2. CONDITIONAL SENTENCES
ATC-IBARRA
CONDITIONAL SENTENCES
We have 4 conditional cases:
zero conditional
First conditional
Second conditional and
Third conditional
Zero conditional
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3. CONDITIONAL SENTENCES
ATC-IBARRA
GRAMMAR RULES WITH EXAMPLES
There are four basic types of conditional sentences in the English language.
Examples:
The zero conditional: I take my umbrella if it rains.
The first conditional: I'll call you if I work late.
The second conditional: If the bus didn't arrive on time, I would drive you to the
airport.
The third conditional: She wouldn't have come if I hadn't invited her.
The zero conditional
The zero conditional describes situations that are always true. If has the
same meaning as when or whenever.
Example:
If I go to school, I get up at seven. (Whenever I go to school I get up at the
same time.)
If you park your car on double yellow lines, you pay a fine. (Whenever you
park illegally, you pay a fine.)
We use the present simple tense in both the main clauses and the if
clauses.
The first conditional
The first conditional sentences are used
to speculate about possible situations that
can really happen at present or in future.
We do not use will in an if clause to
describe future activities (compare it to time clauses).
Examples:
If he studies hard, he'll pass the exams.
If we catch the 10.15 train, we will arrive on time.
If you don't get the ticket, what will you do?
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We make if clauses with if + present tense and main clauses with will +
bare infinitive.
The second conditional
In the second conditional sentences we speculate about situations that will
probably never happen at present or in future.
Example:
If I had more time, I would help you. (But I am not free at the moment. I can't
help you).
If I won a million dollars, I would start a business of my own. (But I know that it
is not realistic.)
We make if clauses with if + past tense and main clauses with would +
bare infinitive.
Note: the verb to be can be specific in the if clause.
If I were rich, I wouldn't work.
If he were younger, he would marry her.
(But was is also possible: If I was rich, I wouldn't work.
If he was younger, he would marry her.)
But: If I were you, I wouldn't do it. (In this expression, were is much more usual
than was.)
Compare the first conditional with the
second
The main difference between the first conditional and the second conditional is
about probability: the first conditional is realistic, the second conditional is
unrealistic.
Sometimes we can use both with the following difference in meaning.
If I see him, I will tell him. (I suppose I will see him, because we go to the
same school.)
If I saw him, I would tell him. (I don't think I will see him, because he is ill.)
If I need your help, I'll call you. (It is probable that I will need your help.)
If I needed your help, I'd call you. (It is not very probable that I will need your
help.)
Sometimes we must use either the first conditional or the second conditional
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to make it clear that the situation is real or unreal.
If you get up late, you will miss your bus. (a real situation)
If I came from your country, I would understand your problems. (an unreal
situation - I am not from your country.)
Other forms
Apart from the basic structures (if+ the present simple + will and if + the past
simple + would), we can also make different combinations.
Examples - type 1:
If you have finished your dinner, you can ask for the bill.
If you are feeling tired, take a rest:
If he is a good skier, he might make it.
If you want to be slim, you should eat less.
If you meet her, could you let me know?
Examples - type 2:
If I knew his address, I might go and see him.
If we were on holiday, we would be lying on a beach now.
Why are we watching this film? If we were watching the news, it would be
more interesting.
The third conditional
The third conditional sentences always refer to the past. We speculate about
situations that happened or did not happen in the past.
Examples:
If I had won a million, I would have started a business of my own. (But I didn't
win anything.)
If he had met her, he would have told her. (Unfortunately, he didn't meet her.)
If we hadn't practised, we wouldn't have won the match. (But we practised and
won.)
We make if clauses with if+ past perfect and main clauses with would + perfect
infinitive (have + past participle).
But we can also combine other verb structures in third conditional sentences.
We didn't save any money. If we had saved some money, we might have
bought the house.
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She wasn't there and I wasn't sitting next to her. But if she had been there, I
would have been sitting next to her
I was looking at the trees when I fell off the bike. If I hadn't been looking at the
trees, I wouldn' t have fallen off the bike.
The mixed conditionals
In the mixed conditional sentences we can combine the second and third
conditional.
If he had left immediately, he would be here now. (He didn't leave immediately
and isn't here.)
If I had studied hard when I was young, I wouldn't be a porter now. (I didn't
study and I am a porter.)
If we hadn't told him the way while he was preparing for his journey, he would
get lost now. (We told him and he isn't lost.)
The inverted conditionals
We can also make conditional sentences by changing the word order in the if
clause.
Had he booked the hotel room, he wouln't have slept at the camp. (If he had
booked ... )
Were I in your position, I would accept it. (If I were ... )
This is less common, quite formal and is mostly used in writing.
Note
If is the most frequent expression in the if clauses, but other expressions are
also possible.
even if, provided (that), unless, on condition (that), in case
Examples
You will leave tonight even if you don't want to.
You can have your birthday party provided that you aren't noisy.
We'll sell you the ranch on condition you pay in cash.
You should take a dictionary with you in case you forgot some words.
Unless you do something, she won't come back. (If you don't do anything, ... )
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Exercise 1
Put the verbs in brackets into the gaps. Form a
Conditional sentence - type I. Only use the will-future
in the main clauses.
Example: If I __ (to go) to the cinema, I ________ (to watch) an interesting
film.
Answer: If I go to the cinema, I will watch an interesting film.
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1) If I (to study), I (to pass) the exams.
