CONDITIONAL SENTENCE

Conditional sentences are used to speculate about what could happen, what might
have happened, and what we wish would happen. In English, most sentences using the
conditional contain the word if. Many conditional forms in English are used in sentences that
include verbs in one of the past tenses. This usage is referred to as "the unreal past" because
we use a past tense but we are not actually referring to something that happened in the past.
There are five main ways of constructing conditional sentences in English. In all cases, these
sentences are made up of an if clause and a main clause. In many negative conditional
sentences, there is an equivalent sentence construction using "unless" instead of "if".

Types of Contional Sentence:

TYPE 1 CONDITIONAL

The type 1 conditional is used to refer to the present or future where the situation is
real. The type 1 conditional refers to a possible condition and its probable result. In these
sentences the if clause is in the simple present, and the main clause is in the simple future.

If clause Main clause

If + simple present : Simple Future :

 If this thing happens that thing will happen.
 If you don’t hurry you will miss the train.
 If it rains today you will get wet.

TYPE 2 CONDITIONAL

The type 2 conditional is used to refer to a time that is now or any time, and a
situation that is unreal. These sentences are not based on fact. The type 2 conditional is used
to refer to a hypothetical condition and its probable result. In type 2 conditional sentences, the
if clause uses the simple past, and the main clause uses the present conditional.
 If clause Main clause

If + simple past : Present conditional or present continuous

conditional :
 If this thing happened that thing would happen. (but I'm not sure
this thing will happen) OR
that thing would be happening.
 If you went to bed earlier you would not be so tired.
 If it rained you would get wet

 If I spoke Italitan I would be working in Italy.

TYPE 3 CONDITIONAL

The type 3 conditional is used to refer to a time that is in the past, and a situation that
is contrary to reality. The facts they are based on are the opposite of what is expressed. The
type 3 conditional is used to refer to an unreal past condition and its probable past result. In
type 3 conditional sentences, the if clause uses the past perfect, and the main clause uses the
perfect conditional.

If clause Main clause

If + past perfect : Perfect conditional or perfect continuous

conditonal :
 If this thing had happened that thing would have happened. (but
neither of those things really happened) OR
that thing would have been happening.
 If you had studies harder you would have passed the exam
 If it had rained you would have gotten wet.

 If I had accepted that promotion I would have been working in Milan.

Exercises on Conditional Error! Hyperlink reference not valid.Sentences

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

II. Complete the Conditional Sentences (Type 2) by putting the verbs into the correct

form
1. 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.

ANSWER

1. If we had a yacht, we would sail the seven seas.

2. If he had more time, he would learn karate.
3. If they told their father, he would be very angry.
 4. She would spend a year in the USA if it were easier to get a green card.
5. If I lived on a lonely island, I would run around naked all day.
6. We would help you if we knew how.
7. My brother would buy a sports car if he had the money.
8. If I felt better, I would go to the cinema with you.
9. If you went by bike more often, you would not be so flabby.
10. She would not talk to you if she were mad at you.

III. Complete the Conditional Sentences Type III

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

IV. Complete the Conditional Sentences (Type I, II or III) by putting the verbs into
the correct form.
1. If they (have) time at the weekend, they will come to see us.
2. If we sneak out quietly, nobody ............... (notice).
3. If we ................ (know) about your problem, we would have helped you.
4. If I ............... (be) you, I would not buy that dress.
5. We ............... (arrive) earlier if we had not missed the bus.
6. If I didn't have a mobile phone, my life ............... (not / be) complete.
7. Okay, I ............... (get) the popcorn if you buy the drinks.
 8. If I ............... (tell) you a secret, you would be sure to leak it.
9. She ............. (go) out with you if you had only asked her.
10. I would not have read your diary if you ............... (not hide) it in such an obvious
place.

ANSWER

1. If they have time at the weekend, they will come to see us.
2. If we sneak out quietly, nobody will notice
3. If we had known about your problem, we would have helped you.
4. If I were you, I would not buy that dress.
5. We would have arrived earlier if we had not missed the bus.
6. If I didn't have a mobile phone, my life would not be complete.
7. Okay, I will get the popcorn if you buy the drinks.
8. If I told you a secret, you would be sure to leak it.
9. She would have gone out with you if you had only asked her.
10. I would not have read your diary if you had not hidden it in such an obvious place.

V. Complete the conditional sentences (type I, II and III)

“The Cat and the Mouse”

1) Once upon a time the cat bit the mouse's tail off. “Give me back my tail,” said the mouse.
And the cat said, “Well, I would give (give) you back your tail if you fetched me some milk.
But that's impossible to do for a little mouse like you.” 2) The mouse, however, went to the
cow. “The cat will only give (give / only) me back my tail if I fetch her some milk.” 3) And
the cow said, “Well, I would give you milk if you got (get) me some hay. But that's
impossible to do for a little mouse like you.” 4) The mouse, however, went to the farmer.
“The cat will only give me back my tail if the cow gives (give) me some milk. And the cow .
will only give (only / give) me milk if I get her some hay.” 5) And the farmer said, “Well, I
would give you hay if you brought (bring) me some meat. But that's impossible to do for a
little mouse like you.” 6) The mouse, however, went to the butcher. “The cat will only give
me back my tail if the cow gevies(give) me milk. And the cow will only give me milk if she
gets (get) some hay. And the farmer will only give (only / give) me hay if I get him some
meat.” 7) And the butcher said, “Well, I would give you meat if you made(make) the baker
bake me a bread. But that's impossible to do for a little mouse like you.”