GRAMMAR: Conditional

This worksheet for revision of the four types of conditionals. The worksheet starts off with a listening exercise
(songs by Paul Simon and Beyonce, revising conditional type one and two), moves on to an overview of the rules
regarding all types of conditionals and concludes with exercises.

Activity 1
LISTENING EXERCISE Two songs
a) Listen to the songs You can call me Al by Paul Simon and If I were a boy
by Beyonce. Fill in the missing words

PAUL SIMON YOU CAN CALL ME AL

Paul Simon (1941) is an American singer-songwriter. You

can call me Al was the lead single from his 7th studio album
Graceland (1986). Its about a man experiencing a midlife
crisis, with the protagonist wondering out loud why life is so
difficult. In the video clip, comedian Chevy Chase pretends to
be the singer, mimicking Simons lines.

A man walks down the street

He says why am I _______________ in the middle now
Why am I _______________ in the middle?
The rest of my life is so hard
I need a photo-opportunity
I want a shot at redemption
Don't want to end up a _______________
In a cartoon graveyard
Bonedigger Bonedigger
Dogs in the moonlight
Far away my well-lit door
Mr. Beerbelly Beerbelly
Get these mutts away from me
You know I don't find this stuff amusing anymore

If you'll be my bodyguard
I can be your long lost pal
I can call you Betty
And Betty when you call me
You can call me Al
 A man walks down the street
He says why am I short of ____________________
Got a short little span of _____________________
And wo my nights are so long
Where's my wife and _____________________
What if I die here
Who'll be my role-model
Now that my role-model is
Gone Gone
He ducked back down the __________________
With some roly-poly little bat-faced girl
All along along
There were incidents and accidents
There were hints and allegations
If you'll be my bodyguard
I can be your long lost pal
I can call you Betty
And Betty when you call me
You can call me Al
Call me Al

A man walks down the street

It's a street in a strange _________________
Maybe it's the Third ____________________
Maybe it's his first time around
He doesn't speak the _____________________
He holds no currency
He is a foreign man
He is surrounded by the sound
The sound
Cattle in the marketplace
Scatter lings and orphanages
He looks ________________ (2x)
He sees angels in the architecture
Spinning in infinity
He says Amen! And Hallelujah!

If you'll be my bodyguard
I can be your long lost pal
I can call you Betty
And Betty when you call me
You can call me Al
Call me Al
 BEYONCE IF I WERE A BOY

If I were a boy
Even just for a day
Id roll outta bed in the morning
And throw on what I wanted and go
Drink beer with the _____________
And chase after ________________
Id kick it with who I wanted
And Id never get confronted for it.
'Cause theyd stick up for me.

If I were a boy
I think I could __________________
How it feels to love a girl
I swear Id be a better man.
Id listen to her
'Cause I know how it ______________
When you lose the one you wanted
'Cause hes taken you for granted
And everything you had got destroyed

If I were a boy
I would turn off my ________________
Tell everyone its broken
So theyd think that I was sleepin alone
Id put myself ________________
And make the rules as I go
'Cause I know that shed be faithful
Waiting for me to come home (to come home)
 If I were a boy
I think I could __________________
How it feels to love a girl
I swear Id be a better man.
Id listen to her
'Cause I know how it _________________
When you lose the one you wanted
'Cause hes taken you for granted
And everything you had got destroyed

Its a little too late for you to come back

Say it's just a ___________________
Think Id forgive you like that
If you thought I would wait for you
You thought __________________

But youre just a boy

You dont ___________________
How it feels to love a girl someday
You wish you were a better man
You dont listen to her
You dont care how it ___________________
Until you lose the one you wanted
'Cause youve taken her for granted
And everything you had got destroyed
But youre just a boy

b) Take a look at the lyrics printed in bold in both songs. How real are both wishes? Whats the
main difference between the two lines?
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 Activity 2
Conditionals - RULES
The 4 Types of Conditionals

ZERO CONDITIONAL
- States that something is true or a fact
- Examples: If water reaches 100, it boils.
If babies are hungry, they cry.
- The if-clause and the main clause use the same verb form (present simple-present simple,
past simple-past simple etc.)

FIRST CONDITIONAL
- States that something is likely or possible by predicting it.
- Examples: 1. If you study harder, you will pass the exam.
2. If it rains, I wont go to the park.
(Meaning: I really think this will happen)
- The if-clause uses the Present Simple form
The main clause uses WILL/ WONT (or another modal) + bare infinitive.

