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CONDITIONAL CLAUSES
Conditionals are sentences with two clauses an if clause and a main clause that
are closely related. Conditional sentences are often divided into different types.

ZERO CONDITIONAL
IF CLAUSE MAIN CLAUSE

Structure Present simple Present simple

Uses We use the zero conditional to talk about

things that are always true.
If you heat water, it boils.
When the sun goes down, it gets
Examples dark.
It lights up, if you push that
button.

FIRST CONDITIONAL
IF CLAUSE MAIN CLAUSE

Structure Present simple WILL + infinitive

Uses We use the first conditional to talk about real and

possible situations.
Ill go shopping on the way home if I have time.
If its a nice day tomorrow, well go to the
Examples
beach.
If Arsenal win, theyll be top of the league.

SECOND CONDITIONAL
IF CLAUSE MAIN CLAUSE

Structure Past simple WOULD + infinitive

We use the second conditional to talk about unreal or

impossible things hypothetical situations.
Uses
We also use the second conditional to give advice. In this
case we use the expression If I were you

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If I won a lot of money, Id buy a big house in the

country.
Where would you live if you could live anywhere in the
Examples
world?
If you didnt smoke so much, youd feel a lot better.
If I were you, I would study harder for your test.

Look at the difference between the first and second conditionals.

In January: If it snows tomorrow Ill go skiing. (It might snow tomorrow.)
In August: If it snowed tomorrow Id go skiing. (It almost certainly wont snow
tomorrow.)

Note: In the second conditional the form WERE is used in the if-clause for all the
pronouns when giving advice.
If he werent so lazy, he would find a job.

If I were you, I wouldnt do that.

THIRD CONDITIONAL

IF CLAUSE MAIN CLAUSE

WOULD + perfect infinitive (e.g.
Structure Past perfect
have gone)

Uses Third conditional sentences describe the past. They

describe something that didnt happen.
If Id studied harder at school, I would have gone to
university. (He didnt study very hard and he didnt go
to university.)
We wouldnt have got lost if you hadnt given me the
Examples wrong directions. (She wasn't given the correct
directions and she didn't find her way.)
She might have finished the exam if shed had more
time. (She didn't finish the exam and she didn't have
more time.)

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TIME CLAUSES

Although many conditional sentences use if + will/would, conditional sentences can also
use other words instead of if e.g. when, as soon as, in case, after, until or
whether. Other modal verbs can be used instead of will/would e.g. can/could,
may or might.

Ill come home when I finish work.

You must wait here until your father comes.

They are coming after they have had dinner.

Ill let you know as soon as I get the results.

We do not normally use will in clauses with if or with time words:

Ill come home when I will finish work.

We wont be able to go out if it will rain rains.

It will be nice to see Peter when he will get gets home.

You must wait here until you father will come comes.

But we can use will if it means a promise or offer:

I will be very happy if you will come to my party.

We should finish the job early if George will help us.

We use in case to talk about precautions we will take before a problem happens. We
use if to talk about what we will do after a problem happens:

We are going to insure the shipment in case the goods get damaged in
transit.
(We will take our insurance first; the problem may or may not happen
afterward.)

= If the goods get damaged in transit, we'll make a claim.

(The damage may happen, and we will make a claim afterward.)

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Note: in sentences with in case, we often use going to rather than will because we
are often talking about something that we have already decided to do (something
planned).

PROVIDED THAT / PROVIDING / AS LONG AS / SO LONG AS

We can use provided that/providing, as long as and so long as when we want to

emphasize condition. Provided that and as long as mean if and only if (providing
and so long as are a little less formal):

I will agree to these conditions provided that they increase my salary. (I

will only agree if they give me more money.)

The strike will be successful as long as we all stay together. (It will only
succeed if we all stay together.)

SO THAT

We use so that to say what the result or purpose of an action will be:

I'll take a credit card so that we don't run out of money.

(The credit card will stop us from running out of money)

UNLESS

The word unless basically means the same thing as if ... not. For example:

Unless you study, you will fail. (It means the same thing as: If you
do not study, you will fail.)

It can be used with the first, second, or third conditional. Here are some examples.

1st Conditional: You'll be unhappy unless you break up with her = You'll be unhappy if
you do not break up with her.

2nd Conditional: I wouldn't ask her out unless you told me it was OK = I wouldn't ask her
out if you told me it was not OK.

3rd Conditional: They wouldn't have come over unless we'd invited them = They wouldn't
have come over if we had not invited them.

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In conditional clauses with if or unless we often use the present tense forms to talk
about the future:

We wont be able to go out if it is raining.

If Barcelona wins tomorrow, they will be champions.

I will come tomorrow unless I have to look after the children.

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ACTIVITIES
Zero conditional
1) Complete the zero conditional sentences with the verb in brackets. Use contractions
where possible.

1. If you press that button, the light __________ (come) on.

2. Its easier to sleep if __________ (you / not / be) stressed.
3. The teacher gets angry if __________ (we / not / work) hard.
4. If __________ (I / go) on a boat, I always feel sick.
5. His mother gets annoyed if __________ (he / be) late.
6. If __________ (I / not / know) a word, I look in my dictionary.
7. They play football if __________ (they / not / have) any homework.
8. If you freeze water, __________ (it / turn) to ice.

