CONDITIONAL SENTENCES MADE EASY
Conditional clauses usually begin with IF or for negative meanings UNLESS.
Jane will pass the exam IF she works hard.
Jane will not pass the exam UNLESS she works hard.
Zero Conditional: If I have money, I go to the beach. (when? Every time that I have money)
First Conditional – (Real Situations) – Referring to the Future
Expresses a future possibility with a condition. The “if clause” is in the simple present, and the
“dependent clause”is in the future (will, can, may, might) + verb.
I will go to Istambul, if I have money.
If I study more, my English will improve.
If I have money, I’ll go to the beach. (when? – Possibly in the FUTURE)
Second Conditional – (Unreal or Imaginary Situations) – Referring to the Future
Expresses a probable situation with a dependent clause. The “if clause” is in the simple past and the
“dependent clause” in the base conditional – (would, could, should, might) + verb.
I would go to Istambul, if I had money.
If I studied more, my English would improve.
If I had money, I’d go to the beach (when? Always – Unreal – referring to the Future)
Third Conditional – Referring to the Past
Expresses something that might have happened in the past, if something else had happened. The “if
clause”is in the past perfect, and the “dependent clause”in the conditional base. – (would have, could
have) + verb.
I would have gone to Istambul, if I had had the money.
If I had studied more, my English would have improved.
If I had had money, I’d have gone to the beach (Unreal – Past / Referring to the Past)
Past events with results in the Present we use: PAST PERFECT + WOULD
If Jim hadn’t missed the plane, he would be here by now.
1
Conditionals One and Two.
A. Complete the following conditional sentences with suitable phrases. Look at he example given.
Ex.: Ok, ok, I will lend you the money, as long as you pay me back next week.
1. What would you do if your car __________ miles from anywhere?
2. Quite frankly I think you are going to fail the exam, unless you __________ harder.
3. I know he’s hardly ever around these days, but if you __________ tell him to get back in
touch.
4. But supposing our train is late. How _________________ to the airport on time?
5. I can’t get to sleep at night unless _________________ a hot drink.
6. If my boyfriend spoke to me like that _________________ his face.
7. You can borrow my video camera, on condition that _________________ properly.
8. I’d apply for that job as an interpreter if _________________ Russian better.
9. If you should require further information, our publicity officer ______________be contacted.
10. I’m sure you _________________ those headaches all the time if you wore your glasses
more often.
11. Suppose _________________ on a desert island, how would you survive?
12. I’d go and see the doctor with that rash if _________________ you.
13. We should be able to play tennis on Friday afternoon unless _________________, of course.
14. I’d play a lot more sport if I _________________ so much work to do.
2
B. In the following sentences, put the verbs in brackets in the correct tense to form 3 rd or mixed
conditionals. Put any other words in brackets in the correct place. An example is given.
1. If I hadn’t seen (not see) it with my own eyes, I wouldn’t have believed (not believed) it!
2. We ________________________ (still live) in Cardiff if we ________________________
(not find) someone to buy our house last year.
3. If Hilary ________________________ (not look) out of the window at that moment, she
________________________ (not spot) the criminals trying to break into the car.
4. Nobody ________________________ (ever guess) he was a thief if he
________________________ (not catch) red-handed taking money from the safe.
5. Henry ________________________ (not ever get) that job at the bank if he
________________________ (not go) to school with the manager’s son.
6. Just think, If I ________________________ (take) that job with the export/import company,
I ________________________ (live) in São Paulo now, not Manchester!
7. If the doctor ________________________ (not notice) the defect when I was a child, I
________________________ (be) pratically blind by now.
8. We ________________________ (be) home in bed ages ago if you
________________________ (not lose) the map!
9. Frank ________________________ (not be) here today if that boy
________________________ (not know) how to do artificial respiration.
10. If you ________________________ (listen) to the traffic report on the radio this morning,
we ________________________ (not sit) here in this jam.
