CONDITIONAL SENTENCES

ZERO CONDITIONAL
These sentences refer to “all time”, not just the present or future. They express
a situation that is always true. If means when or whenever.
It is used to talk about habits and general truths, or scientific facts, things which
always happen under certain conditions:

- General truth and scientific facts:

If air expands, it becomes lighter.
- Habits, things that happen again and again:
If I fly, I never eat before the flight.

If + Present Simple Present Simple

If you press the button, the machine starts to work
If you have a microwave, you cook more quickly.
If + Present Simple Imperative
If the seat belt light is on, don’t leave your seat.

This kind of conditional is used to describe general truths, including

scientific processes.

1.Complete the following:

a. If you lower the temperature of water, it eventually __________
b. Wood floats if you ______________
c. If water is heated, it__________________
d. If you strike a match, it________________
e. Plants die if you ______________________
f. You put on weight if you _______________

1. don’t water them 5. freezes

2. lights 6. drop it in water
3. eat too much
4.boils

This kind of conditional can also be used to give instructions.

2. Match the if-clauses in Column A with the correct imperative from

Column B, and revise your phrasal verbs.

Column A Column B
1. If you make a mistake, a. tear it out
2. If your car runs out of petrol, b. cut it down
3. If you’re not ready for your driving test, c. give it back
4. If you see an interesting recipe in a d. cut it up
magazine, e. rub it out
5. If you receive the application form, f. put it off
6. If you have finished with his pen, g. tear it up
7. If you can’t remember the phone number, h. fill it up
8. If the meat is too big to go in the pan, i. fill it in
9. If you get another frightening letter, j. look it up
10. If the tree is in danger of falling,
FIRST CONDITIONAL

First Conditional sentences express a possible condition and its probable

result in the future.

If + Present Simple Will + Infinitive

If I find your wallet, I’ll let you know.
If there isn’t a hotel, where will you stay?

Change in the order of the clauses:

Will + Infinitive
If + Present Simple
You won’t pass the exam if you don’t revise.
What will you do if you don’t find a job?

When the if-clause is at the beginning of the sentence is separated by a

comma, when the main clause (will- clause) is at the beginning there is no
comma.

We can also use the present continuous, present perfect or modals instead
of the present simple in the If-clause, and a modal verb, the imperative or be
going to in the main clause.

If Clause Main Clause

(modal)If you can find my wallet, I’ll buy you an ice-cream (future simple)
(present perfect)If you have finished eating, I’ll take your plate away.(future simple)
(present simple)If you go shopping, get some apples.(imperative)
(present continuous)If you are revising for I won’t disturb you (future simple)
your exams,
(present simple) if he doesn’t take care, he is going to have an accident.( be going
to)

We can change the order of the clauses. Pay attention to the comma.

Main Clause If Clause

You can sit here if you want.

 Note : We can use unless (a menos que) instead of If not.

(Unless indica una excepción a lo que se dice)
I won’t go to the party unless you come too.
 SECOND TYPE
- We use the Second Conditional to express an unreal situation and its
probable result. The situation or condition is improbable, imaginary, or contrary
to facts. It is used to talk about hypothetical or improbable situations in the
present and future.
We also use this type to give advice, talk about ambitions and future
expectations.

If I were the President, I wouldn’t increase taxation. (but it is not very likely
that I will ever be the president)
If you didn’t listen to music, you would study better.

- Other modal verbs are possible in the result clause.

Conditional Clause Result Clause

If + Past Simple Would /could / might /should + Infinitive
If I won some money, I would go round the world.
If I were* rich, I wouldn’t work.
If I saved a little every week, I might be able to save up for a car.
Result Clause Conditional Clause
Would /could / might /should + Infinitive If + Past Simple
I could buy some new clothes If I had some money.

- *were can be used instead of was on the first and third person singular. In
formal English is more common the use of were for all persons, but in informal
English it is common the normal use of the verb to be in the past ( I was, you
were, he was..)

If I were you, I’d…….. is used to give advice. In this expression we cannot

change were for was.
If I were you, I’d apologise to her.
If I was you, I’d apologise to her.

- Note that when we use could and might instead of would is to indicate less
certainty about a situation.
If I knew her phone number, I could/might call her.
 First or second conditional?
Both conditionals refer to the present and future. The difference is about
probability, not time. It is usually clear which conditional to use. First
conditional sentences are real and possible; second conditional sentences
express situations that will probably never happen.

If I lose my job, I’ll……( there is a strong possibility of being made redundant)

If I lost my job, I’d……( I’m just speculating)

1. Choose the correct answer

London is one of the most wonderful cities in the world. It (1. offers /is offering/
offer/ offered) so many attractions that one can (2. to stay/ staying/ stayed/ stay)
there for months and never get bored.

If I (3. am / was / were / will be) a Londoner, I (4. will / would / have / am) live
near one of (5. it’s / its / their / they’re) beautiful parks. There are so many plays,
musicals and concerts there. I (6. would spend / had spent/ spent/ am
spending) hours in London’s bookshops if I (7. had lived / would live / will live /
lived) there.

