CONDITIONAL SENTENCES

Conditional sentence is a sentence expressing factual implications or hypothetical situations and their
consequences. It is so called because the validity of the remaining clause of the sentence is conditional on
the existence of certain circumstances which may be expressed in a dependent clause or may be
understood from the context. A full conditional sentence, therefore, contains two clauses: the if-clause
(sometimes called conditional clause) and the main clause (or sometimes referred to as result clause). The
if-clause expresses condition and the main clause expresses the consequences.
Examples
a. If it rains tomorrow, we will not come to school.
b. If you forget coming to my birthday party, I will never speak to you again.
c. If he were a bird, he would fly across the harbor.
d. What would you have done if you hadn’t come to this meeting?
Based on the distinction whether it states an implication between facts, and those that set up and refer to
a hypothetical situation, conditional sentences can be categorized in to three main types. These are type I,
type II and type II conditional sentences. The detailed discussion of each has been presented as follows:
Conditional Sentence Type I
 This type of conditional sentence can be called likely, possible, probable, real etc. This conditional sentence
refers to the present or future. It is used to speculate about possible situations that something can really
happen or probable, in future, to happen if the condition is fulfilled at present.
Type I conditional sentence have three varieties- future-ended, imperative-ended and zero-condition. Let’s see
them all as follows:
Future- Ended Type I Conditional Sentence: In this type of conditional sentence, we use the present simple tense
in the if-clause and simple future tense in the main (result) clause. Look at the following examples.
Examples
a. If you study hard, you will pass the exam. (= means your present study, results in your future passing)
b. Will you go to Paris if you get the ticket?
c. If the weather is as sunny tomorrow as it was yesterday, we will go surfing.
Type I Conditional Alternative Forms
A. Using ‘when’ instead of ‘if’
Like ‘if’, ‘when’ can be used in probable conditional sentence, but we use it different from other
conditional sentence with ‘if’. In the real conditional sentence with ‘if’ if suggests that you do not know if
somet5hing will happen or not. ‘When’ suggests that something will definitely happen at some point, and
we are simply waiting for it to occur.
Structures
a. When + Sub+Verb1+, Sub+ will +verb1 or sub + will + verb1 + when+ sub+ verb1.
Examples
a. Jemila will help you with your home work when she finishes her cooking.
b. When you call me, I will give you the address. (You are going to call me, and at that time I will give
you the address.)
c. If you call me, I will give you the address. (You may or may not call me, incase you call me, I will
definitely give you the address.)
Note: - when is used when the condition will definitely happen.
e.g. when I die, I will leave all my money to charity.
B. Using ‘Unless’ instead of ‘if…not’
Usually ‘unless’ is used in negative condition instead of ‘if…not’.
e.g. You will fail the test unless you study hard.
C. using ‘going to’ in Result and in if-clause
‘Going to’ often replaces will in the type I conditional sentence. This is done to emphasize a certain results.
Examples
a. If you skip your class, you are going to fail.
b. If you don’t mind your ways, you are going to land in trouble.
Going to can also be used in if-clause to mean ‘intend to’.
Example
 a. If you are going to skip your school, you certainly won’t pass your exam.
D. Should in if-Clause
Should is sometimes used in the if-clause to imply that something is possible, but not very likely. This means,
should is used after if when we are less sure about a possibility.
Examples
a. If he should arrive, we will invite him along to dinner.(= He will probably not come. But if he comes, we
will invite him to dinner)
b. If she should study, she will pass the exam
c. If they should cancel the meeting, we’ll have rearrange our plans.
d. If she should come, ask her to wait(= She is unlikely to come, but if she comes, ask her to wait)
e. If they should attack us again, we will give them a warm reception. (= They are unlikely to attack us
again, but if they do, we will make it memorable for them as well)
Should can also go at the beginning of the sentence. In this case, ‘if’ is dropped.
Examples
a. Should it rain, there will be no picnic today.
b. Should she fail the test, she will lose the job.
c. Should she arrive, ask her to wait.\
d. If you should run into John, tell him to ruing me up.
E. Happen to/ Should happen to
We sometimes use happen to or should happen to in if-clause. It suggests that something is unlikely, but if it
happens, something else will happen.
Examples
a. If they happen to come to town, we will meet them. (=They are unlikely to come. But if they come, we
will meet them.)
b. If you happen to pass a drugstore, can you get an aspirin for me?
c. If you happen to finish early, please, give me a ring.
Should happen to has similar meaning.
E.g. If he should happen to get stuck in that tow, he will be able to find a good hotel.
