IDIOMA I (INGLÉS)

UNIT 8. CONDITIONAL SENTENCES. THEORY AND EXERCISES.

CONDITIONAL SENTENCES

Conditional 0: situations which are always true if something happens.

If I am late, my father takes me to school.

She doesn't worry if Jack stays out after school.

Note: this use is similar to, and can usually be replaced by, a time clause using 'when'
(example: When I am late, my father takes me to school.).

Compare:
- We use when for things which are sure to happen:
I’m going shopping this afternoon. (for sure) When I go shopping, I’ll buy some
food.
- We use if (not ‘when’) for things that will possibly happen. If it’s raining this
evening, I won’t go out. (Not: when it is raining…)

Structure:

Conditional 0 is formed by the use of the present simple in the if clause followed by a
comma + the present simple in the result clause. You can also put the result clause
first without using a comma between the clauses.

If he comes to town, we have dinner.

We have dinner if he comes to town.

Conditional 1: often called the "real" conditional because it is used for real or possible
situations. These situations take place if a certain condition is met.

If it rains, we will stay at home.

He will arrive late unless he hurries up.
Peter will buy a new car, if he gets his raise.

UNIT 8. CONDITIONAL SENTENCES. THEORY AND EXERCISES 1

Note: in the conditional 1 we often use unless which means 'if ... not'. In other words,
'...unless he hurries up.' could also be written, '...if he doesn't hurry up.’
Structure:
Conditional 1 is formed by the use of the present simple in the if clause followed by a
comma + future simple in the result clause. You can also put the result clause first
without using a comma between the clauses.

If he finishes on time, we will go to the movies.

We will go to the movies if he finishes on time.

We can use the present continuous or the present perfect in the if-clause.

If we're expecting visitors, the flat will need a good clean.

If you've finished with the computer, I'll put it away.

The result clause often has will, but we can use other modal verbs (e.g. can).

If you haven't got a television, you can't watch it, can you?
If Henry jogs regularly, he might lose weight.
If Matthew is going to a job interview, he should wear a tie.

Conditional 2: often called the "unreal" conditional because it is used for unreal -
impossible or improbable - situations. This conditional provides an imaginary result for a
given situation.

If he studied more, he would pass the exam.

I would lower taxes if I were the President.
They would buy a new house if they had more money.

Note: the verb 'to be', when used in the 2nd conditional, is always conjugated as 'were'.

Structure:

Conditional 2 is formed by the use of the past simple in the if clause followed by a
comma + conditional simple in the result clause. You can also put the result clause
first without using a comma between the clauses.

If they had more money, they would buy a new house.

They would buy a new house if they had more money.

UNIT 8. CONDITIONAL SENTENCES. THEORY AND EXERCISES 2

Conditional 3: often referred to as the "past" conditional because it concerns only past
situations with hypothetical results. Used to express a hypothetical result to a past given
situation.

If he had known that, he would have decided differently.

Jane would have found a new job if she had stayed in Boston.

Structure:

Conditional 3 is formed by the use of the past perfect in the if clause followed by a
comma + would have + past participle in the result clause. You can also put the
result clause first without using a comma between the clauses.

If Alice had won the competition, life would have changed.

Life would have changed if Alice had won the competition.

Mixed Conditionals:
We can mix conditional 2 and conditional 3.

If you had planned things at the start, we wouldn't be in this mess now.
If you hadn't left all these dirty dishes, the place would look a bit tidier.
If Matthew was more sensible, he would have worn a suit to the interview.
If I didn't have all this work to do, I would have gone out for the day.

IF, WHEN, UNLESS, AS LONG AS/SO LONG AS, PROVIDED (THAT)/PROVIDING

(THAT) AND IN CASE

If or when?:

We use if for something that we think might happen or for something impossible or
imaginary.

If you hear any news, can you ring me immediately? (You might hear some news.)
I'll probably go for a walk later on if it stays fine. (It might stay fine.)
If I were you, I'd refuse. (Impossible or imaginary)

We use when for something that we know will happen.