If it (8. were / weren’ t/ hadn’t / wouldn’t be) so expensive, I (9. bought / had
bought /, would buy / will buy) a ticket and (10. would fly / to fly / flying /
flown) to England today.

2. Look at the conversations. Decide whether each incomplete sentence should

be a first or second conditional. Some of them have time clauses. Complete the
sentences with the correct form of the verbs in brackets.

- 1. A. Do you think you’ve had an interesting life?

- B. Oh yes. If I _________ (have) my time again, I _______ (do)
exactly the same.

- 2. A. Can you tell Sally I won’t be here tomorrow?

- B. OK. I ________ (tell) her if I _______ (see) her.
- A. No, on second thoughts I _________ (wait) until she _________
(come) back.

- 3. A. I think I’ll go out this evening.

- B. Well, if you _________ (take) the car, you ________ (need) to put
some petrol in it. Will you be late?
- A. Yes. You _________ probably __________ (be) in bed when I
________ (get) back.
 - 4. A: Can you lend me 10$?
- B. No, I’m sorry.
- A. But I need it urgently, and I _________ (pay) you back as soon as I
________(get) paid.
- B. Look, I ________(lend) it to you if I _______(have) it, but I’m broke.

- 5. A. This letter’s important. It must get there by tomorrow.

- B. OK. If you __________ (leave) it there, I _________ (post) it for
you.
- A. You won’t forget?
- B. Don’t worry.

THIRD TYPE
- We use this conditional to speculate about past events, and about how
things that happened or didn’t happen might have affected other things.

- We also express reproach or regret with this type of conditional.

If + Past Perfect
Would / could* / might* + have + Past
participle
If I had known his background,
I wouldn’t have employed him
If you hadn’t driven so fast,
You wouldn’t have had the accident.
If I hadn’t been ill, I could / might have passed the
exam.*

- * We can also use could and might instead of would to indicate less
certainty about a situation.

Jill might have come to the party if she had known about it in time
We couldn’t have bought our flat if my mum hadn’t won the lottery last year

1. Rewrite the following sentences without changing the meaning of

the original sentence.

a. The runner twisted his ankle because he fell.

If the runner hadn’t fallen, he wouldn’t have twisted his ankle.
b. The driver fell asleep at the wheel and caused an accident.
If
____________________________________________________
c. I went to sleep very late last night because I was so excited.
If
____________________________________________________
 d. We didn’t move to Paris last year and so I didn’t learn French.
If
____________________________________________________
e. Dana was late for work because she woke up late.
If
____________________________________________________
f. We didn’t buy the house we wanted because it was too far from
the city.
If
____________________________________________________
g. They bought the cheapest microwave oven because they didn’t
have any money.
If
____________________________________________________
h. When Barbie fell down the stairs, she broke her arm.
If
____________________________________________________

4.Rewrite the following sentences without altering their meaning.

a. If you aren’t on a diet, try the cheesecake. (unless)

____________________________________________________
b. Danny wants to lose some weight, but he doesn’t have any will
power. (if)
____________________________________________________
c. Sue didn’t mention the tennis game so I didn’t turn up to watch.( if)
____________________________________________________
d. In my opinion, you should drink low-fat milk. (if)
____________________________________________________
e. You should have a medical check-up when starting on a diet.(If)
____________________________________________________
f. I didn’t buy any vegetables so I couldn’t make a salad.(if)
____________________________________________________
g. Paul won’t swim in the pool because there is no lifeguard.(if)
____________________________________________________
h. Peter gets angry with people who don’t take him seriously.(unless)
___________________________________________________
 PRACTICE (1st / 2nd / 3rd type)

1. Complete:

1. I wouldn’t have voted for him if I ___________(have) a vote then.

2. If you _______________ (read) the instructions carefully, you wouldn’t
have broken it out.
3. You __________________(play) bridge better if you didn’t talk so much.
4. If you leave your glasses there someone ________________(sit) on
them.
5. I could have repaired the roof myself if I _____________(have) a long
ladder.
6. If the milkman ______________(come), tell him to leave two pints.
7. If you put some mustard in the sandwiches they ______________(taste)
better.
8. If someone offered to buy you one of those rings, which one
________________________(you/choose)?
9. If he goes to Paris, where ______________(he/stay)?
10. If she ___________________(speak) more slowly, I would have
understood her.
11. What __________________(happen) if I had pressed that button?
12. If you slept under a mosquito net, you _____________(not be bitten) so
often.
13. She won’t open the door unless she ________________(know) who it is.
14. If you knew you had only six weeks to live how _____________ (you /
spend) that time?
15. But for the fog we ______________(reach) our destination ages ago.
16. Unless he ________________(sell) more he won’t get much
commission.
17. We’ll have a long way to walk if we _________________(run) out of
petrol here.
18. If I had known that you couldn’t eat octopus, I _________________(not
buy) it.
19. Had they banned the sale of alcohol there ________________(be) less
football violence.