SECOND CONDITIONAL
- States that something is less likely or less possible; its hypothetical (tip: you know you have to
use this conditional if you can continue the sentence with but I didnt/but its not)
- Examples: 1. If I won the Lottery, I would buy a boat (but in reality, I didnt win the Lottery)
2. If I had his number, I would call him (but in reality, I dont have his number)
- The if-clause uses the Past Simple verb form
The main clause uses WOULD/WOULDNT/D (or another modal) + bare infinitive.
 THIRD CONDITIONAL
- States that something is impossible to happen, because in reality it turned out differently. It didnt
happen; its AGAINST THE FACTS and against reality (counterfactual)
- Examples: 1. If I had studied harder, I would have passed my exams. (but its too late now, I
failed them)
2. She would have become a teacher if she had gone to university (but she didnt
and now shes a waitress)
- The if-clause uses the Past Perfect (had + Past Participle)
The main clause uses WOULD HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE

Activity 3
Conditionals EXERCISES

a) Complete the FIRST conditional sentences with the correct form of the verb.
1. If you ______________________________(not/slow down), you will have an accident.
2. If I fail my exams, I _____________________________________(be) very unhappy.
3. We can go for a drink if I _____________________________ (finish) my work on time.
4. If it snows tomorrow, I _______________________________________ (wear) a hat.
5. If you __________________________ (speak) English every day, you will learn quicker.
6. Your dinner __________________________________ (not/get) cold if you eat it now.
7. Ill be on holiday if you __________________________________ (visit) me next week.
8. If you go outside without a sweater, you _______________________________ (get) ill.
9. If you __________________________ (not/help) me, I wont be able to finish my work.
10. If you drink too much coffee, you __________________________ (not/be able) to sleep.

b) Complete these popular British superstitions (FIRST conditional only).

1. If you ______________ (open) an umbrella indoors, it _____________ (bring) bad luck.
2. If you ___________________(see) two magpies, you _______________(be) very lucky.
3. If you ____________________ (break) a mirror, you ____________________(have) seven
years of bad luck.
4. If you _______________________ (walk) under a ladder, something bad ___________
_______________ (happen) to you.
5. You _________________________ (have) bad luck if you _____________________ (put)
your shoes on the table.
6. If a black cat ___________________ (cross) your path, you ___________________ (have)
bad luck.

c) Complete the SECOND conditional sentences with the correct form of the verbs.
1. The kitchen __________________________(look) better if we ________________
_________________ (buy) red curtains.
2. I _________________________ (be) sorry if we ____________________ (not/see) her again.
3. It_______________________(be) a pity if Andy_______________________ (not/get) the job.
4. If I____________________________ (his address), I ________________________________
(go) round and see him.
5. What______________________________(you do) if you _____________________________
(win) the lottery?
6. It_________________________ (be) quicker) if you ________________________(use) a
computer.
7. If you ______________________ (not/be) so busy, I ________________________(show) you
how to play.
8. If we________________________ (have) some eggs, I ________________________(make)
you a cake.
9. If you really _________________________(love) me, you _______________________(buy)
me those diamonds.
10. Im sure Moira___________________(help) you if you______________________ (ask) her.
11. If it__________________________ (not be) so cold, I ___________________________(tidy
up) the garden.
12. If I ________________________(have) the keys, I ________________________(show) you
the cellar.

d) FIRST or SECOND conditional? Underline the correct verb forms and write (1) for
FIRST conditional, (2) for SECOND conditional.
1. If she comes / came late again, shell lose her job. (.)
2. Ill let you know if I find / found out whats happening. (.)
3. If we live / lived in a town, life would be easier. (.)
4. Im sure he wouldnt mind if we arrive / arrived early. (.)
5. Well / Wed phone you if we have time. (.)
6. If I won the lottery, I will / would give you half the money. (.)
7. It will / would be a pity if she married Fred. (.)
8. If Im free on Saturday, I will / would go to the mountains. (.)
9. She will / would have a nervous breakdown if she goes on like this. (.)
10. I know Ill feel better if I stop / stopped smoking. (.)

e) FIRST or SECOND conditional? Complete the sentences.

