CONDITIONAL SENTENCES

I. Conditional sentence type 1:

a. Form

If clause Main clause

Simple present Simple future
S + Verb/ Verb-s/-es S + will + bare infinitive

b. Use
It is used to express a possible condition and a probable result in the present or the future.
* Notes:
+ Dùng thì hiện tại đơn ở mệnh đề chính để diễn tả một điều luôn luôn đúng hoặc 1 sự thật
hiển nhiên.
Eg. If you heat ice, it turns to water.
+ can/ may dùng thay cho will/shall khi chỉ khả năng có thể.
Eg: If you study hard, you can pass the exam.
c. Habitual Conditional Sentence
- Trong câu Điều kiện loại 1, nếu Main – Clause diễn tả thói quen hoặc sự thật thì ta không
dùng Simple Future mà thay vào đó ta dùng Simple Present.
Ex: Ann usually walks to school if she has enough time.
I always get up late in the morning if I have nothing to do.
d. Conditional Sentence and Command Form
- Sự kết hợp giữa câu đk và câu mệnh lệnh thường xảy ra với câu đk loại 1
If + V-s/es + O, V + O V + O + if + S + Vs/es + O

Command Form
Ex: If you go to the post-office, please send this letter for me.
Please send this letter for me if you go to the post-office.
II. Conditional sentence type 2:
a. Form
If clause Main clause
If + S + past form of the verb S + would/ could + bare infinitive
b. Use
It is used to talk about things which are unreal (not true or not possible) in the present or the
future.
Eg. If he knew my phone number, he would call me.
III. Conditional sentence type 3:
a. Form
If-clause Main clause

If + S + had + P.P S + would have + P.P

b.Use: It is used to talk about unreal situations in the past.

Eg. If I had invited her to my party, it would have been more fun.
IV. Mixed conditionals:
Form
If-clause Main clause
If + S + had + P.P S + would + bare infinitive

Use: Câu điều kiện này diễn tả điều kiện giả định ở quá khứ và kết quả không thực hiện được ở
hiện tại.
 Eg. If I had gone to bed early last night, I wouldn’t feel sleepy now.
V. Inversion of conditional sentences: Ta bỏ "IF" và đảo trợ động từ trong mệnh đề "IF"
đứng trước chủ ngữ, mệnh đề chính không thay đổi.
1. Đảo ngữ ở câu ĐK loại I: dùng "should" thay cho "if"
Form:

Should + S + V-infinitive, S + Will + V-infinitive

Eg1. If you study hard, you will pass the exam. -> Should you study hard, you will pass the
exam.
Eg2. I'll tell you if I find it. -> I'll tell you should I find it.
2. Đảo ngữ ở câu ĐK loại II: dùng "were" thay cho "if"
Form:

