CONDITIONAL SENTENCE

Type 1: Real conditional sentences (câu điều kiện có thật)

Situation If Clause Main Clause

1. Future possible (có If + S + V(simple S + will/can/may/must
thể xảy ra ở tương lai) present) +V
Ex: If I have the money, I will be a new car.
2. Habitual (thói quen) If + S + V (simple S + V(simple present)
present) she usually walks to school
Ex: If Ann has enough time,
3. Command (câu mệnh If + S + V (simple Command form
lệnh, yêu cầu) present) please call me
Ex : If you hear from Bill,

Type 2: Present unreal conditional sentences (câu điều kiện không có thật ở
hiện tại)

If Clause Main Clause

If + S + Vsimple past (be were) S + would/could/ might/ had to +
V
Ex: I don’t have free time, so we can’t go to the beach with you
 If I had time, I would go to the beach with you

Type 3: Past unreal conditional sentences (câu điều kiện không có thật ở quá
khứ)

If Clause Main Clause

If + S + V(past perfect) S + would/could/might + have + P.P
(V3/ed)
Ex: I didn’t know that you were there, so I didn’t write you a letter.
 If I had known that you were there, I would have written you a letter.

 Note:
 Có thể dùng phép đảo ngữ trong câu điều kiện loại 1 và loại 2 nếu trong câu có were,
had, should. Khi đó If hay Unless trong câu sẽ được bỏ.
Ex : If Ann had found the right buyer, she would have sold the house.
 Had Ann found the right buyer, she would have sold the house.
 Mệnh đề điều kiện có thể đứng trước hoặc sau mệnh đề chính.
Ex: You could make better progress if you attended class regularly.
 Unless = If …not
Ex: If you don’t work hard, you can’t earn enough money for your living.
= Unless you work hard, you can’t earn enough money for your living.
 Without + N = There …no + N
Ex: Without water, life wouldn’t exist
= If there were no water, life wouldn’t exist.
 Command (mệnh lệnh) + or + Clause : dùng If loại 1
Ex: Go away or I will call the police.
→ If you don’t go away, I will call the police.

 Câu điều kiện kết hợp loại 2 và loại 3 (Thường có trạng từ đi theo, nếu không phải dịch
theo ngữ cảnh trước sau của sự việc)
 Ex: 1. If I hadn’t stayed up late last night, I wouldn’t be so tired now.
2. You wouldn’t be so hungry if you had had breakfast this morning
 Trong trường hợp này, mệnh đề If chia động từ ở loại 3, mệnh đề chính chia động từ ở loại 2

PRACTICE EXERCISES

Exercise 1: Put the verbs in brackets in to the correct forms:

1. If he (eat)......................................... all that, he will be ill.
2. She could give us some advice if she (be)............................................ here now.
3. What (happen)........................................... if my parachute does not open?
4. The baby (wake) ....................................... up if you spoke louder.
5. If he had gotten one more mark, he (pass)………………………………the exam.
6. If she (not get)................................. married young, she wouldn’t have had many
children.
7. If I (know) ..............................................the answer, I would tell you.
8. You (not have)............................................. so many accidents if you drove more
carefully.
9. If Peter (ask)............................................ me, I’ll help him with all my ability.
10.If she studied harder, she (get)................................................... better grades.
11.If I (be)................................. you, I (tell) ....................................... them the truth.
12.If you (do)..................................... as I told you, you (succeed).......................................
13. I (not go).......................................... to his house unless you go with me.
14.We could have a drink if it............................................. (not be) so late.
15.Please don’t disturb him if he (be).............................................. busy.
16.If ice (be).................................. heavier than water, it (not
float)...........................................
17.They would be glad if the rain (stop)………………………soon.
18.If Jack (come) ………………………….to my party, I would have danced with him.
19.It’s too bad Helen isn’t here. If she (be) ……………..here, she (know) ……………………..
what to do.
20.Lee will go to a Disneyland if he (save) ………………………… enough money.
Exercise 2: Complete each of the following sentences in such a way that it
means the same as the sentence printed before it.
1. They don’t understand the problem. They won’t find a solution
 ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
2. Go right now or you’ll be late for the train.
 ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
3. Because you speak English unnaturally, they do not understand you.
 ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
4. We didn’t know your phone number, so we could not contact you.
 ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
5. Because Simon doesn’t live near his mother, he can’t visit her often.
 ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
6. She didn’t hurry, so she missed the train.
 ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
7. John is fat because he eats so many chips.
 ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
8. Bill never does anything if you don’t tell him what to do.