UNIT 8. CONDITIONAL SENTENCES. THEORY AND EXERCISES 3

 When you hear some news, can you ring me immediately? (You will hear some
news.)
I'll make myself an omelette when I get home tonight. (I will get home tonight.)

We can use either if or when in contexts where they mean 'every time'.
If you run, you use up energy.
When you run, you use up energy.

If and unless: if... not means the same as unless (= except if)

I can't see if I don't wear glasses.

The doctor will be here if she isn't called to an emergency.
If you can't pay your bills, you'll have to leave.
I wouldn't say that if I didn't believe it.
I can't see unless I wear glasses.
The doctor will be here unless she's called to an emergency.
Unless you can pay your bills, you'll have to leave.
I wouldn't say that unless I believed it.

As long as/so long as and provided (that)/providing (that): they mean if or on

condition that.

You can borrow my car as long as/so long as you promise not to drive carefully (=
you can use my car but you must drive carefully)
Travelling by car is convenient provided (that)/providing (that) you have
somewhere to park (= but only if you have somewhere to park)

In case

We use in case to talk about doing something to avoid a possible problem later on. In
case is not the same as if. We use in case to say why somebody does or doesn’t do
something. You do something now in case something happens later.

Take a sandwich with you in case you get hungry.

I'd better reserve a seat today in case the train is full tomorrow.
I’ll draw a map for you in case you have difficulty finding our house. (= because it is
possible you will have difficulty)

UNIT 8. CONDITIONAL SENTENCES. THEORY AND EXERCISES 4

 I’ll remind them about the meeting in case they’ve forgotten. (= because it is
possible they have forgotten)

You can use in case + past to say why somebody did something.

I left my phone switched on in case Jane called. (= because it was possible that Jane
would call)
I drew a map for Sarah in case she had difficulty finding the house.
We rang the doorbell again in case they hadn’t heard it the first time.

Compare:

We’ll buy some more food if Tom comes. We’ll buy some more food in case Tom
(= Perhaps Tom will come; if he comes, comes. (= Perhaps Tom will come; we’ll
we’ll buy some more food; if he doesn’t buy some more food now, whether he
come, we won’t buy any more food.) comes or not; then we’ll already have the
food if he comes.)

I'll bring in the washing if it rains. (= I'll I'll bring in the washing in case it rains. (=
bring it in at the time it starts raining.) I'll bring it in now because it might rain
later.)

I WISH/IF ONLY

We can use I wish or if only to express a wish.

I wish I was slimmer.
If only I wasn't so fat, I would be able to get into these trousers.

- I wish/if only + would expresses a wish for something to happen, or to stop

happening. We normally use I wish + would either when something is annoying us
and we would like it to stop, or when we want something to happen sooner rather
than later.
I wish you would put those shelves up soon.
I wish my neighbours wouldn't make so much noise.
If only you'd try to keep the place tidy.

UNIT 8. CONDITIONAL SENTENCES. THEORY AND EXERCISES 5

- I wish/if only + past simple expresses a wish for things to be different. We use I
wish + past simple when we want something in the present to change. We can use
were instead of was.
I wish I lived in a big city. It's so boring in the country.
If only I was/were taller, I might be better at basketball.
I wish I could sing (but I can't).
If only I could speak Spanish.
Compare wish with would and with past simple.
I wish something exciting would happen. (I wish for an action in the future.)
I wish my life was more interesting. (My life isn't interesting.)

- I wish/if only + past perfect expresses a wish about the past. When we regret
what we did/happened in the past.
I wish you had told me about the dance. I would have gone.
I wish I'd got up earlier. I'm behind with everything today.
I wish you hadn't lost that photo. It was a really good one.
If only David had been a bit more careful, he'd have been all right.

EXERCISES:

1. Choose the correct conditional form to complete the sentences below.

1. If ___________ (stay) in Boston, I would have found a new apartment.

2. She would help the poor if she ___________ (be) the President.
3. If he goes to Rome on a business trip, he often ___________ (visit) the
Vatican.

