CONDITIONALS

A conditional sentence expresses the idea that one thing depends on another one.
Ex. If you go to sleep late, you will be tired tomorrow.

There are different types of conditionals, depending on the tense we use:

1. If you meet the President of USA, you will be famous
2. If you met the President of USA, you would be famous
3. If you had met the President of USA, you would have been famous

ZERO CONDITIONAL (to talk about things that

always happen)

IF/ WHEN / AS SOON AS + Present simple --- Present Simple

-- Ex: Water boils if it reaches 100 C

A) Write the correct tense of the verbs in brackets.
1.

When a baby .......................... (be) thirsty, he ........................ (cry)

2.

If you .............................. (freeze) water, it ........................... (turn) into ice.

3.

Plants (die) if they (get) enough water.

4.

If my husband (have) a cold, I usually .(catch) it.

FIRST CONDITIONAL

(Probable Real)

IF + Present simple -- Future simple (will + infinitive)

-- If you play with matches, you will burn your fingers.
-- If you don't pass the exam, you won't be happy.
-- If she likes the dress, she will buy it.
-- If she doesn't go to the cinema, she won't see the film.
or
-- You will burn your fingers if you play with matches.
-- She won't buy the dress if she doesn't like it.
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4 E.S.O.

B) Write the correct tense of the verbs in brackets.

1.

If the train . (be) late, we . (walk).

2.

She . (call) you if she .. (have) time.

3.

What .. (you, do) if the taxi (not come)?

4.

(you, phone) me if there (be) any problems?

5.

I .. (go) next week if I (can) get a train ticket.

6.

If it .. (snow) this winter, we .. (go) skiing.

7.

If he (see) me, he .. (be) really angry.

8.

I .. (buy) a new dress if it . (not cost) too much.

Further uses
-- If you go to Paris, you must visit the Eiffel Tower. (modal)
-- If you need my help, call me! (imperative)
C) Write the correct form of the verbs.
1.

If you don't feel well, .. (go) to bed!

2.

You (read) this book if you . (have) time.

3.

If you . (boil) sugar, it . (turn) into caramel.

4.

If it (be) a warm night, we (have) the party in the garden.

5.

If I . (not invite) everybody to the party, I (feel) sorry afterwards.

6.

If you (take) a trip in the desert, you (take) plenty of water.

7.

Sarah .. (not have) enough money to buy shoes if she ..(buy) that dress.

D) Jill and Sue are waiting at the bus stop: they are on their way to the cinema. Complete their story. Use the
end of the previous sentence to make the beginning of the next sentence.
Oh, dear, the bus is late. If the bus doesn't arrive soon, we'll be late.
1. If we ................................................................, we'll miss the beginning of the film.
2. If we ................................................................, the film, we won't understand the story.
3. If ................................................................, the story, we'll be bored.
4. If ................................................................, we'll probably fall asleep.
5. If ................................................................, we'll miss the end of the film. So, lets not go to the cinema!

UNLESS = IF NOT
-- We'll call a taxi if you don't have a car
-- That dog won't bite if you don't kick him.

-- we'll call a taxi unless you have a car.

-- That dog won't bite unless you kick him.

E) Write the sentences changing IF for UNLESS and viceversa.

1.

If you don't hurry up, we'll miss the train.

2.

Unless Sammy feels well, he won't go to school.

3.

If you don't water the plants, they will die.

4.

We'll go bicycle riding this afternoon unless it rains.

5.

Unless the children behave themselves, they won't go to the cinema.

6.

If it doesn't rain, the party will be outside.

7.

He will be very tired unless he has a rest.

8.

If she doesn't phone me, I won't phone her.

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SECOND CONDITIONAL

(Improbable Hypothetical Unreal)

IF + Past simple -- Conditional simple (would + infinitive)

-- If she lived in the centre of town, she would be closer to work.

-- If l didn't work so late, I would have more free time.
**** -- If I were rich, I wouldn't work.
-- If I knew her address, I could visit her.
-- If I won the lottery, I might travel around the world.
or
-- I would travel around the world if I won the lottery.
-- I wouldn't work if I were rich.

Point out!

The choice of first or second conditional often depends on the speakers view of the situation.

Example: Two people buy lottery tickets every week.

One says: if I win, Ill give up my job (Hes optimistic, he thinks he can win)
The other says: If I won, I would give up my job. (Hes pessimistic, he thinks its unlikely hell win)

F) Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verbs in brackets. Use SECOND CONDITIONAL.

1.

If she ............................................ (invite) you to her party, would you go?

2.

What .................................................. (you, say) if I kissed you?

3.

If they ...................................... (save) enough money, they would take us all on holiday.

