. (like)

2. IfI had seen the lm in the cinema, I. it onTVagain.(notwatch)

3. If the parents the cat, their children would be very happy. (buy)

4. Metal_ if you heat it. (expand)

5. He should have received my e-mail if he online yesterday evening. (be)

6. They'd have been able to return the productif they. off the labels. (tear)

7. If she up her room, she must nd the receipt. (tidy)

8. What ifyou hada million dollars? (do)

9. Where would you live if you, younger? (be)

10. If you wait for a little moment, I_ the doctor you are here. (tell)

Exercise 6: Paraphrasing: Re-write the sentences so that they have the same meaning as the original. Use the
word given plus one to four more words. (2-5)

1 I didn't go to Helen's party because she didn't invite me.

HAD
IfHelen have gone to her party.

2 Well, we'l go to the beach if it doesn't rain.

UNLESS
Well, we'll go to the beach.

3 Ann can't buya new car because she hasn't got enough money.
COULD
If Ann. buy a new car.

4 She feels lonely since she hasn't got any friends.

NOT
If she had some lonely.

5 Carlos Sainz didn't win the Monte Carlo Rally because his car broke down.
NOT
Carlos Sainz would have won the Monte Carlo Rally If his down.

6 Should you require more information, ask at the desk.

NEED
If you at the desk.

7 Jim missed the plane because he arrived late at the airport.

EARLIER
Jim wouldn't have missed the plane at the airport.

8 Idon't have a modem, sol can't e-mail you.

IF
I could e-mail a modem.

9 Ididn't send them a postcard because I didn't know their new address.
HAVE
I would i had known their newaddress.

10 l'd like to buy a bigger at, but I haven't got enough money.
ENOUGH
IfI had. buy a bigger at.
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 11 Inever travel by plane because I get ear ache.
DID
IfI. ache, I would travel by plane.

12 I won't go to the party if you don't go with me.

UNLESS
I won't go to the with me.

13 You can attend the meeting only if you are a club member.
LONG
You can attend the meeting _a clubmember.

14 Ice melts down ifyou heat it.

WHEN
lce. heat it.

15 You won't get a promotion if your work doesn't improve.

PROVIDED
You. that your work improves.

16 I never eat octopus because l get sick.

DID
IfI. I would eat octopus.

17 She wanted to buy that picture, but she didn't have enough money.
WOULD
She if she had had enough money.

18 Whenever I make a promise, I keep it.

KEEP
IfI it

19 I won't go to Rio unless I nd a cheap ight.

PROVIDED
1. that I nd a cheap ight.

20 They lost the match because of the heavy rain.

NOT
If it. they would have won the match.

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 II. WISHES

We can use I wish/if only to express a wish (or a regret). We can use this in 4 different ways:

Iwish/if
only... This is used...
Examples: to say that we would like
+ past simple/past I wish I was/were better with computers. something to be different about a
continuous (But I'm not). present situation.
-lfonly we weren't working till late. It is a present wish.
(But we are).

Example: to express a wish/regret in the

+ could + bare -I wish I could design a website. present concerning lack of
in nitive (But I can't, I don't know how/don't have theability.
ability).

Examples: to express regret about

+ past perfect -I wish I had taken a computer course at something which happened or
(had + past college. didn't happen in the past.
participle) (But I didn't).
-Ifonly I hadn't lent Tim myphone.
(But I did).

Examples: to express:
+ subject+ would + -I wish Sue would reply to my emails! |• apoliteimperative
bare in nitive -Ifonly you wouldn't borrow myDVDS a desire for a situation or
without asking me. person's behaviour to change.

• If only is used in exactly the same was as I wish but it is more emphatic or more dramatic.
• We can use were instead of was after I wish and if only.

QUESTIONS:

1. Present wishes: list four things you would like to do right now.Useif only or Iwish.

1)
2)
3)
4)

2. Past regrets: list four things which you regret doing or not doing in your life.

1)
2)
3)
4)
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 3. Desire for a situation/someone's behaviour to
change: wwwCatoonStock con

"I bet i wasan I-pod you'd

listen to me!"

Sam's attitude sometimes really irritates you. What would you say to him to stop him doing the
following things?

1) Doesn't listen to you

2) Is untidy

3) Never says thank you

4) Lies to you frequently

5) Takes your things without asking

4. Complete the second sentence using the word in capitals so that it means the same as the rst
one. Use two to ve words.

1) I don't want you to argue with your sister.

WOULD
with your sister.

2) It was a mistake not to apply for the job.

WISH
for the job.

3) The young man was sorry he gave the tickets to John.

HAD
The young man,
the tickets to John.
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 4) I'd love to know the secret to living a healthier lifestyle.
ONLY
the secret to living a healthier life.

5) I'm sorry I didn't go to watch the lm last week.

ONLY
If to watch the lm lastweek.

6) I shouldn't have lied to my teacher about my homework. Now l am in more trouble.

HAD
If_ my teacher the truth. I would
be in less trouble now.

7) I would love to visit my friend this weekend, but she is busy!

COULD
I my friend this weekend, but she is busy!

8) I'm sorry we weren't able to havea proper holiday this year.

HAD
I wish to have a proper holiday
this year.

9) I would love to go for a holiday on the moon.

COULD
If for a holiday on the moon!

10)I am sorry that I didn't go to the cinema with Mark.

WISH
to the cinema with Mark.

11)I'd like Kevin to stop telling me what to do.

ONLY
If telling me what to do!

12) Peter regretted selling his sports car so cheaply.

WISHED
Peter his sports car for more money.

13)I regret not inviting Cathy to the party.

INVITED
If Cathy to the party!

14)Mary would like Fred to invite her to dinner from time to time.
INVITE
Mary wishes Fred from time to time.
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