Were + S + (to + Vinfinitive), S + Would + Vinfinitive

Eg1. If I were in your position, I wouldn't do that. -> Were I in your position, I wouldn't do
that.
Eg2. If I were you, I would tell him about that. -> Were I you, I would tell him about that.
Eg3. If I had more time, my report would be better.
-> Were I to have more time, my report would be better.
3. Đảo ngữ ở câu ĐK loại III:
Form:
Had + S + P2, S + would have + P2
Eg1. If I had invited her to my party, it would have been more fun.
-> Had I invited her to my party, it would have been more fun.
Eg2. If he hadn't missed the train, he would be here now.
-> Had he not missed the train, he would be here now.
VI. Some special conditional sentences
a. Unless = if .... not (nếu không, trừ phi)
Unless + affirmative verb = If + negative
Eg1: If it doesn't rain, we will go on a picnic. = Unless it rains, we will go on a picnic.
b. Otherwise = if not (nếu không thì) = or(else)
-> Or / otherwise đứng trước mệnh đề chính
Eg: Hurry up or you will be late for school. = If you don't hurry up, you will be late for
school.
Eg: Her father pays her fees; otherwise she wouldn't be here.
= If her father didn't pay her fees she wouldn't be here.
Eg: I used my calculator; otherwise I 'd have taken longer.
= If I hadn't used my calculator I 'd have taken longer.
c. but for (= without/ with): nếu không vì, nhờ
but for/ without + N/ NP/ V-ing = If it were not for .... (loại 2)/ If it hadn't been for ... (loại 3)
Eg1. If you hadn't helped me, I couldn't have finished this assignment.
= If it hadn't been for your help, I couldn't have finished this assignment.
=> If it were not for your help, I couldn't finish this assignment
d. In case: phòng khi, trong trường hợp
- Mệnh đề theo sau in case là thì hiện tại đơn hoặc quá khứ đơn
- Mệnh đề mở đầu bằng in case đưa ra lý do giải thích hành động được nói tới trong mệnh đề
chính.
Eg. I always take an umbrella in case it rains. ( = I always take an umbrella because it may
rain.)
e. Suppose/ supposing ....: giả sử = what if ...? what will you do ...?
Eg. Supposing you won a lot of money, what would you do?
f. As long as/ provided/ providing (that): miễn là
Eg1. You can borow my book as long as you use it carefully.
Eg2. You can borrow my bike provided/ providing (that) you bring it back tomorrow
morning.
g. Wish and if only.
* Future wish S + wish = If only
S + wish(es) + S + would/ could/ should/ might + V
Eg. I wish I would study very well.
I wish I could speak English well = If only I could speak English well
* Present wish:
S + wish(es) + S + V-ed/ WERE
-> Be: WERE dùng cho tất cả các ngôi
Eg. I wish I studied very well.
I wish I had a lot of money
* Past Wish
S + wish(ed) + S + had + VpII
Eg. I wish I had studied well last year.
I wish I hadn’t got a bad mark yesterday.

