Conditionals

1.1 Using “if” to refer to habitual situations

We can use the pattern “if” + Simple Present tense + Simple Present tense to refer
to habitual actions. Then “if” means “when”.
(a) If there is no rain, plants soon die.
(b) If signal 8 is hoisted, most people stay at home.

Exercise 1
Complete these sentences by putting in the Simple Present tense of the verbs in
brackets. In some cases, a passive verb form is needed.
1. If anybody_______________(knock) on our door, our dog ______________(bark)
fiercely.
2. Dogs _______________(not attack) strangers if you __________(train) them
properly.
3. If a bus _______________(break) down, another one ______________(come) to
take the passengers.
4. If you ____________(heat) metals, they ____________(expand).
5. If a home ____________(make) of wood, it _______________(burn) more easily
when there __________(be) a fire.

1.2 “If” + the Simple Present tense + the Simple Future or can/may or the
Imperative
This is a common pattern, especially in speech. It is used when we refer to a
definite situation.
(a) Be careful! If you touch that dog, it may bite you.
(b) If it rains, please close the windows.
(c) If all your homework is finished, Peter, you can go out.

Exercise 2
Complete these sentences by putting in a suitable form of the verbs in brackets.
1. Meat will not go bad quickly, if you _____________(keep) it in a refrigerator.
2. If you break any of the dishes, Mother ____________(be) angry with you.
3. If somebody ____________(phone) while we’re out, please take a message.
4. Be careful, Mary! If you touch that saucepan, you ______________(burn) your
fingers.
5. Fish will stay fresh longer if it ___________(keep) in a refrigerator.
1.3 “If” + the Simple Past tense +the Present Conditional tense
This pattern is used:
(i) when we refer to a general possibility rather than to a particular situation.
Compare these situations:
1.2 (I am speaking to a friend who has just had a minor accident.)
“If you drive more carefully in future, you won’t have another accident.”
1.3(I am writing a composition about traffic accidents, and I am referring to
motorists in general rather than to a particular person.
“If motorists drove more carefully, there would be fewer accidents.
(ii) when we refer to a hypothetical situation, i.e. one which is put forward for
discussion and does not refer to an actual situation:
(a) “If I were you, I wouldn’t go to the wedding.”
(b) “If Peter were a girl, he would understand the problem better.”
(iii) when we refer to something which is unlikely to happen:
(a) Many people would be killed if an earthquake occurred here.
(b) Some people would be very unhappy if the value of flats fell by 50%.

1.4 “If” + the Past Perfect tense + the Perfect Conditional tense
This pattern refers to past time and mentions something which might have
happened but did not happen.
(a) If you had shut the windows, the rain would not have come in (but you didn’t
shut them, so the rain came in.
(b) If Mary had told me about the accident, I would have helped her. (But she did
not tell me, so I did not help her.)
(c) I would have repaired the radio if you had told me about it.

1.5 Using “even if”

We can emphasize “if” by putting “even” before it. When you use this type of
expression, do not omit “if”.
(a) I won’t buy that radio even if you reduce the price.
(b) I wouldn’t move to another country even if somebody offered me a good job
there.

Exercise 3
Complete these sentences by putting in a suitable form of the verbs in brackets.
1. What shall we do if the car __________(run) out of petrol?
2. I’m sure the table will break if you ____________(stand) on it.
3. You won’t have a headache every morning if you ____________(go) to bed before
 eleven o’clock every night.
4. If you leave ice in the sun, it always ____________(melt).
5. I could carry that cupboard by myself if it ___________(be) empty.
6. Tell Mary that Mr. Wong will help her if she __________(go) to see him during the
recess.
7. According to my uncle, the accident could have been avoided if the driver
_____________(stop) at the red light.
8. If I ____________(have) enough money, I would pay for the tickets.
9. How terrible it ____________(be) if I were the last person left on earth!
10. If Mary had been careful with that vase, she _______________(never break) it.
11. If you ____________(speak) English well, you will find it very useful later on.
12. Ask that policeman if you __________(want) to know the way to the nearest
clinic.
13. There would be fewer traffic accidents if there ___________(be) a pedestrian
crossing here.
14. If the weather is very cold on a Sunday, my brother usually ___________(prefer)
to stay at home.
15. I’m sorry about the mistake. I _____________(come) to the party if I
____________(receive) the invitation but it never arrived. I think it was lost in the
post.
16. What would you do if you __________(be) me, Mary?
17. If Peter saves sixty dollars a month, he ____________(have) enough money in
less than two years.
18. I didn’t realize that he was so heavily in debt. If only he ____________(tell) me,
I’m sure I could have helped him.
19. I’m sorry, I can’t go out unless my brother ____________(come) home in the
next few minutes.
20. What will you do with the money when it ___________(arrive) from the U.K.?
21. Peter said that he would not ____________(go) with us if we went to the Lido
Theatre.
22. The plane might not have crashed if there _____________(not be) any fog that
night.
23. If you had been there, you ____________(enjoy) yourself.