Unless…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
9. They don’t have enough time so they cannot do me a favour.
 ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
10.I must leave now, or I’ll miss the flight.
 ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
11.Hurry up, or we will be late for the exam.
 ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
12.Peter gets bad marks because he doesn’t prepare his lessons well
 ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
 13.He doesn’t apply for the job because he doesn’t have enough qualifications.
 ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
14.We can’t buy this car because it is very expensive.
 ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
15.Unless he phones her immediately, he won’t get any information
 If …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
16.They don’t find out the remedy. The patient will die.
 ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
17.Susan felt sick because she ate 4 cream cakes.
 ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
18.If he hadn’t wasted too much time, he wouldn’t have failed in his examination.
 Unless……………………………………………………………………………………………………………
19.Rita is exhausted today because she didn’t get any sleep last night.
 ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
20.The flats are not clearly numbered, so it is very difficult to find anyone.
 ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Exercise 3: Inversion form
Conditional sentences with inversion are more formal than those that follow the usual word order.
1) In real conditionals inversion is found with the modal verb should, but it is only used in formal language.
Look at the following examples:
If you need more information, call our office in Green Street.
If you should require any further information, please contact us at our office in Green Street. (formal)
Should you require any further information, please contact us at our office in Green Street. (more formal
than the previous example)
2) In unreal conditionals it is common to find inversions in formal language.
Were the negotiations to fall through, it would bring about unforeseen problems. (If the negotiations were to
fall through,...)
Had I known about Mr Smith's behaviour sooner , I would have fired him immediately. (If I had known
about Mr Smith's behaviour sooner,...)
In negative clauses with inversion, we don't use contracted forms:
Had the people not been informed, the situation would have been much worse.

1. (the books/be) ……………………………… cheaper, I would have bought them all.

2. (the Prime Minister/fail) …………….to get the necessary support, he would be forced to call a snap
election.
3. (the evidence/not be destroyed) …………………., the accused would have been found guilty.
4. (you/need) ………………………….. any further assistance, do not hesitate to contact us.
5. (the ship/ not capsize) ……………… , there would have been more survivors.
6. (I/win) …………………… the prize, I wouldn't spend it on things I don't need.
7. (the storm/be) ………………….. at night, the rescue team wouldn't have found the lost boy scouts.
8. (he/decide) ………………… to come, please let me know as soon as possible.
9. (I/ be offered) ……………….. the job, I would have to think about it.
10. (you/have) …………… any further questions, please ask to see the manager.

Exercise 4: Inversion form

1. If it stopped raining, we could go out and go home.
……………………..raining, we could go out and go home.
2.If dad had been hungry, he would have eaten something.
…………………….hungry, he would have eaten something.
3. If we had had a camera, we might have taken some photos of the wedding.
……………………….a camera, we might have taken some photos of the wedding.
4.If they buy expensive clothes, they will spend all the money.
………………………..expensive clothes, they will spend all the money.
5.If she comes late again, she may lose her job.
………………late again, she may lose her job.
6. If She knew a little English, she could start that job.
………………………..a little English, she could start that job.
7. If I had known the truth, I would have told you.
……………………………….the truth, I would have told you.
8. If we go by taxi, we won't be late.
………………………………..by taxi, we won't be late.
9. If Tom had studied harder, he could have passed the exam.
…………………………………….harder, he could have passed the exam.
10. If she were at home, she would answer the phone.
………………………………………….at home, she would answer the phone.