Conditionals

Wishes and Conditionals Unit 2

1/10 Dr. Lenin Lara Olivo

2.1. English Conditionals: An Introduction There are a number of structures in English that are called the conditionals which

are used to talk about possible or imaginary situations.

A "Condition" is a "situation or circumstance".

There are 2 types of conditionals in English grammar:

2.1.1. Real conditional

The situation is true, may be true or may be a possibility in the future.

2.1.2. Unreal conditional

The situation is imaginary or hypothetical.

It may exist as a way of expressing desire or advice.

if I won the lottery, I would buy a car.

For example: If a certain condition is true, then a particular result happens.

There are four basic conditionals that we use in English.

Zero Conditional

First Conditional

Second Conditional

Third Conditional

http://www.usingenglish.com/articles/english-conditionals-zero-conditional.html

http://www.usingenglish.com/articles/english-conditionals-first-conditional.html

http://www.usingenglish.com/articles/english-conditionals-second-conditional.html

http://www.usingenglish.com/articles/english-conditionals-third-conditional.html



2.2. Zero Conditional

The zero conditional is a structure used for talking about general truths, or

scientific facts -- things which always happen under certain conditions.

If the "if " clause comes first, a comma is usually used. If the " if " clause

comes second, there is no need for a comma.

The simple present tense is the tense use in both clauses. Examples:

if + [ present tense ] + [ present tense ].

If / When Condition Result

If it rains, we get wet

or like this:

Result IF Condition

We get wet If it rains.

1. If /when you finish the test, you can go

2. Phosphorus burns if you expose it to air.

3. If you heat water to 100 degrees Celsius, it boils.

4. If he finishes on time, we play

5. Phosphorus burns if you expose it to air.

6. If you are thirsty, there is water in the fridge.



The Zero Conditional Exercise

if + [ present tense, ] + [ present tense ].

If it rains, we get wet

We get wet If it rains. Use the conditions and results in the box to complete the phrases below.

Conditions

Results

you've got a headache

you don't wear a crash helmet

you heat it to 100 ºc

she comes home very late

you leave gates open in the country

you add sugar

you get pink

A dog bites

the dvd player comes on

Butter melts

it scratches you

You have more chance of being

killed

Exercises: 1. Water boils if ______________________________________.

2. If you mix red and white, ______________________________________.

3. ______________________________________. if you leave it in the sun.

4. If ______________________________________, take an aspirin.

5. If ______________________________________, it tastes sweet.

6. ______________________________ if you go near its food when it's eating.

7. If you pull a cat's tail,______________________________________.

8. ______________________________________.if you don't wear a seat belt. 9. You can end up brain damaged if ______________________________.

10. If you press this switch, ______________________________________.

11. If ______________________________________, her folks get very angry

12. Farmers get very angry if . ______________________________________.



2.3. First Conditional We use the first conditional to talk about a possibility in the future. There needs to

be a real possibility that this situation could occur.

if + [ present tense ] + [ future tense ].

If + subject + simple present tense… +

Will Can May must

+ [ verb in simple form ]

If I have the money, I will buy a new car

For example perhaps you want to go to the beach after lunch, but the weather is a bit

cloudy at the moment, and you only want to go if the sun comes out

The simple present tense is the tense use in both clauses. Examples:

If/When Condition Result

If the sun comes out, I will go the beach

or like this:

Result If/When Condition

I will go the beach if the sun comes out

Examples:

1. If/when you come over, I will make some coffee.

2. If the phone rings, I will take the call in the.

3. We will go to the cinema If he finishes on time.

4. If it is sunny, I will go for a walk.



First Conditional Exercise at Auto-English

IF + PRESENT SIMPLE , WILL + INFINITIVE WILL

+ INFINITIVE + IF + PRESENT SIMPLE

Fill using the verb in brackets.some sentences need a NEGATIVE verb and watch out for the third person of Singular!

1. If Clare _________ late again, the volleyball trainer will be furious. (to arrive)

2. You'll be sorry if you _________ for your exams. (to revise)

3. We _________ if the weather's good. (to go)

4.They _________ you if you wear a wig and dark glasses. (to recognize)

5. If the bus _________ on time, I won't miss the football. (to be)

6. If you _________ your homework now, you'll be free all tomorrow. (to do)

7. We _________out if there's no food at home. (to eat)

8. You'll find life much easier if you _________ more often. (to smile)

9. If it's hot, we _________ for a swim. (to go)

10. You'll do it better if you _________ more time over it. (to take)

11. If she _________ practicing, she'll get better. (to keep)

12. Mom will be very sad if Jim _________ Mother's Day again. (to forget)

13. I _________ so happy if I pass the exam. (to be)

14. You'll be really tired tomorrow if you _________ to bed soon. (to go)

15. The government _________ the next election if they continue to ignore

public opinion. (to lose)

16. If someone _________ you a bike, you can come with us. (to lend)



2.4. Second Conditional: Imaginary Present or Unlikely Future

The Second Conditional can be used to talk about imaginary present situations,

where we are imagining something different from what is really the case. We can

also use it to talk about things in the future that are unlikely to happen, as the

condition is unlikely to be met.