PRACTICE
Exercise 1: Put the verbs in brackets into the correct form
1. If I see him , I ___________ (give ) him a gift.
2. If I had a typewriter, I _____________ (type) it myself.
3. If I had known that you were in hospital, I ___________ (visit) you.
4. You could make better progress if you _____________ (attend) class regularly.
5. If you ______________ (arrive) ten minutes earlier, you would have got a seat.
6. If he worked more slowly, he ____________ (not make) so many mistakes.
7. If I _____________ (find) a cheap room, I will stay a fortnight.
8. A lot of people ____________ (be) out of work if the factory closed down.
9. If you had drunk less last night, you (not feel) _____________ so bad today.
10. If she (not get) _____________married at such an early age, she would be at university
now.
11. Dial 113 if you (want) ………………………………… to call the police.
12. Tell him to phone me if you (see) …………………………………him.
13. What will happen if my parachute (not open)…………………………………?
14. If she (need) …………………………………a radio, she can borrow mine.
15. What you (do) …………………………………when you come to the party tonight?
16. If anyone attacked me, my dog (jump) ………………………………… at his throat.
17. If I lend you 10 dollars, when you (repay) ………………………………… me?
18. Unless you are more careful, you (have) …………………………………an accident.
19. Ice (turn) …………………………………to water if you heat it.
20. Unless I have a quiet room, I (not be able) …………………………………to do any
work.
Exercise 2. Choose the one word or phrase – A, B, C or D – that best completes the
sentences.
1. He would get mark 10 if he ________ again the paper. He made one mistake in it.
A. read B. is reading C. reads D. will read
2. If I ________ get a car sick, I would go there with you.
A. won’t B. don’t C. didn’t D. wouldn’t
3. If he worked harder, he ________ pass the entrance examination.
A. will B. would C. is going to D. can
4. If you ________ the front door carefully, the thieves wouldn’t have broken into your house.
A. have locked B. locked C. would lock D. had locked
5. He ________ her an opportunity to work in his office if she had had English proficiency.
A. would have given B. will have given C. will give D. gives
6. If it ________tomorrow, I will not have to water the garden.
A. will rain B. is raining C. rained D. rains
7. Had I known his address, I ________ before.
A. would write B. have written C. had written D. would have written
8. ________ already busy in August, I would gladly accept your invitation.
A. Was I not B. Were I not C. If I am not D. Unless I was not
9. ________ heat from the sun there would be no life on earth.
A. Except B. Without C. If there is no D. Despite
10. I won't lend you this money ________ you promise to pay it back.
A. if B. unless C. or D. or else
11. Provided that he ________ the car, we ________ able to drive to the country.
A. services - are B. services - will be
C. will service - will be D. services - would be
12. Without your help, we ________ in such a short time.
A. will not do it B. did not do it
C. can not have done it D. wouldn't have done it
13. But for his help, I ________
A. would not have succeeded B. had not succeeded
C. did not succeed D. have not succeeded
14. I didn't know you were asleep. Otherwise, I ________ so much noise when I came in.
A. didn't make B. wouldn't have made C. won't make D. don't make
15. I wish you ________ to me before you went and bought that car.
A. spoke B. have spoken C. had spoken D. would have spoken
16. If only he ________ harder, he wouldn’t have lost his job.
A. worked B. would work C. had worked D. has worked
17. If only we ________ a car. I’m tired of the bad service of public transport.
A. were B. had C. have D. are
18. I wish I ________ so much money when I was in town yesterday.
A. wouldn’t have spent B. hadn’t spent
C. wouldn’t spend D. didn’t spend
19. If you _________5 minutes late, you won’t be able to get into the examination room.
A. will be B. were C. are D. would be
20. If she ____________ English well, she would be offered that job.
A. will speak B. speaks C. is speaking D. spoke
21. I miss my friends. I wish my friends ______ here right now.
A. were B. would be C. had been D. was
22. If he worked harder, he ______________pass the entrance examination.
A. will B. would C. is going to D. can
23. If you ___________ the front door carefully, the thieves wouldn’t have broken into your
house.
A. have locked B. locked C. would lock D. had locked
24. He _____ her an opportunity to work in his office if she had had English proficiency.
A. would have given B. will have given C. will give D. gives
25. If it ______________tomorrow, I will not have to water the garden.
A. will rain B. is raining C. rained D. rains
26. Had I known his address, I ____________ before.
 A. would write B. have written C. had written D. would have written
27. I speak terrible English. I wish I ______ English well.
A. spoke B. would speak C. had spoken D. speaks
28. If you had taken my advice, you ____________ in such difficulties now.
A. won’t be B. hadn’t been C. wouldn’t be D. wouldn’t have been
29. ____________ anything suspicious arise, please let me know at once.
A. Should B. Would C. Can D. Did
30. I went out in the rain and now I have a bad cold. I wish I ______ out.
A. didn't go B. wouldn't go C. hadn't gone D. went
31. My friend _______ me at the station if he gets the afternoon off.
A. meets B. will meet C. would have met D. would meet
32. ___he___ hard last year, he would have lost the first prize.
A. Hadn’t – studied B. Had- studied C. Didn’t study D. If – had studied
33. ___ interested in that subject, I would try to learn more about it.
A. Were I B. Should I C. I was D. If I am
34. Unless you ___ all of my questions, I can’t do anything to help you.
A. answered B. answer C. would answer D. are answering
35. If he___tickets yesterday, he ___ on the beach now.
A. had booked- would be lying B. had booked- would have lied
C. booked – would lie D. books- will lie
