Conditionals

Conditional Sentence Type 1

It is possible and also very likely that the condition will be fulfilled.

Form: if + Simple Present, will-Future

Example: If I find her address, Ill send her an invitation. The main clause can also be at the beginning of the sentence. In this case, don't use a comma. Example: I will send her an invitation if I find her address.

Note: Main clause and / or if clause might be negative.

Example: If I dont see him this afternoon, I will phone him in the evening.

Use: Conditional Sentences Type I refer to the future. An action in the future will only happen if a
certain condition is fulfilled by that time. We don't know for sure whether the condition actually will be fulfilled or not, but the conditions seems rather realistic so we think it is likely to happen. Example: If I find her address, Ill send her an invitation. (meaning: I want to send an invitation to a friend. I just have to find her address. I am quite sure, however, that I will find it.) Example: If John has the money, he will buy a Ferrari. (meaning: I know John very well and I know that he earns a lot of money and that he loves Ferraris. So I think it is very likely that sooner or later he will have the money to buy a Ferrari.)

Exercise 1: Some friends are planning a party. Everybody wants to party, but nobody's really
keen on preparing and organizing the party. So everybody comes up with a few conditions, just to make sure that the others will also do something. Complete the Conditional Sentences Type I. 1. If Caroline and Sue (to prepare) the salad, Phil (to decorate) the house. 2. If Sue (to cut) the onions for the salad, Caroline (to peel) the mushrooms. 3. Jane (to hover) the sitting room if Aaron and Tim (to move) the furniture. 4. If Bob (to tidy up) the kitchen, Anita (to clean) the toilet. 5. Elaine (to buy) the drinks if somebody (to help) her carry the bottles. 6. If Alan and Rebecca (to organize) the food, Mary and Conor (to make) the sandwiches. 7. If Bob (to look) after the barbecue, Sue (to let) the guests in. 8. Frank (to play) the DJ if the others (to bring) along their CDs. 1

9. Alan (to mix) the drinks if Jane (to give) him some of her cocktail recipes. 10. If they all (to do) their best, the party (to be) great.

Exercise 2: Complete the Conditional Sentences (Type I) by putting the verbs into the correct
form. 1. If you (to send) this letter now, she (to receive) it tomorrow. 2. If I (to do) this test, I (to improve) my English. 3. If I (to find) your ring, I (to give) it back to you. 4. Peggy (to go) shopping if she (to have) time in the afternoon. 5. Simon (to go) to London next week if he (to get) a cheap flight. 6. If her boyfriend (to phone / not) today, she (to leave) him. 7. If they (to study / not) harder, they (to pass / not) the exam. 8. If it (to rain) tomorrow, I (to have to / not) water the plants. 9. You (to be able/ not) to sleep if you (to watch) this scary film. 10. Susan (can /to move / not) into the new house if it (to be / not) ready on time.

Conditional Sentence Type 2

It is possible but very unlikely, that the condition will be fulfilled.

Form: if + Simple Past, main clause with Conditional I (= would + Infinitive)

Example: If I found her address, I would send her an invitation. The main clause can also be at the beginning of the sentence. In this case, don't use a comma. Example: I would send her an invitation if I found her address.

Note: Main clause and / or if clause might be negative.

Example: If I had a lot of money, I wouldnt stay here.

Were instead of Was

In IF Clauses Type II, we usually use were even if the pronoun is I, he, she or it . Example: If I were you, I would not do this.

Use: Conditional Sentences Type II refer to situations in the present. An action could happen if the
present situation were different. I don't really expect the situation to change, however. I just imagine what would happen if Example: If I found her address, I would send her an invitation. (meaning: I would like to send an invitation to a friend. I have looked everywhere for her address, but I cannot find it. So now I think it is rather unlikely that I will eventually find her address.) Example: If John had the money, he would buy a Ferrari. (meaning: I know John very well and I know that he doesn't have much money, but he loves Ferraris. He would like to own a Ferrari (in his dreams). But I think it is very unlikely that he will have the money to buy one in the near future.)

Exercise 3: Janine is a daydreamer. She imagines what would happen if she won the lottery.
Complete the Conditional Sentences Type II. 1. If I (to play) the lottery, I (to have) a chance to hit the jackpot. 2. If I (to hit) the jackpot, I (to be) rich. 3. If I (to be) rich, my life (to change) completely. 4.I (to buy) a lonely island, if I (to find) a nice one. 5. If I (to own) a lonely island, I (to build) a huge house by the beach. 6. I (to invite) all my friends if I (to have) a house by the beach. 7. I (to pick) my friends up in my yacht if they (to want) to spend their holidays on my island. 3

8. We (to have) great parties if my friends (to come) to my island. 9. If (to like) to go shopping in a big city, we (to charter) a helicopter. 10. But if my friends' holidays (to be) over, I (to feel) very lonely on my lonely island.

