CONDITIONAL IF

 

It consists of If Clause (Dependent Clause) as a requirement/’pengandaian’ and

Main Clause (Independent Clause). There are three types of Conditional IF :

I.        PRESENT REAL CONDITION

(If + S1+V1+O1, S2+shall/will+V1+O2)

 It is used to present something which is possible to happen with a certain requirement (if a certain condition is fulfilled) now and in the future.

·         If he studies hard, he will pass the exam

·         If I have much time, I will help you

·         If it rains, I shall stay at home

·         If the whether is fine tomorrow, we will go fishing

·         If my parents give me enough money, I will buy new shoes

Besides if, we can also use :

-          Provided that                   

-          On condition that

-          So long as

-          Unless (If not)

I.        PRESENT UNREAL CONDITION

(If+S1+V2+O, S2+should/would+V1+O2)

It is used to explain condition in which if it is judged from time, it is possible – but if it judged from the reality, it is (almost) impossible to happen, due to the following reasons :

1. Contrary to the fact

·         If I had the money now, I would give it to you

·         If I were a male, I would be brave to hike the highest mountain

·         If I were a rich person, I would travel around the world

·         If I were in New York right now, I would see John in person

2. It is expected to happen

·         If a thief came into my room, I would throw something at him

·         If someone tried to kill me, it would shout the most loudly.

III.         PAST UNREAL CONDITION

(If+S1+had+V3+O1, S2+should/would+have+V3+O2)

1.  It is used to describe the hope, something wanted or liked, ambition etc-which never happened in the past the requirement wasn’t fulfilled.

·         If I had known Bob last year, I would have given him a dictionary

·         If I had been able to speak English last year, I would have become a tourist guide

2.       It is used to tell bad thing which didn’t happen because the fact was contrary to the If/Subordinate clause.

·         If I had come late, the teacher would have scolded me yesterday

·         If people hadn’t realized about what was happening last year, destruction would have been greater than it seems now.

Exercise 1

Exercises on Conditional Sentences Type 1

Top of Form

Complete the Conditional Sentences (Type I) by putting the verbs into the correct form.

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

Exercises on Conditional Sentences Type 1

Top of Form

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 prepare prepares will prepare the salad, Phil decorate decorates will decorate the house.
2. If Sue cut cuts will cut the onions for the salad, Caroline peel peels will peel the mushrooms.
3. Jane hoover hoovers will hover the sitting room if Aaron and Tim move moves will move the furniture.
4. If Bob tidy tidies will tidy up the kitchen, Anita clean cleans will clean the toilet.
5. Elaine buy buys will buy the drinks if somebody help helps will help her carry the bottles.
6. If Alan and Rebecca organise organises will organise the food, Mary and Conor make makes will make the sandwiches.
7. If Bob look looks will look after the barbecue, Sue let lets will let the guests in.
8. Frank play plays will play the DJ if the others bring brings will bring along their CDs.
9. Alan mix mixes will mix the drinks if Jane give gives will give him some of her cocktail recipes.
10. If they all do does will do their best, the party is are will be great.

Exercise 2

Exercise on Conditional Sentences Type 2

Top of Form

Janine is a daydreamer. She imagines what would happen if she won the lottery.

Complete the Conditional Sentences Type II.

1. If I would play played the lottery, I would have had a chance to hit the jackpot.
2. If I would hit hit the jackpot, I would be were rich.
3. If I would be were rich, my life would change changed completely.
4. I would buy bought a lonely island, if I would find found a nice one.
5. If I would own owned a lonely island, I would build built a huge house by the beach.
6. I would invite invited all my friends if I would have had a house by the beach.
7. I would pick picked my friends up in my yacht if they would want wanted to spend their holidays on my island.
8. We would have had great parties if my friends would come came to my island.
9. If we would like liked to go shopping in a big city, we would charter chartered a helicopter.
10. But if my friends' holidays would be were over, I would feel felt very lonely on my lonely island.

Exercise on Conditional Sentences Type 2

Top of Form

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

Exercise 3

Exercise on Conditional Sentences Type 3Top of Form

What a match – your favorite 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 would have passed had passed the ball more exactly, our team would have had had had more chances to attack.
2. If the forwards would have run had run faster, they would have scored had scored more goals.
3. Their motivation would have improved had improved if they would have kicked had kicked a goal during the first half.
4. The fullbacks would have prevented had prevented one or the other goal if they would have marked had marked their opponents.
5. If the goalie would have jumped had jumped up, he would have caught had caught the ball.
6. If the referee would have seen had seen the foul, he would have awarded had awarded a penalty kick to our team.
7. Our team would have been had been in better form if they would have trained had trained harder the weeks before.
8. The game would have become had become better if the trainer would have sent had sent a substitute in during the second half.
9. If it would have been had been a home game, our team would have won had won the match.
10. If our team would have won had won the match, they would have moved had moved up in the league.

Bottom of Form

Exercise on Conditional Sentences Type 3

Top of Form

Complete the Conditional Sentences (Type III) by putting the verbs into the correct form.

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

Exercise 4

Complete the sentences with the correct form (Type I or II).

• If you need the car in the afternoon, I go will go would go went shopping in the morning.
• If I wear will wear would wear wore a hat, I would look like an old woman.
• I'll buy this bag if they have will have would have had it in blue.
• She wouldn't pay cash if she have will have would have had a credit card.
• If I didn't have you, I do not know will not know would not know did not know what to do.

Exercise 5

English Test on Conditional Sentences Type 1, 2 and 3

Test your knowledge on Conditional Sentences. After submitting your answers, you will see how well you have done in the test.