Exercise 4
Write Type 2 conditions to match these situation.
1. I don’t have a spare ticket. I can’t take you to the concert.
If I had a spare ticket, I could/would take you to the concert.
2. She is not in your position. She isn’t able to advise you.
If she were in your position, she would be able to advise you.
3. She drinks too much coffee. She doesn’t feel calm.

4. He can’t type. He isn’t able to operate a computer.

5. They don’t understand the problem. They won’t find a solution.

6. I am in a hurry. I won’t stay to dinner.

7. He’s not a millionaire. He won’t buy you a palace.

8. The weather isn’t sunny. We won’t stay indoors.

Exercise 5
Comment on the following situations with “if” (expressing regret, etc.)
1, John ate too much birthday cake, so he was sick.
If John hadn’t eaten too much birthday cake, he wouldn’t have been sick.
2. We came home from our holiday early because we ran out of money.

3. The house didn’t burn down because the firemen came immediately.

4. My father didn’t earn much money, so life wasn’t easy for us.

5. I didn’t enjoy school, so I didn’t do very well.

Expressing wishes

1.6 Present and past reference with “I wish” and “if only”
After “I wish” and “if only”, we go one tense back.
(i) The past tense refers to the present: I wish I had a better watch! (i.e. NOW)
(ii)The past perfect tense refers to the past: I wish you had asked me first! (i.e.
THEN)
1.7 Expressing wishes and regrets with “I wish” and “if only”
I wish
We often use “I wish” for things that might (still) happen or to express regret for
things that can (now) never happen:
I wish I knew the answer!
I wish your mother were alive now!
If only
We can use “if only” in an exclamation or in a complete sentence to give a stronger
tone:
(a)If only you had been more careful! (=I wish you had been more careful.)
(b)If only Uncle were here now! (=I wish Uncle were here now.)
(c)I’m sure you would pass if only you were more careful.
NOTES
(i) We may use simple past of “be” after “wish” and “if only”, especially in everyday
speech:
I wish I was on holiday now. If only Teresa was here now!
(ii) If we want to be more formal, we use “were” in all persons:
I wish I were on holiday now. If only Teresa were here now!
(iii) We may use the past perfect of “be” for things that can never happen:
I wish I had been on holiday last week. If only Teresa had been here yesterday!
(iv) We use the past or past perfect forms of other verbs:
I wish I knew the answer to your question!
I wish I had known yesterday what I know now!

Exercise 6
Express wishes and regrets about these situations. Refer to yourself where possible.
1. You’re not very fit.
I wish/If only I were fitter.
2. It’s very hot today.

3. It’s raining.

4. You were too impatient.

5. You wasted a lot of time watching TV.

6. They don’t have a lot of friends.

7. We didn’t lock the back door!

8. He is abroad.

9. Jane has read your letter.

10. John didn’t take your advice.

I wish…….would……
We use this pattern when :
(i) we want something to happen or when we want somebody to do something. The
speaker is not happy with the present situation.
Eg. It is raining. Jim wants to go out, but it is raining. She says:
I wish it would stop raining.
(She is complaining about the rain and wants it to stop.)
Eg. The phone has been ringing for five minutes.
I wish somebody would answer it.
(ii)we refer to actions and changes, not situations.
Compare: I wish Peter would come. AND I wish Peter were here now.
Compare: I wish Mother would buy me that dress. AND I wish I had that dress.
NOTES
(i)We can use “I wish…..wouldn’t…” to complain about things people do repeatedly:
I wish you wouldn’t keep interrupting me.
(iii) We must use “could”, not “would”, after “I” and “we”. Compare:
I can’t swim. > I wish I could swim!
He is making a lot of noise! > I wish he would be quiet!