UNIVERSIDADE FEDERAL DE SANTA CATARINA

CENTRO DE COMUNICAÇÃO E EXPRESSÃO

DEPARTAMENTO DE LÍNGUA E LITERATURA ESTRANGEIRAS
CURSOS EXTRACURRICULARES DE LÍNGUA ESTRANGEIRA

Professor: Bruno Senra Sinésio e Silva

Conditional Sentence Type 0

Conditional type zero is used to talk about general truths, scientific facts or things
which always happen under certain conditions.
Form:

If + Simple Present, + Simple Present

Use:

The zero conditional is used to talk about things which are always true, scientific
facts, general truths:
Examples:
If you cross an international date line, the time changes.
Phosphorus burns if you expose it to air.
If I wake up early, I go jogging.
NOTE: you can use "when" instead of "if".

Conditional Sentence Type 1

Often called the "real" conditional because it is used for real or possible situations. These situations take place if a
certain condition is met. It is possible and also very likely that the condition will be fulfilled.
Form:

If + Simple Present, + Simple Future

Use

Conditional Sentences Type 1 refer to the future. An action in the future will only happen if a certain condition is
fulfilled by that time. We don't know for sure whether the condition actually will be fulfilled or not, but the
conditions seems rather realistic – so we think it is likely to happen.
Example:
If I have enough time, I'll watch the football match.
I may have time to watch the match but I'm not sure about it.
Conditional Sentence Type 2

Often called the "unreal" conditional because it is used for unreal impossible or improbable situations. This
conditional provides an imaginary result for a given situation. It is very unlikely that the condition will be fulfilled.
Form:

if + Simple Past, + would + base verb

Were / Was

In conditional type 2, we usually use in the if clause "were" instead of "was" even if the pronoun is I,he, she or it.
"were" here is a subjunctive form.
NOTE "was" is also a possible form.
Example:

If I were a millionaire, I would buy a castle.

Use
Conditional Sentences Type 2 refer to an action in the present that could happen if the present situation were
different. I don't really expect the situation to change because it is very unlikely.
Example:
If I had a lot of money, I would travel around the world.

Conditional Sentence Type 3

It is impossible that the condition will be met because it refers to the past.

Form:

if + Past Perfect, + would + have + Past Participle

Use

Conditional Sentences Type 3 refer to situations in the past. They express hypothetical results to past given
situations.
Example:
If he had been careful, he wouldn't have had that terrible accident.
Sometimes in the past, he was careless. He drove so fast. So he had a terrible accident

Things to remember

1. The main clause can also be at the beginning of the sentence. In this case, don't use a comma.
Examples:

"Phosphorus burns if you expose it to air."

" I will send her an invitation if I find her address."
" I would travel around the world if I had a million dollars."
"He wouldn't have had that terrible accident if he had been careful."

2. Main clause and/or if clause might be negative.

Example:

If I don’t see him this afternoon, I will phone him in the evening.
If he had been careful, he wouldn't have had an accident.
Match the numbers with the letters to form conditional sentences:

1.         If I were a millionaire, a. if I finish early.

2.                 She wouldn't have had an accident b. I would buy a beautiful car.
3. I’ll watch the film, c. if she had driven carefully.

Decide which of the sentences below is conditional type 1, 2 &3 :

1. If I were rich, I would travel around the world. ( )

2. She wouldn't have missed the train if she had woken up earlier. ( )
3. I’ll call you if I come back early.  ( )

Put the verbs in brackets in the correct tense (conditional 1):

1. If I (finish)   early, I will call you.

2. I (catch)   the 9:00 train if I hurry up .

3. She will know the answer, if she (try)   to understand.

Put the verbs in brackets in the correct tense (conditional 2):

1. If I (be)   a star, I would help the needy.

2. He (buy)   a house if he had a job.

3. She (be)   happy, if she married him .

Put the verbs in brackets in the correct tense (conditional 3):

1. If he (be)   careful, he would not have had that terrible accident.

2. I (pass)   the exam if I had worked hard .

3. Her father would not have died, if he (go)   to the doctor.

Choose the correct answer:

1. If I (wake up)    early, I’ll go jogging.

 2. He (visit)      his uncle, if he finishes early.

3. If she had taken care of her son, he (not/become)     a criminal.

4. If I were a star, I (help)     the poor.

5. She would have been top of her class if she (work)     hard.

[Answers available athttp://www.myenglishpages.com/site_php_files/grammar-lesson-

conditionals.php#.VGYPI_msVqU]

Mixed Conditionals

Using the words in parentheses, complete the text below following the example given with the appropriate
conditional form, then click the "Check" button to check your answers.
1.a. She will take care of the children for us next weekend because her business trip was canceled. 
1.b. But, she (take, not) would not be taking care of the children for us next weekend if her business trip (be,
not) had not been canceled. 
2.a. Tom is not going to come to dinner tomorrow because you insulted him yesterday.

2.b. But, he (come)   if you (insult)   him. 

3.a. Marie is unhappy because she gave up her career when she got married. 

3.b. But, Marie (be)   happy if she (give, not)   up her career when she got married. 
4.a. Dr. Mercer decided not to accept the research grant at Harvard because he is going to take six months off to
spend more time with his family. 

4.b. But, Dr. Mercer (accept)   the research grant at Harvard if he (take, not)   six
months off to spend more time with his family. 
5.a. Professor Schmitz talked so much about the Maasai tribe because she is an expert on African tribal groups. 

5.b. But, Professor Schmitz (talk, not)   so much about the Maasai tribe if she (be,

not)   an expert on African tribal groups. 

6.a. I am unemployed because I had a disagreement with my boss and I was fired. 

6.b. But, I (be, not)   unemployed if I (have, not)   a disagreement with my boss and I (be,

not)   fired. 
7.a. Nicole speaks Chinese fluently because she lived in China for ten years. 

7.b. But, Nicole (speak, not)   Chinese fluently if she (live, not)   in China for ten years. 
8.a. I will not help you study for your test because you have spent the last two weeks partying and wasting time. 

8.b. But, I (help)   you study for your test if you (spend, not)   the last two weeks partying
and wasting time. 
9.a. Eleanor and Ben are not going skiing with us this year because Eleanor just had a baby. 

9.b. But, Eleanor and Ben (go)   skiing with us this year if Eleanor (have, not, just)   a
baby. 
10.a. I am completely exhausted, so I will not go with you to the movies tonight. 

10.b. But, if I (be, not)   completely exhausted, I (go)   with you to the movies tonight. 
11.a. She is not worried about the conference tomorrow because she is not giving a speech. 

11.b. But, she (be)   worried about the conference tomorrow if she (give)   a speech. 
12.a. Frank is not going to the graduation ceremony because he broke his leg snowboarding last week. 
12.b. But, Frank (go)   to the graduation ceremony if he (break)   his leg snowboarding
last week. 
13.a. They are not releasing the prisoner next month because there was so much public opposition to his parole. 

13.b. But, they (release)   the prisoner next month if there (be)   so much opposition
to his parole. 
14.a. The hotels filled up months in advance because the festival is going to include jazz artists from around the
globe. 

14.b. But, the hotels (fill)   up months in advance if the festival

(include)   jazz artists from around the globe. 

15.a. We are not worried about the recent string of robberies in the neighborhood because the police have started
regularly patrolling the area. 

15.b. But, we (be)   worried about the recent string of robberies in the neighborhood if the police

(start, not)   regularly patrolling the area.

[Answers available at http://www.englishpage.com/conditional/conditional10.htm]