Notes on Errors in Conditionals Sentences

(Reproduced with permission from Barrons Educational Series, Inc.)

Note: Conditional Sentences are rarely, if ever, tested on the New SAT. We teach it in the lessons and give
information about it here so that if, by chance, you do get a question with a conditional, you will be able to
solve it. In addition, you will need this construction throughout your college years.

In conditional sentences, the word if will NEVER be followed by the word will or would.
Here are the correct conditional forms:
FUTURE:
PRESENT:
PAST:

If I have time, I will do it tomorrow

(If + present, then + future)
If I had time, I would do it now. (If + past simple, then + would + present)
If I had had time, I would have done it yesterday. (If + past perfect, then +
present perfect)
(The condition is always one tense before the conclusion.)

Sentences using the words when, as soon as, the moment, etc., are formed like future
conditionals:
I will tell him if I see him
I will tell him when I see him.
The verb to be will ALWAYS appear as were in the present conditional:
If I were you, I wouldnt do that.
She wouldnt say so if she werent sure.
NOTE: Not all sentences containing if are conditionals. When if appears in the meaning of
whether, it may take the future:
I dont know if he will be there. (I dont know whether he will be there.)
NOTE: In sentences like this, where there is no condition and no conclusion, always use the
word whether instead of the word if.
INCORRECT:
CORRECT:

If I would have known, I wouldnt have gone.

If I had known, I wouldnt have gone.

INCORRECT:
CORRECT:

You wouldnt be so tired if you werent going to bed late.

You wouldnt be so tired if you didnt go to bed so late.

INCORRECT:
CORRECT:

Call me the moment you will get home.

Call me the moment you get home.

INCORRECT:
CORRECT:

We could go to the beach if it wasnt so hot.

We could go to the beach if it werent so hot.

INCORRECT:
CORRECT:

I cannot decide if I should go to the movies.

I cannot decide whether I should go to the movies.

Notes and Homework Questions for Conditional Sentences

Errors on Expression of Desire.

Unfulfilled desires are expressed by the form _____had hoped that _____ would (or could,
or might) do ______.
I had hoped that I would pass the exam.
Expressions with wish are formed as follows:
PRESENT:
FUTURE:
PAST:

I wish I knew him.

I wish you could (would) come.
I wish he had come. (or could have come, would have come, might have
come)

NOTE: As in conditionals, the verb to be will ALWAYS appear as were in the present: I
wish she were here.
INCORRECT:
CORRECT:

I wish I heard that story about him before I met him.

I wish I had heard (or could have heard, or would have heard) the story
about him before I met him.

INCORRECT:
CORRECT:

She wishes you will be on time..

She wishes you could (or would) be on time.

Notes and Homework Questions for Conditional Sentences

Homework Questions:
1.

If they would have taken greater care in the disposal of the nuclear waste, the disaster
would not have occurred.
(A) If they would have taken greater care.
(B) Unless they took greater care
(C) Had they not taken greater care
(D) If they had taken greater care
(E) If they took greater care

2.

If she was to decide to go to college, I, for one, would recommend that she plan to go
to Yale.
(A) If she was to decide to go to college,
(B) If she were to decide to go to college,
(C) Had she decided to go to college,
(D) If the event that she decides to go to college,
(E) Supposing she was to decide to go to college,

3.

Had I realized how close I was to failing, I would not have gone to the party.
(A) Had I realized how close
(B) If I would have realized
(C) Had I had realized how close
(D) When I realized how close
(E) If I realized how close

4.

If she were I, she would have accepted the prize if she had won it.
(A) were I, she would have accepted the prize if she had
(B) was I, she would have accepted the prize if she would have
(C) was I, she would have accepted the prize if she had
(D) were I, she would have accepted the prize if she would have
(E) were me, she would have accepted the prize if she had

5.

I might have provided a happier ending if I was the author of that novel.
(A) ending if I was the author of that novel
(B) ending, if I were the author of that novel
(C) ending. If I were the author of that novel
(D) ending if I had been the author of that novel
(E) ending, if I had to be the author of that novel

Notes and Homework Questions for Conditional Sentences

6.

If she were to win the medal, I for one would be disturbed.

(A) If she were to win the medal,
(B) If she was to win the medal,
(C) If she wins the medal,
(D) If she is the winner of the medal,
(E) In the event that she wins the medal,

7.