4.

He ............................................. (ask) her to go out on a date if he ....................................... (not be) so shy.

5.

I dont know what to do. What .................................................... (you, do) if you ........................................ (be) me?

6.

If I found a lot of money, I ........................................ (go) to the police.

7.

If I ......................................... (know) how, I .......................................... (play) the guitar, but I dont.

8.

If he .......................................... (ask) for my phone number, I ..................................... (give) it to him.

G) Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verbs. Use first, second or zero conditional.
1.

If they offer me the job, I .................................... (accept) it.

2.

If you see Susan, ........................... (tell) her about the party.

3.

If I had a lot of money, I ................................... (give) some to charity.

4.

If you heat water to 100 C, it ................................ (boil)

5.

I wont finish the exercises on time unless someone ........................... (help) me.

6.

What ............................................ (you, do) if you saw a fly in your soup?

7.

You are not fit. If you .......................... (eat) less fattening food, you ............................ (feel) much better.

8.

If she .................................. (post) the letter now, they .............................. (receive) it tomorrow.

9.

This room is very untidy. If you .................................. (tidy up) your room once a week, it ........................
and your mum ................................ (be) happier.
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(not look) like this

10. If I .................................. (be) you, I ................................. (not do) that again.

H) Match the sentence beginnings, 1-8, to the endings, a-h. Are they first, second or zero conditionals?
1. If Deborah rings,

a. if she doesnt get the job,

2. If I were you,

b. they wont notice anything.

3. In those days girls only went to school

c. tell her to come round at seven.

4. Shell be really upset,

d. if everybody lived in big houses.

5. If theyre watching television,

e. if they came from a rich family.

6. Wed have no countryside left

f. Id find a new girlfriend.

7. Unless she asks nicely,

g. she would succeed.

8. If she did her homework,

THIR
THIRD CONDITIONAL

h. I wont help her.

(Impossible Unreal Past)

IF + Past Perfect -- Conditional Perfect (would + have + past participle

-- If you had been here, you would have enjoyed the meal.
-- If I hadnt been ill, Id have come to school.
-- If I hadnt won the lottery, I wouldnt have bought a yacht.
-- If you hadnt been so nervous, I might have passed the exam.
-- We couldnt have bought our flat if mum hadnt won the lottery last year.

I) Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verbs in brackets. Use THIRD CONDITIONAL.
1.

If we ______________ (go) to London for our holiday last year, we ______________ (see) the Tower of London.

2.

I ______________ (speak) to Clement at the party if he ______________ (apologise) for what he said to me.

3.

If I ______________ (know) Rob's address in New York, I ______________ (visit) him.

4.

If Ben ______________ (not tease) the cat yesterday, it ______________ (not scratch) him and he

5.

Marianne _____________ (not go) to the theatre with Tom last night even if he ______________ (ask) her.

______________ (not have) to go to hospital.

J) Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verbs. Use FIRST, SECOND THIRD or ZERO
CONDITIONAL.
1.

If you ______________ (go) away, please ______________ (write) to me.

2.

If she ______________ (be) in, I ______________ (give) it to her. Now, it's too late.

3.

My aunt ______________ (be able to) help us if she ______________ (be) on time last night.

4.

If my brother ______________ (eat) another cake, he ______________ (get) sick soon, that's why he won't.

5.

If you ______________ (heat) butter, it ______________ (melt).

6.

They would have done it if they ______________ (know) how.

7.

I think Diane ______________ (look) much nicer if she ______________ (have) a new hair style.

8.

She ______________ (look) better if she ______________ (wear) a dress to go to the concert last night.

9.

John ______________ (not get) such poor marks if he ______________ (work) harder.

10. If Kathy ______________ (be) taller, she ______________ (play) in the ladies' volleyball team.

K) Rewrite these sentences using CONDITIONALS.

1.

He cant find his wallet so hes angry. (Second)

If .

2.

In order to lose weight, you need to exercise more. (First)

If .

3.

He burglared the house. The police arrested him. (Third)

If ..

4.

He may be late, then he will meet us at the Blue Note caf. (First)
If

5.

He wants to be rich and famous. Then hell be happy. (Second)

If ......

6.

Dave fell asleep so he missed the end of the film.

If .....

7.

She works too much so she cannot go out with her friends.
If ......

8.

I left my keys at work so I couldnt get into the house.

If .......

L) What do parents often say? Complete the sentences.

1.

If you didnt watch so much TV, ...............................

2.

Youd feel better if .....................................................

3.

You wouldnt be tired if you ......................................

4.

If you had studied harder, .................................................

5.

You would learn a lot if .............................................