CONDITIONALS / WISHES / UNREAL PAST
CONDITIONALS
If-clause(hypothesis) Main clause (result clause) Use
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TYPE 1
real present if + any present form Future/imperative True or likely to
(Present S., Present Cont. can/may/might/should happen in the
or Present Perfect ) + bare inf / Present Simple present or
future
If the weather is nice, we will go on an excursion.
If you have done your homework, you can watch TV.
If you have a headache, take an aspirin.
TYPE 2 if + Past Simple would/could/might + untrue in the
or Past Continuous bare infinitive present; also
used to give
advice
If I were you, I wouldn’t speak to him again. (advice)
If he didn’t eat so many sweets, he wouldn’t have a problem with his teeth.
(but he eats a lot of sweets – untrue in the present)
Past Perfect Contin. have + past participle situation
contrary to
in the past; also
used to express
regrets or criticism
If she had known how to use the mixer, she wouldn’t have broken it.
!!!!When the if-clause precedes the result clause, we separate the two clauses with a comma.
!!!!Conditionals are usually introduced by “IF”. Other expressions are : UNLESS (=IF NOT), PROVIDING, PROVIDED (THAT), AS LONG AS, IN CASE, ON CONDITION (THAT), , BUT FOR + -ING FORM/NOUN, OTHERWISE, OR ELSE, WHAT IF, SUPPOSING, EVEN IF, ONLY IF
!!!!! We do not normally use ‘WILL’, ‘WOULD’ or ‘SHOULD’ in the ‘if-clause’.
However, WILL, WOULD or SHOULD can be used in ‘if-clauses’ to make A REQUEST, or express ANNOYANCE/ DOUBT/ UNCERTAINTY or INSISTENCE
If he should come, how him in.
If you will/would be more patient, I’ll be with you in a minute. (request – Will you please be more patient ?)
OMISSION OF “IF”
“IF” can be omitted in ‘if-clauses’. In this case SHOULD, WERE and HAD (Past Perfect) come before the subject.
If he should win the race, he will be very happy
Should he win the race, he’ll be very ahppy.
If I were you, I wouldn’t tell him.
Were I you, I wouldn’t tell him.
If I had known the truth, I’d have called the police.
Had I known the truth, I’d have called the police.
MIXED CONDITIONALS
All types of conditionals can be mixed. Any tense combination is possible if the context permits it.
If-clause Main clause
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Type 2 If they were working all day, they will be tired now. TYPE 1
(They were working all day so they are tired now.)
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Type 2 If I were you, I would have accepted the job. TYPE 3
(You are not me so you didn’t accept the job.)
If he were a better driver, he wouldn’t have crashed the car.
(He is not a good driver so he crashed the car.)
TYPE 3 If she had finished earlier she would be going to the party tonight. TYPE 2
(She didn’t finish earlier so she isn’t going to the party.)
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I. Put the verbs in brackets into correct tense, then identify the types of conditionals.
1. If you ………………………….(not/put up) this shelf, you won’t have anywhere to put your books.
2. If he ………………….(change) jobs, he would be a lot happier.
3. If I were you, I ………………………………(tell) her how you feel.
4. If you continue to shout so badly, you ………………………(wake up) the baby.
5. Even if he ……………………..(ask) them, they wouldn’t have agreed to come.
6. Unless you ……………………..(feel) better, you can take the rest of the day off.
7. If she ……………………….(not / threaten) him, he wouldn’t have left.
8. I ……………………………(not / trust) him if I were you.
9. If you’re patient for a few minutes, I …………………….(be able) to finish this.
10. He ………………………(not / go) with her if he had known she would behave so irresponsibly.
11. I wouldn’t have been able to do it unless she ………………………(help) me.
12. Sometimes if you ……………………….(take) a chance, it pays off.
13. If he ………………………(wake up) earlier, he wouldn’t have been late for work.
14. If they will go on making so much noise, I ……………………..(have to) punish them.
15. If we …………………..(intend) to spend the day in London, we would have bought a day pass.
16. Keep your voice down in case he …………………..(overhear) us.
17. If she ……………………(be) more experienced, she would be more likely to get the job.
18. If the food ……………………………(not / be) so bad, we wouldn’t have complained.
19. Sales will increase provided that the advertising campaign ………………..(be) successful.
20. If you ……………………….(spend) less on clothes, you would be able to save some money.
II. Rewrite the following sentences as conditional sentences.
1. You need to go to Egypt to see the Sphinx.
If …………………………………………………………… .
2. John didn’t leave early so he didn’t get there on time.
If ……………………………………………………………. .
3. She used factor 12 suntan lotion as gets sunburnt easily.
If ……………………………………………………………… .
4. The fax machine is broken so I’ll have to send it by post.
5. There’ll be election if the president resigns.
Providing …………………………………………………… .
6. Calling her might make her feel better.
If …………………………………………………………. .
7. More tickets need to be sold, otherwise the concert will be cancelled.
If ……………………………………………………………………..
8. You will have trouble selling the house if you’re not prepared to accept a lower offer.
Unless ………………………………………………………………..
9. He cancelled his trip because he had run out of money.
If ………………………………………………………………
10. Tom didn’t wear a coat and caught a cold.
11. You need to study to pass this exam.
Unless ………………………………………………………….