F. Modals In Result Clauses
We can use modals in result/main/ clauses to talk about future possibilities, permission and advice.
Examples
a. If you finish your work, you can go out and play. (Possibility or Permission)
b. You should see a doctor, if you continue to feel bad.( Advice)
c. If I arrive early, I might give him a call. (Possibility)
G. Provided/Providing(that), As Long as
Provide/providing/ (that) and as long as can be used instead of ‘if’, to say that a particular condition must be
met in order for something to happen.
Examples
a. Provided that he finishes his studies, he will find an excellent job.
b. As long as you pay off the loan, the house will be yours at the end of this year.
1. Conditional Sentence Type II
This conditional sentence type can be called improbable, unlikely or imaginary conditional sentence. Type II
conditional sentence also refers to the present or future but in this type of conditional sentence, we speculate
about situations that will probably never happen or just we imagine. In short, this type of conditional sentence
is used to speak about present and future situation which are unlikely to happen or hypothetical or unreal.
We use simple past in if-clause and conditional or would + verb1 in the result (main) clause.
Examples
a. If I had more time, I would help you. (But I am not free at this moment, so I can’t help you.
b. I wouldn’t let dictators to oppress his people if I were united state’s leader.
c. If stones were bread, no one would suffer of starvation on this world.
Type II Conditional Alternative Forms
 Conditional sentence type, generally express hypothetical situations. Hypothetical situations are situations
that we imagine. These are specific English grammar structures, phrases and forms to express hypothetical
situations. The following are some of alternative forms of conditional sentence type 2.
A. Were to in if-clause
If can be followed by subject + ‘were to’ to suggest that we are talking about an imaginary condition.
Examples
a. If I were to buy a new car, what would you say?
b. If you were to lose your job, what you do?
c. If you were to win, how much would you give me?
B. If it were not for – in if-clause
This structure is used to say that one event depend on another for completion.
Examples
a. If it were not for his dedication, this company wouldn’t exist.
b. If it were not for your timely help, I wouldn’t be alive today.
c. If it weren’t for your wife’s money, you wouldn’t be a millioner.
C. Supposing in if-clause
Supposing is used in place of ‘if’ to emphasize an imaginary. It is more commonly used in everyday speech.
Examples
a. Supposing I became the Miss World, what would you say?
b. Supposing they came to visit you, what would you do?
c.
D. Modals in the Main Clause
 Sometimes modals such as could, might, etc. can be used instead of would in the result clause of
conditional sentence type II. We use could in the result clause to mean would be able to.
Examples
a. If you were more serious about your work, you could finish it in time.
b. If I had more money, I could buy a new car.
c. If you spoke a foreign language, you could get a better job.
 Might can be used in the result clause and mean would perhaps or would possibly.
Example
a. If you requested them more politely, they might help you. (= They would perhaps help you)
E. I wish/ If Only/ It is time
 If only is used to make emphatic wishes about the present with simple past verb form, and about past with
past perfect tenses structure.
Examples
a. I can’t restart my PC. If only I knew how to fix it.
b. We were completely lost. If only we had brought your GPS.
c. If only I knew where she is.
If only can also be used with would/ wouldn’t to criticize another person.
Examples
a. If only the boss would listen to my proposal.
b. If only Jeff would consider hiring Peter.
 The expression ‘It is time /It is high time/ + past simple tense structure is used about an action which finally
is taking place, or should take place soon. Besides it is used to complain about or criticize something or
someone.
Examples
a. It is time you began working on your own.
b. It is high time we changed to a new internet provider service.
c. It is time they grew up.
 We use “wish” with past simple tense to talk about situations we would like to change or to express
present situations. We use I wish + I + past simple to talk about things that we regret, which
are not as we would like or as we dream of,
 Examples:
a. I wish I lived nearer the school.
b. I wish I could speak French.
Note: when we use I wish + the verb to be, were is often used instead of was. For example:
I wish I were taller.
I wish my sister were closer to me in age.
We use I wish + I + past perfect to talk about things which we regret about the past.
For example: I wish I hadn’t spoken unkindly to my best friend yesterday when we had an
argument.
 wish + different subject + would (wish for a future change / request, implying dissatisfaction or lack of
hope)
a. I wish it would stop raining.
b. She wishes the children wouldn’t spend so much time watching TV.
2. Conditional Sentence Type III
This conditional sentence is often called impossible or unfulfilled conditional sentence. It always refers to
the past situations and used to speculate about situations that happened or did not happen in the past. In
this conditional sentence, we use past perfect tense in if-clause and perfect conditional in the main or
result clause.