First conditional
2) Fill in the gaps of these first conditional sentences by writing the correct form of the
verbs in brackets. Use contractions where possible.

1. If the weathers nice tomorrow, we __________ (go) to the beach.

2. Dad, __________ (you / give) me some money if I wash your car?
3. My parents __________ (buy) me an iPod if I pass my exam.
4. Shell buy the top if it __________ (be) in the sale.
5. If he __________ (not / leave) now, hell miss the bus.
6. His grandparents will be happy if he __________ (visit) them.
7. Ill be tired tomorrow if I __________ (not / go) to bed soon.
8. If I __________ (go) to the party, will you come with me?

Second conditional
3) Fill in the gaps with the correct form of the verbs in brackets to make conditional
clauses. Use contractions where possible.

1. What would you say if you __________ (meet) Madonna?

2. If I won 1,000, I __________ (buy) a new computer.
3. If my dad had a lot of money, he __________ (go) to work.
4. People would be happier if we __________ (have) wars.
5. If we __________ (protect) animals, they wouldnt be endangered.

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6. If she had a map, she __________ (be) lost.

7. Id phone him if I __________ (have) his mobile number.
8. If camcorders were cheaper, __________ (you / buy) one?

Third conditional
4) Complete the sentences by using the third conditional. Use contractions where possible.

1. If I _______________ (study), I wouldve passed the test.

2. We _______________ (caught) the train if wed left earlier.
3. What would _______________ (they / do) if theyd missed the plane?
4. If he _______________ (take) a map, he wouldnt have got lost.
5. I _______________ (come) over if youd phoned.
6. What _______________ (say) if hed asked you out?
7. If Rooney hadnt missed the goal, we _______________ (not / lose).
8. You wouldnt have crashed if you _______________ (drive) so fast.

Unless
5) Rewrite these sentences using UNLESS.

1. We wont buy any fish today if it isnt cheaper than yesterday.

2. If you dont go to the party, theyll be disappointed.

3. I cant help her if she doesnt want to talk to me.

4. If it doesnt stop raining, well stay at home.

5. If he doesnt go to the post office, he wont buy the stamps.

6. George wont come out of hospital if he doesnt feel better.

6) Chose the correct answer: if or unless?

1. If / Unless he apologizes, Ill never speak to him again.

2. If / Unless you are not on time, theyll leave without you.

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3. Stanley wont be able to finish the article if / unless Leslie doesnt help him.
4. If / Unless she doesnt tidy her room, her mother will be angry.
5. Well go to the beach tomorrow if / unless it rains.
6. If / Unless I finish my homework, I cant come out with you.
7. We wont have anything to eat if / unless we dont go to the supermarket.

Review Conditionals
7) Translate the following sentences into English.

1. Ir a Pars si tengo dinero.

2. Ira a Pars si tuviera dinero.
3. Habra ido a Pars si hubiera tenido dinero.
4. Me casar contigo si me quieres.
5. Solucionaremos el problema siempre y cuando trabajemos juntos.
6. Si you fuera t, la llamara.
7. No te contar la verdad a menos que me prometas que no dirs nada.
8. Habramos ido de vacaciones si no hubiramos comprado un coche.
9. Si vas a ver esa pelcula, no dormirs.
10. Si fueras a ver esa pelcula, no dormiras.
11. Ir a la fiesta siempre y cuando vengas conmigo.
12. Si vamos al hospital, le veremos.
13. Si l fuese ms responsable, conseguira un trabajo.

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ANSWERS

1) 3)
1. Comes
1. Met
2. You arent
2. Would buy
3. We dont work
4. I go 3. Wouldnt go

5. Hes 4. Didnt have

6. I dont know
5. Protected
7. They dont have
8. It turns 6. Wouldnt be

7. Had
2)
8. Would you buy
1. Will go
2. Will you give
3. Will buy 4)
4. Is 1. Had studied
5. Doesnt leave
2. Had caught
6. Visits
7. Dont go 3. Would they have done

8. Go 4. Had taken

5. Would have come

6. Would you have said

7. Wouldnt have lost

8. Hadnt driven

5)

1. We wont buy any fish today unless it is cheaper than yesterday.

2. Unless you go to the party, theyll be disappointed.
3. I cant help her unless she wants to talk to me.
4. Unless it stops raining, well stay at home.
5. Unless he goes to the post office, he wont buy the stamps.
6. George wont come out of hospital unless he feels better.

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6)

1. Unless
2. If
3. If
4. If
5. Unless
6. Unless
7. If

7)

1. I will go to Paris if I have money.

2. I would go to Paris if I had money.
3. I would have gone to Paris if I had had money.
4. I will marry you if you love me.
5. We will solve the problem provided that / providing we work together.
6. If I were you, I would call her.
7. I wont tell you the truth unless you promise me you wont say anything.
8. We would have gone on holiday if we hadnt bought a car.
9. If you go to watch that film, you wont sleep.
10. If you went to watch that film, you wouldnt sleep.
11. I will go to the party as long as you come with me.
12. If we go to the hospital, we will see him.
13. If he were more responsible, he would get a job.