Top of Form

Conditional Sentences Type I

Complete the Conditional Sentences Type I.

• If you (go) out with your friends tonight, I (watch) the football match on TV.
• I (earn) a lot of money if I (get) that job.
• If she (hurry / not) , we (miss) the bus.

Conditional Sentences Type II

Complete the Conditional Sentences Type II.

• If he (try) harder, he (reach) his goals.
• I (buy) these shoes if they (fit) .
• It (surprise / not) me if he (know / not) the answer.

Conditional Sentences Type III

Complete the Conditional Sentences Type III.

• If we (listen) to the radio, we (hear) the news.
• If you (switch) on the lights, you (fall / not) over the chair.
• She (come) to our party if she (be / not) on holiday.

Exercise 6

Conditional Sentences Type I, II or III

Complete the Conditional Sentences with the correct form (Type I, II or III).

• If I am will be were had been would be would have been stronger, I'd help you carry the piano.
• If we'd seen you, we stop will stop stopped had stopped would stop would have stopped .
• If we meet will meet met had met would meet would have met him tomorrow, we'll say hello.
• He would have repaired the car himself if he has will have had had had would have would have had the tools.
• If you drop the vase, it breaks will break broke had broken would break would have broken .
• If I hadn't studied, I do not pass will not pass did not pass had not passed would not pass would not have passed the exam.
• I wouldn't go to school by bus if I have will have had had had would have would have had a driving licence.
• If she doesn't see won't see hadn't seen didn't see wouldn't see wouldn't have seen him every day, she'd be lovesick.
• I don't travel won't travel didn't travel hadn't travelled wouldn't travel wouldn't have travelled to London if I don't get a cheap flight.
• We'd be stupid if we tell will tell told had told would tell would have told him about our secret.

Exercise  7

Conditional Sentences Type I, II, III

Complete the sentences according to the basic rules for Conditional Sentences.

• It is will be were had been would be would have been silly if we tried to walk there.
• I watch will watch watched had watched would watch would have watched the film only if the reviews are good.
• She'd have taken me to the station if her car doesn't break won't break didn't break hadn't broken wouldn't break wouldn't have broken down.
• If you don't ask won't ask didn't ask hadn't asked wouldn't ask wouldn't have asked , he won't help you.
• If it doesn't rain won't rain didn't rain hadn't rained wouldn't rain wouldn't have rained yesterday, we would have gone sailing.
• Do you look Will you look Did you look Had you looked Would you look Would you have looked after their dog again if they go on holiday this year?
• Would you mind if I use will use used had used would used would have used your mobile?
• I do not open will not open did not open had not opened would not open would not have opened the mail if it had contained a virus.
• Even if I have will have had had had would have would have had a wet-suit, I wouldn't go scuba-diving.
• Do you be Will you be Did you be Had you been Would you be Would you have been that strict if you'd known the truth?

Exceptions

Complete the following sentences. Note that you might have to use other tenses (active/passive voice) than required in the basic rules.

• If I had more time, I (come) to your party yesterday.
• Give the book to Jane if you (read) it.
• If you hadn't lost our flight tickets, we (be) on our way to the Caribbean now.
• If you (have) dinner right now, I'll come back later.
• If we (set) off earlier, we wouldn't be in this traffic jam now.
• What would you do if you (accuse) of murder?
• If I hadn't eaten that much, I (feel / not) so sick now.
• We would take another route if they (close / not) the road.
• She only (sing) if she's in a good mood.
• If she were sensible, she (ask) that question, by which she offended him so much.

Exercise 8

Finish the sentences with a clause in the correct conditional:

1: If it is sunny tomorrow _______________________________________________

2: If you sit in the sun too long __________________________________________

3: If I were you _______________________________________________________

4: If I were the Prime Minister ___________________________________________

5: If she had studied harder _____________________________________________

6: If I won the lottery __________________________________________________

7: If I hadn’t gone to bed so late _________________________________________

8: If I hadn’t come to London ___________________________________________

9: If you mix water and electricity ________________________________________

10: If she hadn’t stayed at home __________________________________________

11: If I go out tonight___________________________________________________

12: If I were on holiday today ____________________________________________

13: If I had listened to my mother _________________________________________

14: If I hadn’t eaten so much _____________________________________________

15: If it rains later ______________________________________________________

16: If I were British ____________________________________________________

17: If I were the opposite sex ____________________________________________

18: If I have enough money ______________________________________________

19: If you don’t wear a coat in the winter ___________________________________

20: If I weren’t studying English __________________________________________

Possible answers (check your answer is in the same tense):

1: If it is sunny tomorrow, we'll go to the park.

2: If you sit in the sun too long , you get burned.

3: If I were you, I would go out tonight.

4: If I were the Prime Minister, I would make the museums free.

5: If she had studied harder, she would have passed the exam.

6: If I won the lottery, I would buy a big house.

7: If I hadn’t gone to bed so late, I wouldn't have been tired.

8: If I hadn’t come to London, I would have gone to New York.

9: If you mix water and electricity, you get a shock.

10: If she hadn’t stayed at home, she would have gone shopping.

11: If I go out tonight, I'll go to the cinema.

12: If I were on holiday today, I would go to the beach.

13: If I had listened to my mother, I wouldn't have caught a cold.

14: If I hadn’t eaten so much, I wouldn't have felt sick.

15: If it rains later, I won't go out.

16: If I were British, I would speak perfect English.

17: If I were the opposite sex, I would grow a beard.

18: If I have enough money, I'll buy some new shoes.

19: If you don’t wear a coat in the winter, you get sick.

20: If I weren’t studying English, I would study French.