Examples
a. If I had won the lottery of a million birr, I would have started my own business.
b. If we hadn’t practiced well, we would have won the last year’s match.
c. If the doctors had tried their best, the patient would have been saved.
Alternative Forms of Conditional Sentences
There are a number of alternative forms of conditional sentences. Each of these alternative forms has their
own forms and grammatical functions. The followings are alternative forms of conditional sentences.

MODEL QUESTIONS ON CONDITIONAL SENTENCES

1. If you park in a restricted area, you _____ a ticket on your windshield.
A. would find B. will find C. found D. could find
2. I get nervous if I _____ in front of a group.
A. had to speak B. spoke C. have to speak D. will speak
3. If today _____ Friday, we could sleep in tomorrow morning.
A. is B. were C. will be D. was
4. If you ____ more sleep, you _____ be so tired all of the time.
A. get/would C. got/wouldn’t
B. got/won’t D. don’t get/aren’t going to
5. She _____ $20 in finance charges if she _____ her bill by the due date.
A. had saved/pays C. could have saved/will pay
B. could save/will pay D. could have saved/had paid
6. They_____ such a big van ______ the price of gas would skyrocket.
A. would have bought/if they knew C. wouldn’t have bought/had they known
B. wouldn’t have bought/if had they known D. wouldn’t have bought/had they knew
7. If I _____ so much in this class, I ______ here.
A. wasn’t learning/would be C. weren’t learning/wouldn’t be
B. am not learning/won’t be D. wasn’t learning/wouldn’t be
8. I wish I _____ myself better in English, but I _____.
A. will express/won’t C. would express/won’t
B. could express/can’t D. can express/can’t
9. My grandmother always used to say, “If it rains, it _______________ .”
A. will pour B. would pour C. would have poured D. pours
10. Do you believe that if you _______________ under a ladder, you’ll have bad luck?
A. would walk B. will be walking C. will walk D. would have walked
11. Imagine—if money _______________ on trees, we’d all be rich!
A. grows/ will all be B. grew/ would all be C. had grown/ would have all been D. all
12. I don’t understand the meaning of the proverb, “If wishes _______________ horses, beggars would
ride.”
A. are B. were C. had been D. have been
13. If John Pemberton _______________ Coca-Cola in 1886, we _______________ it today.
A. does not invent/ will not drink C. did not invent/would not drink
B. had not invented/would not have drunk D. has not invented/would not drink
14. If you _______________ in the U.S. in 1824, you _______________ one of the first Americans to taste
pretzels.
A. live/ will be C. lived/ would be
B. had lived/ would have been D. had lived/ would be
15. Do you ever wish you _______________ someone famous?
A. are B. had been C. will be D. were
16. ____________ inverted conditionals in this chapter, we _______________ the answer to this!
A. If we did not study/ would not know C. If we had not studied/ would not have known
17. If they _________ me to their birthday party, I won’t go.
A. did not invite B. does not invite C. had not invited D. invites
18. If he gets my email, he _______us the information we need.
A. would send B. would have sent C. will send D. sends
19. If I __________somewhere, I would stay in the most luxurious hotels.
A. travelled B. travels C. travel D. had travel
20. If I _________ you were coming, I __________ a delicious meal.
A. had known/ would have prepared C. knew/ would prepare
B. know/ would prepare D. knew/ would have prepared
21. I am working in this company because I don’t have alternative. If I were rich, I ___________ my job.
A. am/ will quit B. were/ would have quitted C. were/ would quit D. all
22. If the weather ________ fine tomorrow, we will go on a picnic.
A. is B. were C. had been D. will be
23. I _________ the poor if I became a millionaire.
A. would have helped B. will have helped C. would help D. helped
24. I would buy the most expensive car if I _________.
A. want B. had wanted C. have wanted D. wanted
25. He _____________the bus if he had woken up earlier.
A. will not have missed B. wouldn’t miss C. would not have missed D. all
26. If they had taken him to hospital earlier, he __________.
A. will not have died B. would not die C. would have died D. would not have died
27. If I travel to Paris, I _______________the Eiffel Tower.
A. would visit B. would visit C. would have visited D. will visit
28. If I win the lottery, I _________ buy you a very big car as a present.
A. should B. will C. am D. have been
29. If you __________ that job, would you have been able to move to a new house?
A. have got B. had got C. will have get D. got
30. I would want very much to move to a new house if I ___________ that job.
A. have B. having had C. had had D. had
31. Will you come to dinner with us if we ____________ a babysitter for you?
A. had found B. will find C. find D. found
32. I will try very hard to come and have dinner at your house if I ________ able to.
A. am B. was C. were D. had been
33. If I _________ you, I should work very hard so that I could earn more money.
A. am B. were C. are D. had been
34. __________ you able to lend me some money if I promise you that you will get it back very soon?