Exercise 4: Complete the Conditional Sentences (Type II) by putting the verbs into the correct
form. Use conditional I with would in the main clause. 1. If we (to have) a yacht, we (to sail) the seven seas. 2. If he (to have) more time, he (to learn) karate. 3. If they (to tell) their father, he (to be) very angry. 4. She (to spend) a year in the USA if it (to be) easier to get a green card. 5. If I (to live) on a lonely island, I (to run) around naked all day. 6. We (to help) you if we (to know) how. 7. My brother (to buy) a sports car if he (to have) the money. 8. If I (to feel) better, I (to go) to the cinema with you. 9. If you (to go) by bike more often, you (to be / not) so flabby. 10. She (not / to talk) to you if she (to be) mad at you.

Conditional Sentence Type 3

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 It is impossible that the condition will be fulfilled because it refers to the past.

Form: if + Past Perfect, main clause with Conditional II

Example: If I had found her address, I would have sent her an invitation. The main clause can also be at the beginning of the sentence. In this case, don't use a comma. Example: I would have sent her an invitation if I had found her address.

Note: Main clause and / or if clause might be negative.

Example: If I hadnt studied, I wouldnt have passed my exams.

Use: Conditional Sentences Type III refer to situations in the past. An action could have happened in
the past if a certain condition had been fulfilled. Things were different then, however. We just imagine, what would have happened if the situation had been fulfilled. Example: If I had found her address, I would have sent her an invitation. (meaning: Sometime in the past, I wanted to send an invitation to a friend. I didn't find her address, however. So in the end I didn't send her an invitation.) Example: If John had had the money, he would have bought a Ferrari. (meaning: I knew John very well and I know that he never had much money, but he loved Ferraris. He would have loved to own a Ferrari, but he never had the money to buy one.)

Exercise 5: What a match your favourite team has lost again! So after the game, the
supporters discuss what could have been different. Complete the Conditional Sentences Type III. 1. If the midfielders (to pass) the ball more exactly, our team (to have) more chances to attack. 2. If the forwards (to run) faster, they (to score) more goals. 3. Their motivation (to improve) if they (to kick) a goal during the first half. 4. The fullbacks (to prevent) one or the other goal if they (to mark) their opponents. 5. If the goalie (to jump up) , he would (to catch) the ball. 6. If the referee (to see) the foul, he (to award) a penalty kick to our team. 7. Our team (to be) in better form if they (to train) harder the weeks before. 8. The game (to become) better if the trainer (to send) a substitute in during the second half. 9. If it (to be) a home game, our team (to win) the match. 10. If our team (to win) the match, they (to move up) in the league.

Exercise 6: Complete the Conditional Sentences (Type III) by putting the verbs into the correct
form. Use conditional II with would in the main clause.

1. If you (to study) for the test, you (to pass) it. 2. If you (to ask) me, I (to help) you. 3. If we (to go) to the cinema, we (to see) my friend Jacob. 4. If you (to speak) English, she (to understand) . 5. If they (to listen) to me, we (to be) home earlier. 6. I (to write) you a postcard if I (to have) your address. 7. If I (not / to break) my leg, I (to take part) in the contest. 8. If it (not/ to start) to rain, we (to walk) to the museum. 9. We (to swim) in the sea if there (not /to be) so many sharks there. 10. If she (to take) the bus, she (not / to arrive) on time.

Mixed Exercises Exercise 7: Complete the Conditional Sentences. Decide whether to use Type I, II or III.
1. If I (to have) time, I (to go) shopping with you. 2. If you (to speak) English, you (to get along with) them perfectly. 3. If they (to go) for a walk, they (to turn) the lights off. 4. If she (to come) to see us, we (to go) to the zoo. 5. I (to tell) you, if I (to see) him. 6. you (to mind) if I (to open) the window? 7. If they (to invite) me, I (not/to say) no. 8. My friend (to meet) me at the station if he (to get) the afternoon off. 9. If I (not/to do) it, nobody (to do) it. 10. If my father (not/to pick) me up, I (to take) the bus home.