4. We won't go to the film unless they ___________ (arrive) in the next 5

minutes.

5. She ___________ (buy) a new car if she had had the money.
6. If Enrico were me, he ___________ (go) to New York immediately.
7. They will talk to John if he ___________ (come).
8. She comes to work 30 minutes late if her child ___________ (miss) the bus to
school.

9. If Jack ___________ (think) twice, he wouldn't have made such a stupid

mistake.

10. Katherine ___________ (become) a VIP if she studies hard!

UNIT 8. CONDITIONAL SENTENCES. THEORY AND EXERCISES 6

11. If they ___________ (know) all the facts, they would have found the defendant
guilty.

12. Unless you ___________ (hurry up), we will never arrive on time.
13. If I were in charge, I ___________ (change) the standard business routines.
14. He takes his daughter out to dinner, if she ___________ (come) to town.
15. If I hadn't known better, I ___________ (trust) him.

Conditional Grammar - Conditional 0, 1, 2, and 3 Mixed

2. Choose the phrase which best completes the conditional statement.

1. If he comes,
a. we will go to lunch.
b. we would go to lunch.
c. we went to lunch.
2. I would buy a new house
a. if I have a lot of money.
b. if I win the lottery.
c. if I inherited a million dollars.
3. If she misses the bus,
a. I take her to school by car.
b. I would take her to school by car.
c. she have to walk.
4. If I had known you were in town,
a. I would buy you some flowers!
b. I would have bought you some flowers.
c. I will buy you some flowers.
5. If he studies a lot,
a. he might pass the exam.
b. he would pass the exam.
c. he is going to pass the exam.
6. I would get a new job
a. if I was you.
b. if I am you.
c. if I were you.
7. He will surely fail his exams
a. if he not work harder.
b. unless he begins to study.

UNIT 8. CONDITIONAL SENTENCES. THEORY AND EXERCISES 7

 c. if he weren't serious.
8. She would live in New York now
a. if she stays.
b. if she had stayed.
c. if she was to stay.
9. They would have bought that new car
a. if they had had the money.
b. if they had the money.
c. if they were having the money.

3. Choose the phrase which best completes the conditional statement.

1. I leave on Saturdays
a. if she will come to visit.
b. if she comes to visit.
c. if she won't come to visit.
2. If he were President,
a. he would help the poor more.
b. he will help the poor more.
c. he would have helped the poor more.
3. If they had had enough good sense,
a. they would move to Santa Monica.
b. they would have moved to Santa Monica.
c. they would had moved to Santa Monica.
4. She will go crazy
a. if you leaves her.
b. unless she leaves you.
c. if she don't leave you.
5. If this storm gets worse,
a. we will have to go inland.
b. we have to get inland.
c. we must to go inland.
6. Watch out! If you touch that cable,
a. you will get a shock.
b. you shocked.
c. you had a shock.
7. I might have had time
a. if you needed my help.

UNIT 8. CONDITIONAL SENTENCES. THEORY AND EXERCISES 8

 b. if you had asked me for help.
c. if you ask me for help.
8. I'm afraid I can't understand you
a. if you speak unclear.
b. unless you speak more clearly.
c. if you don't speak clear.
9. She would have gone
a. if she had been in your position.
b. if she were in your position.
c. if she was in your position.
10. You would certainly have been angry
a. if you discovered what he knew.
b. if you had discovered what he knew.
c. if you had discovered what he had known