* Exercise 3: choose the best answer
1. Get in touch with me as soon as possible if you change your mind about the trip.
A. Should you change your mind about the trip, contact me as soon as possible
B. If you changed your mind about the trip, get in touch with me as soon as possible.
C. You should call me whenever you changed your mind about the trip.
D. Having changed your mind about the trip, you should get in touch with me soon
2. Without his help, we would all die.
A. We died because he didn’t help us.
B. He didn’t help us, so we died.
C. If it hadn’t been for his help, we would all have died
D. If he had helped us, we wouldn’t have died.
3. You can stay in the flat for free if you pay the bills.
A. Provided you pay the bills, you can stay in the flat for free.
B. Without the bills paid, you can stay in the free flat.
C. Unless the flat is free of bills, you cannot stay in it.
D. Whether you pay the bills or stay in the flat, it is free.
4. In my experiments, the liquid is cooled to 32ºF. It always freezes.
A. If you cool the liquid to 32 degrees, it froze.
B. If you cooled the liquid to 32 degrees, it would freeze.
C. If you cool the liquid to 32 degrees, it will freeze.
D. If you had cooled the liquid to 32 degrees, it would have frozen.
5. If he doesn’t apologize, I will never invite him here again.
A. Unless he apologizes, then I will never invite him here again.
B. Unless he apologizes, or I will never invite him here again.
C. Unless he doesn’t apologize, I will never invite him here again.
D. Unless he apologizes, I will never invite him here again.
6. Do your homework first and I’ll let you play the computer games.
A. I won’t allow you to do homework when you play the computer games.
B. Let’s play the computer games without doing your homework.
C. You are allowed to play the computer games without doing your homework.
D. Unless you do homework first, I won’t let you play the computer games.
7. I don’t have enough money with me now; otherwise I would buy that coat.
 A. If I didn’t have money with me now, I would buy that coat.
B. If I had money with me now, I would buy that coat.
C. If I had money with me now, I wouldn’t buy that house.
D. If I didn’t have money with me now, I wouldn’t buy that house.
8. Susan regretted not buying that villa.
A. Susan wished she had bought that villa.
B. Susan wished she bought that villa.
C. Susan wished she could buy that villa.
D. Susan wished she hadn’t bought that villa.
9. It’s a pity that you didn’t tell us about this.
A. I wish you told us about this. B. I wish you would tell us about this.
C. I wish you had told us about this. D. I wish you have told us about this.
10. I’m afraid he will not get over his illness.
A. I wish he will get over his illness. B. I wish he would get over his illness.
C. I wish he got over his illness. D. I wish he had got over his illness.
11. Peter regretted buying the secondhand computer.
A. Peter didn’t want to buy the secondhand computer.
B. Peter wished he didn’t buy the secondhand computer.
C. Peter wished he hadn’t bought the secondhand computer.
D. Peter was glad to buy the secondhand computer.
12. I regret that you didn’t give me a chance to tell you the truth.
A. I wish you didn’t give me a chance to tell you the truth.
B. I wish you gave me a chance to tell you the truth.
C. I wish you had given me a chance to tell you the truth.
D. I wish you hadn’t given me a chance to tell you the truth.
Exercise 4. Finish each of the following sentences in such a way that it means exactly the
same as the sentence printed before it.
1. Throw a stone into water and it sinks.
=> If you ……………………………………………………………………….
2. I feel better now because you talked to me about my problems last night.
=> I wouldn’t ………………………………………………………………….
3. He doesn’t have a car, so he doesn’t go out in the evening.
=> If …………………………………………………………………………….
4. I couldn’t finish the test because I didn’t have enough time.
=> If …………………………………………………………………………….
5. You feel tired all the time because you go to bed so late.
=> If you ……………………………………………………………………….
6. She’ll leave unless he arrives in the next ten minutes.
=> If he ………………………………………………………………………..
7. You are very tired today because you didn’t go to bed when I told you to.
=> You wouldn’t …………………………………………………………………
8. They don’t clean the windows so the room looks rather dark.
=> Were ………………………………………………………………………….
9. You won’t pass unless you revise more.
=> Should ……………………………………………………………………….
10. He was driving too fast so he crashed.
=> Had he ……………………………………………………………………..
11. I would love to be rich and famous.
=> If only ……………………………………………………………………………
12. I'll only help you if you promise to try harder.
=> Unless …………………………………………………………………………….
13. The flat is very noisy but they enjoy living there.
 => Even if …………………………………………………………………………...
14. Unless someone has a key, we can't get into the house.
=> We can only get …………………………………………………………………
15. What a pity you failed your driving test!
=> I wish …………………………………………………………………………..
Exercise 5. Choose the underlined part in each sentence (A, B, C or D) that needs
correcting.
1. What do you do if you won the first prize of the lottery?
A B C D
2. Would people be able to fly if they have feathers instead of hair?
A B C D
3. If a drop of oil is placed in a glass of water, it would float to the top
A B C D
4. If Peter had been more careful, he wouldn’t break the camera I lent him
A B C D
5. Roger wouldn’t have made such a lot of mistakes if he hasn’t been so tired
A B C D
6. He wouldn’t have able to pass the test if his English hadn’t been good enough
A B C D
7. If your son were old enough, he can be able to take the competition next week
A B C D
8. If she had send a telegram, we would have received it by now.
A B C D
9. They wouldn’t have order more books if they had noticed that the sales were falling.
A B C D
10. I would have called you if I could have known your number
A B C D