Exercise 7: Complete the Conditional Sentences. Decide whether to use Type I, II or III.
1. If they (to have) time at the weekend, they will come to see us. 2. If we sneak out quietly, nobody (to notice) . 3. If we (to know) about your problem, we would have helped you. 4. If I (to be) you, I would not buy that dress. 5. We (to arrive) . earlier if we had not missed the bus. 6. If I didn't have a mobile phone, my life (not / to be) complete. 7. Okay, I (to get) the popcorn if you buy the drinks. 8. If I (to tell) you a secret, you would be sure to leak it. 9. She (to go) out with you if you had only asked her. 10. I would not have read your diary if you (not/to hide) it in such an obvious place.

Key
Type I Exercise 1:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. If Caroline and Sue prepare the salad, Phil will decorate If Sue cuts the onions for the salad, Caroline will peel Jane will hover the sitting room if Aaron and Tim move If Bob tidies up the kitchen, Anita will clean Elaine will buy the drinks if somebody helps the toilet. her carry the bottles. the sandwiches. the house. the mushrooms. the furniture.

If Alan and Rebecca organise the food, Mary and Conor will make If Bob looks after the barbecue, Sue will let Frank will play the DJ if the others bring Alan will mix the drinks if Jane gives the guests in. along their CDs.

him some of her cocktail recipes. great.

10. If they all do their best, the party will be

Exercise 2
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. If you send If I do If I find Peggy will go Simon will go If her boyfriend does not phone If they do not study If it rains You will not be able
send

this letter now, she will receive this test, I will improve your ring, I will give shopping if she has

w ill receive

it tomorrow.

my English. it back to you. time in the afternoon. a cheap flight. him. the exam. water the plants. this scary film. ready on time.

to London next week if he gets today, she will leave harder, they will not pass tomorrow, I will not have to to sleep if you watch into the new house if it is not

10. Susan cannot move

Type II Exercise 3
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. If I played the lottery, I would have If I hit the jackpot, I would be rich. completely. a nice one. a huge house by the beach. a chance to hit the jackpot.

If I were rich, my life would change I would buy a lonely island, if I found

If I owned a lonely island, I would build

6. 7. 8. 9.

I would invite all my friends if I had

a house by the beach. to spend their holidays on my island.

I would pick my friends up in my yacht if they wanted We would have great parties if my friends came

to my island. a helicopter.

If we liked to go shopping in a big city, we would charter

10. But if my friends' holidays were over, I would feel

very lonely on my lonely island.

Exercise 4

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

If we had If he had If they told

had

a yacht, we would sail

w ould sail

the seven seas. karate. very angry. easier to get a green card. around naked all day. how. the money. to the cinema with you. so flabby. mad at you.

more time, he would learn their father, he would be a year in the USA if it were on a lonely island, I would run you if we knew a sports car if he had better, I would go

She would spend If I lived We would help My brother would buy If I felt If you went

by bike more often, you would not be to you if she were

10. She would not talk

Exercise 5 What a match your favourite team has lost again! So after the game, the supporters discuss what could have been different. Complete the Conditional Sentences Type III. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. If the midfielders had passed the ball more exactly, our team would have had If the forwards had run faster, they would have scored more goals. a goal during the first half. their opponents. more chances to attack.

Their motivation would have improved if they had kicked

The fullbacks would have prevented one or the other goal if they had marked If the goalie had jumped up, he would have caught the ball.

If the referee had seen the foul, he would have awarded

a penalty kick to our team. harder the weeks before. a substitute in during the second half.

Our team would have been in better form if they had trained The game would have become better if the trainer had sent If it had been a home game, our team would have won

the match. up in the league.

10. If our team had won the match, they would have moved

Exercise 6 9

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

If you had studied If you had asked If we had gone If you had spoken If they had listened

had studied

for the test, you would have passed me, I would have helped to the cinema, we would have seen English, she would have understood to me, we would have been you a postcard if I had had my leg, I would have taken part to rain, we would have walked in the sea if there had not been

w ould have pass

it.

you. my friend Jacob. . home earlier. your address. in the contest. to the museum. so many sharks there.

I would have written If I had not broken If it had not started We would have swum

10. If she had taken

the bus, she would not have arrived

on time.

Exercise 7
Complete the Conditional Sentences. Decide whether to use Type I, II or III. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. If I had time, I would go If you speak shopping with you.

English, you will get along with them perfectly. the lights off.

If they had gone for a walk, they would have turned If she comes to see us, we will go to the zoo. him.

I would have told you, if I had seen Would you mind if I opened If they had invited My friend will meet If I didn't do

the window?

me, I wouldn't have said no. me at the station if he gets the afternoon off.

it, nobody would do it. me up, I'll take the bus home.

10. If my father doesn't pick

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