IF Condition Time Result Possibility

simple past present WOULD + base verb impossible

If I had the time, I would learn Italian. I don't have the time, so I'm not going to learn Italian.

simple past future WOULD + base verb unlikely

If I won the lottery, I would travel around the world.

There's a very small chance of winning the lottery, so the trip is unlikely

We can use other modal verbs in the past tense in the result part of the sentence:

IF Condition Result Certainty

simple past WOULD + base verb

If I had the time, I would learn Italian. Although unlikely to happen, the speaker is sure that they would do it given the opportunity.

If I had more time, I might learn Spanish.

Although unlikely to happen, it is only a possibility anyway.

If I had more time, I should learn some more about Technology.

Although unlikely to happen, the speaker is saying that it would be a good idea, but is not committed to it.

If I had more time , I could learn Hindi. Although unlikely to happen, it is only a possibility anyway.



With the verb to be, there are two forms that can be used with I, he, she & it:

IF Condition Result

I, he, she, it Were

If I were you, I'd marry her.

I, he, she, it Was

If I was you, I'd marry her.



Second Conditional Exercise at Auto-English

IF + SIMPLE PAST , WOULD + INFINITIVE

WOULD+ INFINITIVE + IF + SIMPLE PAST

Fill using the verb in brackets. Some sentences could need a NEGATIVE verb!

1. I _________ that if I were you. It's bad luck. (to do)

2. They'd be a better team if they _________ fitter. (to be)

3. If I had some spare money, I _________ a DVD player. (to buy)

4. Those children _________ so horrible if their parents were stricter. (to be)

5. I wouldn't go out with him even if you _________ me. (to pay)

6. If we _________ so hard, we wouldn't be so tired all the time. (to work)

7. If she didn't take so long in the shower, she _________ more time for

breakfast. (to have)

8. If you _________ so much beer, you wouldn't be so fat. (to drink)

9. The world _________ a better place if politicians were less vain. (to be)

10. I _________ to visit Galapagos if I had the chance. (to love)

11. If I had more free time, I _________ a play. (to write)

12. If you _________ a digital camera, you could send photos by email.

(to have)

13. He would definitely lose weight if he _________ eating carbohydrates

and sugar. (to stop)

14. If I understood more about computers, I _________ help you out. (to be able

to)



2.5. Third Conditional: Imaginary Past

The third conditional is used when we are talking about the past and imagining

something different from what actually happened:

Condition Result What actually happened

Past Perfect WOULD HAVE +Verb Past

Participle

If I had known, I would have helped. I didn't know and didn't help.

IF Condition Result Certainty

past perfect WOULD HAVE +Verb Past

Participle

If I had known, I would have helped. Although this didn't happen, the speaker is sure about the result.

If I had known, I could have helped. Although this didn't happen, the result is only a possibility.

If I had known, I might have helped. Although this didn't happen, the result is only a possibility.

If you had known, you should have helped. Although this didn't happen, it is only a good suggestion or piece of advice.



The Third Conditional Exercise at Auto-English

IF + PAST PERFECT , WOULD HAVE + VERB PAST PARTICIPLE

WOULD HAVE + VERBPAST PARTICIPLE + IF + PAST PERFECT

Fill using the verb in brackets. Think very carefully about the meaning of the phrase before deciding whether to use a negative or positive verb form.

1. I wouldn't be angry if you ____________my chocolate. (to eat)

2. If he had known you were in hospital, he ____________ you. (to visit)

3. We wouldn't have come by taxi if we ____________the right bus. (to find)

4. We would have visited Quito if we ____________ time. (to have)

5. If you hadn't been asking me questions all the time, I ____________the film.(to

enjoy)

6. If I ____________ your number, I would have phoned.(to know)

7. If just one person had remembered my birthday, I ____________sad. (to be)

8. I would have understood the film if it ____________in German. (to be)

9. They ____________ to see you if they hadn't been away. (to come)

10. If I'd known you were coming, I ____________a cake. (to bake)

11. If you had told me about the concert, I ____________. (to go)

12. The holidays would have been great if the weather ____________better. (to be)

Conditionals

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