4. Put the verbs in brackets into the correct form.

1. I am terrified of spiders. If I ___________ (see) one, I ___________ (go) stiff with

fear.
2. The film was marvelous. If you ___________ (come) with us, you ___________
(enjoy) it too.
3. If I ___________ (not wear) glasses, I ___________ (be) a pilot.
4. My Dad ___________ (take) us to the station tomorrow morning if there
___________ (not be) any buses.
5. He always misses the school bus. If he ___________ (get up) earlier, he
___________ (catch) it.
6. If I ___________ (be) the Prime Minister, I ___________ (bring) back) capital
punishment.
7. I can’t afford those shoes, but I ___________ (buy) them if they ___________ (be)
in the sale.
8. If I ___________ (speak) to Anna tomorrow, I ___________ (say) hello from you.
9. You’re much better at tennis than me. If I ___________ as good as you, I
___________ (go) professional.
10. Their marriage only lasted three months. If he ___________ (be) less mean, she
___________ (not leave) him.
11. We ___________ (not go) to the coast this weekend if the car ___________ (not
be) repaired.
12. She adores Agatha Christie. If she ___________ (find) a book by her, she always
___________ (buy) it.

UNIT 8. CONDITIONAL SENTENCES. THEORY AND EXERCISES 9

13. I’m broke but if I ___________ (have) a lot of money, I ___________ (give up)
work.

5. Write second conditional sentences for the following situations.

1. There isn’t an early train, so I won’t be there on time.

___________________________________________
2. My sister lives abroad. We don’t see her more than once a year.
___________________________________________
3. I can’t get up because I haven’t got over my operation.
___________________________________________
4. We can’t take our car. They aren’t any parking spaces.
___________________________________________
5. They can’t have a dog because they haven’t got a lot of room.
___________________________________________
6. There aren’t any beers left, so I can’t offer you one.
___________________________________________
7. James lives with his parents because he can’t afford a flat of his own.
___________________________________________
8. My boss isn’t very experienced so he isn’t very decisive.
___________________________________________
9. He hasn’t got a fax machine, so I can’t send this immediately.
___________________________________________
10. We don’t know his address, so we can’t write to him.
___________________________________________

6. What might you say if you were the people in the following situations? Make
sentences using one of the forms of wish.

1. Liz is unhappy because she has got a small flat.

________________________________
2. Alex has been trying to lose weight but his diet hasn’t made any difference.
________________________________
3. Thieves have stolen Candy’s fur coat. It wasn’t insured.
________________________________
4. You work with someone who whistles horribly all day long.
________________________________

UNIT 8. CONDITIONAL SENTENCES. THEORY AND EXERCISES 10

 5. Anita drank too much again last night. She has got a terrible hangover.
________________________________
6. She wants to take the top off a bottle of aspirin but she can’t open it.
________________________________
7. Katie is sitting by the telephone. She is waiting impatiently for Angus to ring.
________________________________

7. Rewrite the following sentences.

1. He felt seasick because he hadn’t taken his pills.

If _______________________________________
2. I didn’t notice the man was in danger so I didn’t help him.
If _______________________________________
3. I would have liked to go with you, but I was too busy.
If _______________________________________
4. She won’t ever marry unless she finds the right man.
If _______________________________________
5. She would avoid being late by taking the motorway.
If she _____________________________________
6. I didn't go to Helen's party because she didn't invite me.
If _______________________________________
7. She didn’t have any soft drinks at home so she didn’t offer one to me.
If _______________________________________
8. I don’t have a word processor so I can’t write your report with it.
If _______________________________________
9. We must leave at eight o’clock or we’ll miss the train.
Unless _____________________________________
10. They won't let you into that restaurant if you're not wearing a suit.
Unless _____________________________________
11. If it doesn't rain soon, a lot of our crops will be lost.
Unless ______________________________________
12. I regret not going to the doctor before. My back would be all right now.
I wish_______________________________________
13. When you were younger, you didn’t learn to play a musical instrument. Now you
regret it.
I wish ______________________________________
14. Your friend drives very fast. You don’t like this.