 A. Are B. Was C. Were D. had been
35. If you really want to be helpful, then you _________ to tell me the truth.
A. have B. had C. will have D. would have
36. If I ___________ very hard, I would have been able to stop smoking.
A. try B. would have tried C. had tried D. tried

Conditional Sentence Questions from EUEE of some Years1

37. Had there been no trace of evidence for his involvement in the death of the old lady in the
neighborhood, the police __________________ so serious about keeping him in custody.
A. won’t have been B. would have been C. wouldn’t have been D. was not going to be
(2009)
38. Doctors __________ help you unless you tell them what’s wrong.
A. can’t B. couldn’t C. shouldn’t D. mustn’t (2009)
39. If anything goes wrong with this plan, you ____________ held responsibility.
A. would be B. would have been C. will be D. will have been (2009)
40. I just heard on the radio that the company is selling goods at a discount. I ______________ go and
check if there is anything I might need.
A. will B. would C. may D. am going to (2009)
41. If cars ____________ with a restricted speed limit, there would be fewer accidents on the road.
A. produced B. are produced C. produce D. were produced (2003)
42. Unless you see the criminal, ____________________________!
A. give shout B. will not shout C. don’t shout D. don’t have shout (2003)
43. If you wait for me, I _____________________.
A. may come B. will come C. had come D. would come (2003)
44. If anyone had called, I _____________ them she had not been at home.
A. will tell B. would tell C. will have told D. would have told (2004)
45. If he killed the man, as the rumors goes, I don’t think he __________________ here.
A. would be B. had been C. will have been D. would have been (2004)
46. If you were to be a teacher, you _____________ have to join a college of graduate and take the
necessary training. You can’t jump into the profession from the street.
A. would B. will C. shall D. could (2008b)
47. I wonder if I ______________ still see her alive. She has been ill for 10 years.
A. may B. could C. should D. will (2008b)
48. Unless we solve our internal problem, we __________ not think of challenging the enemy.
A. do B. might C. can D. ought (2008b)
49. Had they sought assistance, we ______________ sent out life savers. We don’t understand why they
chose to keep silent.
A. had B. have C. will have D. would have (2007)
50. It would be embarrassing ____________ the truth. The good thing was that no one told her what had
happened.
A. is she to find out B. has she to find out C. had she to find out D. were she to find out
(2007)
51. I have been trying to give up smoking for years now. I wish I ______________ in the first place.
A. never started B. had never started C. have never started D. was never starting
(2007)
52. If disaster ______________, we must take action now to reduce the size of the world’s population.
A. avoided B. is to be avoided C. will be avoided D. has been avoided (2007)
53. I wonder if we __________ still be friends in 20 years’ time.
A. may B. will C. should D. could (2007)
54. She ____________ if that happened to her again.
A. cries B. will cry C. would cry D. would have cried (2007)
55. If I come late one more time, my teacher ____________ not let me in.
A. can B. does C. will D. must (2007)
56. Are you sure he is back from Australia? If so, I ___________ to see him.
A. will go B. am going C. ought have D. should have (2008a)
57. Had it not been for his unswerving moral and financial support, I ___________ completed my
education.
A. should have B. wouldn’t have C. would not D. would have (2008a)
58. You don’t need to come unless I ___________________.
A. will phone B. phoned C. phone D. am phoning (2008a)
59. If I saw anyone cheating on this exam, I ______________ report it to the invigilator.
A. may B. would C. will D. am going to (2008a)
60. I will see you when I _________ back.
A. get B. will get C. got D. would get (2005)
61. If I saw anyone cheating on this exam, I certainly __________ report the case to the invigilator.
A. will B. would C. could D. shall (2005)
62. Should the machine fail, everybody ____________ to evacuate and report to the operator.
A. is B. will C. has D. have (2005)
63. If you see any unattained bag, you _____________ immediately report to us.
A. may B. must C. will D. ought to (2005)
64. If I _________ time, I will do some shopping.
A. had B. have C. will have D. am having (2006)
65. If all _________ well, she should be here before it gets dark.
A. go B. went C. goes D. had gone (2006)
66. __________ you score an A on this exam, you will not close to study English in the University.
A. Because B. Unless C. Except D. If not ( 2010)
67. I don’t understand why she wouldn’t lend us one if she ________ two books.
A. has B. had C. has had D. had had (2010)