Unless they reverse present policies immediately, the world may suffer permanent
damage from the unregulated use of pesticides.
(A) Unless they reverse present policies
(B) Unless present policies are reversed
(C) Unless present policies will be reversed
(D) If it will not reverse present policies
(E) If present policies will not reverse

8.

The average citizen today is surprisingly knowledgeable about landmark court

decisions concerning such questions as racial segregation, legislative appointment,
prayer in the public schools, and whether a defendant has a right to counsel in a
criminal prosecution.
(A) whether a defendant has a right to counsel
(B) if a defendant has a right to counsel
(C) the right of a defendant to council
(D) the right of a defendant to counsel
(E) is a defendant entitled to counsel

9.

If the confederate Army would have carried the day at Gettysburg, the history of
America during the past century might have been profoundly altered.
(A) If the confederate Army would have carried the day at Gettysburg
(B) Had the confederate Army carried the day at Gettysburg
(C) The confederate Army having carried the day at Gettysburg
(D) If the confederate Army would have won at Gettysburg
(E) If the battle of Gettysburg would have won by the confederate Army

10.

If anyone calls while we are in conference, tell them that I will return their call after
the meeting.
(A) them that I will return their call after the meeting
(B) him or her that I will return their call after the meeting
(C) them that I would return their call after the meeting
(D) the person that I will return the call after the meeting
(E) him or her that I would return the call after the meeting is over

Notes and Homework Questions for Conditional Sentences

11.

Anyone interested in Web design can find a job in contemporary industry if you learn
the basic coding languages, such as HTML and Java.
(A) if you learn
(B) if you will learn
(C) if he would learn
(D) by the study of
(E) by studying

12.

If the British government had had no fear of increasing hostility of the Indian
populace, Gandhis nonviolent tactics would have availed little.
(A) If the British government had had no fear of
(B) If the British government did not fear
(C) Had the British government no fear
(D) If the British government did not have fear of
(E) Would the British government not have feared

13.

To be sure, there would be scarcely no time left over for other things if school
children would have been expected to have considered all sides of every matter on
which they hold opinions.
(A) would have been expected to have considered
(B) should have been expected to have considered
(C) were expected to consider
(D) will be expected to have been considered
(E) were expected to be considered

Notes and Homework Questions for Conditional Sentences

Answers:
1. (D) The correct form of the past conditional requires the past perfect in the conditional
clause: had taken.
2. (B) If must take were in the present tense.

3. (A) No error
4. (A) No error. The sequence of tenses requires that the past perfect tense be used in the
conditional clause if she has won it. Also I is required after a form of the verb to be.
5. (D) This sentence is in the past conditional and requires the past perfect in the conditional
clause. There is no punctuation before the word if.
6. (A) No error
7. (B) The choice (A) suffers from the use of the ambiguous pronoun they. It is not clear
whom they is suppose to refer to. The use of the future tense in choices (C), (D), and (E) are
incorrect.
8. (D) Choices (A), (B), and (E) violate the principle of parallel structure that parts of a
sentence parallel in meaning should be parallel in structure. The nouns segregation,
appointment, and prayer should be followed by the noun right, rather than a clause. Choice
(C) incorrectly use council (an advisory or legislative body) for counsel (a lawyer)
9. (B) The if clause with which the sentence begins expresses a condition contrary to face and
therefore requires the subjunctive mood. Choice (B) provide the necessary subjunctive.
Choice (C) changes the meaning of the sentence.
10. (D) There is an erode in agreement: the singular pronoun or noun. Although choice (B)
corrects the first error (changes them to his or her), their should also have been changed.
Choice (E) uses the wrong tense and unnecessarily adds words.
11. (E) Choice (A) and (B) suffer from the change of persons (from anyone to you). In choice
(C) would learn is the wrong tense. Choice (D) is wordy.
12. (A) No error. The past perfect (had had) is used before the present perfect (would have
availed) in conditional sentences.
13. (C) Would have been expected is incorrect as a verb in a clause introduced by the
conjunction if. Had been expected or were expected is preferable. To have considered does
not follow correct sequence of tense and should be changed to: to consider. Choice E
changes the thought of the sentence and is illogical. Choice C is best.

Notes and Homework Questions for Conditional Sentences