2) If the sun (to shine), we (to walk) to the town.
3) If he (to have) a temperature, he (to see) the
doctor.
4) If my friends (to come), I (to be) very happy.
5) If she (to earn) a lot of money, she (to fly) to
New York.
6) If we (to travel) to London, we (to visit) the
museums.
7) If you (to wear) sandals in the mountains, you
(to slip) on the rocks.
8) If Rita (to forget) her homework, the teacher
(to give) her a low mark.
9) If they (to go) to the disco, they (to listen) to
loud music.
10) If you (to wait) a minute, I (to ask) my
parents.
EXERCISE 2
Put the verbs in brackets into the gaps. Form a
Conditional sentence - type II.
Example: If I __ (to go) to the cinema, I ________ (to watch) an
interesting film.
Answer: If I went to the cinema, I would watch an interesting film.
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1) If I (to come) home earlier, I (to prepare) dinner.
...........................................................................................................
2) If we (to live) in Rome, Francesco (to visit) us.
...........................................................................................................
.
3) If Tim and Tom (to be) older, they (to play) in our hockey team.
...........................................................................................................
4) If he (to be) my friend, I (to invite) him to my birthday party.
..........................................................................................................
5) If Susan (to study) harder, she (to be) better at school.
..........................................................................................................
6) If they (to have) enough money, they (to buy) a new car.
..........................................................................................................
7) If you (to do) a paper round, you (to earn) a little extra money.
..........................................................................................................
8) If Michael (to get) more pocket money, he (to ask) Doris out for
dinner.
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9) If we (to hurry), we (to catch) the bus.
..........................................................................................................
10) If it (to rain), Nina (to take) an umbrella with her.
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EXERCISE 3
Put the verbs in brackets into the gaps. Form a
Conditional sentence - type III.
Example: If I _______ (to go) to the cinema, I ________ (to watch) an
interesting film.
Answer: If I had gone to the cinema, I would have watched an interesting
film.
1) If the weather (to be) nice, they (to play) football.
..................................................................................................
2) If we (to go) to a good restaurant, we (to have) a better
dinner.
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.................................................................................................
3) If John (to learn) more words, he (to write) a good report.
..................................................................................................
4) If the boys (to take) the bus to school, they (to arrive) on
time.
.................................................................................................
5) If the teacher (to explain) the homework, I (to do) it.
..................................................................................................
6) If they (to wait) for another 10 minutes, they (to see) the
pop star.
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7) If the police (to come) earlier, they (to arrest) the burglar.
..................................................................................................
8) If you (to buy) fresh green vegetable, your salad (to taste)
better.
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9) If Alex (to ask) me, I (to email) the documents.
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10) If he (to speak) more slowy, Peggy (to understand) him.
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SUMMARY
Zero conditional First conditional Second conditional Third conditional
If clause Result If clause Result If clause Result If clause Result
clause clause clause clause
Simple Simple Simple Will + V Past Would+ Past Would +
Present Present present simple verb perfect have+
Vpp
If I don't water the If I study hard , I If I had time , I If I had had money,
plants, they die. will have good would do exercises I would have
grades travelled around
the world.
If I take out the fish If I eat well. I will If I obveyed my If I had studied, I
from the water . have good health parents, I wouldn't wouldn't have lost
They die. have problems. the year
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ATC-IBARRA
http://www.e-grammar.org/if-clauses/test1-exercise4/
C o n ditio n al s Q uiz
Fill in the blanks using the most
appropriate conditional type.
1. If he (have) more time, he (finish)
decorating the baby's room before she was
born.
2. Both parents and teachers (feel) pleased if
students studied harder and got higher grades.
3. Even if I (do) well on the test tomorrow, I
don't think I (pass) , for the teacher
underevaluates my papers.
4. If the United Nations (stop) the war
between the two countries beforehand, today, so many children and
the old (suffer) from hunger and cold.
5. I overate last night, so I couldn't sleep well. If I (eat)
so much, I (have)
a sweet sleep.
6. (Be) I in your shoes now, I (choose)
to decline this offer.
7. But for Kevin's assistance, we (complete)
our term paper in time.
8. No one can succeed anything unless s/he really (resolve)
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12. CONDITIONAL SENTENCES
ATC-IBARRA
to do it.
9. If you (forget) to take the compass, we
(be) lost now.
10. As long as your company (assure) our
success in marketing, we (continue) doing
business with you.
11. I wouldn't be so upset if you (invite) me to
your birthday party last Wednesday.
12. You can use my dictionary on condition that you (promise)
to bring it back tonight.
13. All this calamity (happen) if they (cut)
most of the trees in that area.
14. I (take) some cash with me in case I
exceeded my credit card limit.
15. Only if George apologizes to Mary,
forgive him.
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ATC-IBARRA
Índice de contenido
CONDITIONAL SENTENCES.....................................................................................2
GRAMMAR RULES WITH EXAMPLES....................................................................3
The zero conditional........................................................................................................3
The first conditional.......................................................................................................3
The second conditional..................................................................................................4
Compare the first conditional with the second ...............................................................4
Other forms.....................................................................................................................5
The third conditional.......................................................................................................5
The mixed conditionals...................................................................................................6
The inverted conditionals................................................................................................6
Note.................................................................................................................................6
Exercise 1........................................................................................................................7
EXERCISE 2...................................................................................................................8
EXERCISE 3..................................................................................................................9
SUMMARY..................................................................................................................10
Conditionals Quiz
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