UNIT 8. CONDITIONAL SENTENCES. THEORY AND EXERCISES 11

 You say (to your friend): I wish you ____________________
15. You live in a big city and you don’t like it.
I wish _______________________________________
16. I regret not buying that car when I had the chance.
I wish _______________________________________
17. You’re walking in the country. You would like to take some photographs, but you
didn’t bring your camera.
I wish _______________________________________

8. Rewrite these sentences using unless instead of if not.

1. Sam will pass his driving test if he doesn’t drive too fast.
___________________________________________________
2. They’ll be here soon if their plane isn’t delayed.
___________________________________________________
3. If you’re not in a hurry, you could take the bus.
___________________________________________________
4. I won’t be able to come to see you tomorrow if my brother can’t give me a lift.
___________________________________________________
5. If the factory doesn’t increase its production, it will close down.
___________________________________________________
6. If you don’t write your address down for me, I’ll forget it.
___________________________________________________
7. I won’t stay in that hotel if it hasn’t got a good restaurant.
___________________________________________________
8. If I don’t hear from you, I’ll meet you at six.
___________________________________________________
9. You’ll miss your plane if you don’t hurry a bit more.
___________________________________________________

9. Fill in the gaps with in case or if.

1. Elaine will post the letters if she goes out.

2. I’ll go for a swim ___________ I finish college early.
3. I’ll teach you to windsurf ___________ you teach me to play golf.
4. I always leave the answerphone on when I go out ___________ I miss an
important phone call.

UNIT 8. CONDITIONAL SENTENCES. THEORY AND EXERCISES 12

 5. I’ll take Tim’s address with me ___________ I have time to visit him while I’m in
London.
6. Our team will win the match ___________ our goalkeeper plays like he did last
week.
7. It’s a good idea to have two address books ___________ you lose one of them
8. I’ll leave these videos here ___________ you have time to watch them.

10. Complete the second sentence in each pair. Use no more than five words
including the word in bold. Do NOT change this word.

1. I could never have succeeded without your help.

if → I could never have succeeded __________________________ me.
2. Sally might not bring her camera to the party, so I’ll take mine.
in → I’ll take my camera to the party __________________________
bring hers.
3. I'd like John to be here.
only → __________________________ here.
4. You can only win if you enter the race.
unless → You __________________________ you enter the race.
5. It’s a good thing you lend me the money or I would have had to go to the bank.
you → I would have had to go to the bank _______________________me
the money.
6. I thought I might run out of cash, so I took my cheque-book with me.
case → I took my cheque-book with me ________________________ out
of cash.
7. We missed the turning because we forgot to take a map with us.
remembered → If __________________________ a map with us, we
wouldn’t have missed the turning.
8. Sasha only moved to a new class because her teacher recommended it.
would → if her teacher hadn’t recommended it, Sasha _________________
to a new class.
9. You can borrow my bike if you’re in a hurry.
mind → I _________________________ you my bike if you’re in a hurry.
10. I regret giving Dennis my phone number.
wish → I wish __________________________ my phone number.
11. I regret I didn't tell John about the party.
wish → I __________________________ about the party.

UNIT 8. CONDITIONAL SENTENCES. THEORY AND EXERCISES 13

11. Read this email. Fill in the gaps with the correct form of the verbs in the
box. You need to make some of the verbs negative.

be be behave bring can change finish have learn know

To: JOE
From: ROBIN
Subject: PARTY!

Hi Joe
I’m having a birthday party on Saturday in my uncle’s flat. I wish I (1)
______ a bigger flat but I haven’t. Anyway, my uncle has offered me his flat
as long as there (2) ________ no more than thirty people and provided that
the party (3) ________ by midnight. So please come and bring a friend, but
I’d rather you (4) ______ Matthew with you because he always causes
trouble. I wish he (5) _____ to behave better. I had to work hard to persuade
my uncle and unless everyone (6) ______ well, he won’t let me do it again.
I’ll send you a map in case you (7) ______ the street where my uncle lives. If
you (8) ______ find it, just ring me on my mobile. So I’ll see you on Saturday
unless my uncle (9) ______ his mind! By the way, has Sally changed her
phone number? I can’t get hold of her. I wish I (10) ______ rude to her last
week, as she’s not speaking to me now.
Bye for now.

Robin

UNIT 8. CONDITIONAL SENTENCES. THEORY AND EXERCISES 14