1. Itll be quicker if we _________________________________ (get) a taxi to the airport.

2. If you stopped smoking, you ____________________________________ (feel) better.
3. What would you do if you ____________________________________(lose) your job?
4. If you buy the food, I _____________________________________________ (cook).
5. I think hed be happier if he __________________________________ (not live) alone.
6. Ill be very surprised if Maria __________________________(not get lost) coming here.
7. Where will she live if he _______________________________ (get) the job in Moscow?
8. If she didnt have to look after her mother, she _____________________(enjoy) life more.
f) Complete the THIRD conditional sentences with the correct form of the verb.
1. We_________________________ if our best player _____________________________
injured. (win, not be)
2. If she ____________________________ he was so mean, she _________________
______________________________ him. (know, not marry)
3. I _________________________________ you some money if you ______________
_______________________ me. (lend, ask)
4. If we ____________________________ more time, we _____________________________
another day in London. (have, spend)
5. I _______________________________ to help you if you__________________________ me
about it earlier. (be able, tell)

g) Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verb in brackets. (THIRD
conditional)
1. If Id known it was going to rain, I _________________________________ (take) my
umbrella with me.
2. She _____________________________ (arrive) home earlier if the traffic hadnt been so bad.
3. Do you think he would have accepted if we ______________________________ (offer) him
more money?
4. We ________________________________________ (not serve) meat if youd told us he was
a vegetarian.
5. I dont think he would have read the book if I _________________________________ (not
recommend) it last Christmas.
6. _______________________________ you _______________________ (go) to the party if he
had invited you?
7. He would never have started the training course if he ____________________________
(know) it was going to be so hard.
8. I ______________________________________________ (buy) you a present if Id known it
was your birthday.
9. If you __________________________________________ (go) to bed earlier, you wouldnt
have been so tired.
10. Joe wouldnt have crashed if he _______________________________________ (not drive)
so fast.

h) Complete the second sentence so that it means the same as the first (THIRD conditional)

Example: I didnt buy the car because the bank didnt give me a loan. -> If the bank had given
me a loan, I would have bought the car.
1. We didnt go shopping because we didnt have enough time. -> If we had had more time,
________________________________________________________________
2. He didnt come to the cinema because he wasnt interested in the film. -> He would have
come to the cinema if _____________________________________________________
3. I didnt finish the report because I had so many calls. -> I would have finished the report if
________________________________________________________________
4. They moved house because the company closed. -> If the company hadnt closed, ________
________________________________________________________________
5. We didnt have a barbecue because it was so cold. -> We would have had a barbecue if
________________________________________________________________
6. Luke missed the train. He was late for the interview. -> If Luke hadnt missed the train,
________________________________________________________________
7. It started snowing. We didnt reach the top of the mountains. -> If it hadnt started snowing,
________________________________________________________________
8. Millie didnt buy the jacket. She didnt have enough money. -> Millie would have bought the
jacket if ___________________________________________________________

i) Mixed exercise. Use the correct tense(s).

1. English is important in this job. If Isabel ______________________________(not/ speak) it,

she __________________________________ (not/ understand) most of our hotel guests.
2. Tony misread the map. That's why he got lost. If he ___________________________ (read)
the map properly, he ___________________________________________ (not/get) lost.
3. If you're not using your old digital camera, why ________________________________
(you/not/ sell) it? If I ________________________(be) you, I _________________(advertise)
it on the internet and sell it.
4. - You had the car key with you all the time, didn't you? - Don't be silly! If I______________
_____________________________ (have) the car key, I _____________________ (not/ ask)
you for it right now, would I?
5. If the weather ___________________________(not/ be) so miserable yesterday, we
_______________________________________(go) out fishing.
6. I ____________________________________(not/ bother) going out fishing tomorrow unless
the weather______________________________(get) better.
7. If I _______________________________(see) a lion in the middle of a city, I
_____________________________ (assume) it had escaped from the local zoo or a circus.
8. Alex and Jennifer are happily married. If Alex ____________________________ (not/be)
such a kind person, Jennifer _______________________________ (not /want) to marry him.
9. If I __________________________________ (win) the lottery, I ____________ (pinch)
myself to make sure I wasn't dreaming.
10. If you __________________________________________ (study) the map as you said you
would the night before, we _____________________________________ (not/ be) lost now.
11. If he ___________________________________(not/ study) English, he _____
__________________________________(not /find) the job he has now.
12. If someone ____________________________(ring) the bell at four in the morning,
__________________________________ (you/answer) the door?

SELF-REFLECTION
Before studying this chapter I didnt understand
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When studying this chapter Difficulties:
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How I overcome the difficulties:
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Having studied this chapter I think
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