12. You really ought to go somewhere sunnier to get a suntan.
Unless …………………………………………………………….
III. Put the verbs in brackets into the correct tense.
1. If I ………………(be) you, I ………………………..(not/listen) to his lies.
2. If he …………………(not/eat) that sandwich, he would not have suffered from food poisoning.
3. Father Christmas won’t come unless you ……………..(be) a good little girl.
4. As long as you ……………………..(do) your best, no one will criticise you.
5. He put the answer phone on in case anyone …………………(want) to leave a message.
6. Supposing we ………………………..(be/stop) by the police, what …………………..(we/say)?
7. If you …………………………(tell) me you were cold, I ……………………………(put) the fire on.
8. What …………………………………….(we/do) if John hadn’t helped us?
9. If she were rich, she …………………………….(not/have to) work.
10. Go and see a doctor in case you ……………………..(have) a serious illness.
11. You won’t understand this useless you …………………….(pay) attention.
12. What ……………………..(you/give) me if I ……………………..(keep) your secret?
13. Even if he ……………………….(beg), I would not help him.
14. If this case ………………………..(go) to trial, it will cause a national outcry.
15. Supposing no one …………………………….(kill) President Kennedy, …………………………(things/be) different now?
IV. Finish the following sentences without changing the meaning of the sentences printed before them.
1. If you should change your mind, just call us.
Should …………………………………………….
2. Had you informed me earlier, I could have changed my plans.
If ………………………………………………………………..
3. If I were you, I’d cut down on smoking.
Were ……………………………….
V. Write the following conditionals for the following sentences.
1. I might have missed my flight. I would be very upset now.
…………………………………………………………………
2. He has made a lot of enemies. He is lonely now.
3. You are cold. Why didn’t you bring a pullover with you?
………………………………………………………………..
4. She can’t be interested. She would have got in touch by now.
5. He has lost his ticket. He won’t be allowed to enter the theatre.
6. They didn’t catch the thief. Otherwise he would be in prison now.
………………………………………………………………………
7. He must smoke. He asked for an ashtray.
………………………………………………………………….
8. She isn’t trustworthy. She would never have revealed your secret.
9. They didn’t ban the use of cars. There is a lot of pollution.
………………………………………………………………
10. Aren’t you certain? Why did you commit yourself then?
11. My mother loves Frank Sinatra. She bought all his records.
……………………………………………………………..
12. She isn’t optimistic. She expected the worst.
……………………………………………………………………..
VI. Complete the sentences using the words in capitals. Use two to five words.
1. I would have lent you my car but I didn’t know you needed to borrow it. HAD
If …………………………………….needed to borrow my car, I would have lent it to you.
2. As long as you are very careful, you can use my CD player. PROVIDED
You can use my CD player ……………………………………………very careful.
3. If there isn’t an interpreter at the conference, she won’t be able to understand the speakers. UNLESS
She won’t be able to understand the speakers …………………………………..at the conference.
4. He didn’t get the job because he was late for the interview. WOULD
If he hadn’t been late for the interview, he ……………………………………job.
5. I only learnt to drive because you taught me. NEVER
I …………………………………………drive if you hadn’t taught me.
6. You’d better see a doctor. WERE
If ………………………………………..see a doctor.
7. Tim will be able to operate the machine but somebody must show him how. ONLY
Tim will be able to operate the machine ……………………………………….how.
8. She didn’t take an umbrella so she got completely soaked. HAVE
If she had taken an umbrella, she ……………………………………soaked.
9. I will buy a new car but I must save enough money first. SAVE
Provided ……………………………………….first, I will buy a new car.
10. She broke her leg so she couldn’t go skiing. BROKEN
If ……………………………………….leg, she could have gone skiing.
11. Kay can’t be at home, otherwise she would have answered the phone. WOULD
If Kay …………………………………….have answered the phone
12. I would be grateful to receive any information you may have. COULD
I would be grateful ……………………………………….any information you may have.
13. Karen can make the pie but she must have the recipe. LONG
Karen can make the pie ……………………………………..the recipe.
14. If you see Miles, can you ask him to contact me immediately? SEE
Should ………………………………..ask him to contact me immediately?
15. Chris wants to phone his boss but he hasn’t got the number. WOULD
If Chris ……………………………………………………….phone his boss.
I wish (if only) + Past tense wish/ regret about a present
(wish/regret about the situation we want to be different
present)
I wish we were in Paris now. (It’s a pity we aren’t)
I wish I could swim. (but I can’t)
I wish I lived in England. (but I don’t)
I wish I didn’t live in Poland. (but I do)
(regret about the past) or didn’t happen in the past
I wish you had told me earlier. (but you didn’t)
I wish you hadn’t told her about it. (but you did)
(impossible wish for bare infinitive to happen or wish to express
a future change) a. “wish” and “would” dissatisfaction; polite request
should have a different implying dissatisfaction or lack
subject. We never say: of hope.
“I wish I would.’
“He wishes he would etc”
b. wish + inanimate subject+
would is used to express the
speaker’s lack of hope or
disappointment.
I wish he would stop smoking.(But I don’t think he will – unlikely to happen)
I wish students would pay more attention. (dissatisfaction)
I wish the wind would stop ...
MAzee171