Tran Bien High School Teacher: Lê Thị Thu Hòa

CONDITIONALS
If you study hard, you will get good marks.
If he jogs every day, he can lose weight.
If there were snow in Bien Hoa, I would buy many coats.
If you went to the moon, you could see Mr. Cuoi.
If I had known that you were in hospital, I would have visited you.

TYPE IF CLAUSE MAIN CLAUSE

I. Future possible

II. Present unreal

III. Past unreal

Notes:
1. When “if clause” stands at the beginning of the sentence,
2. “if” and “when”
- If:
- When:
I will see you at Christmas when we’re all at Sally’s place. (We are certain to be at Sally’s place.)
I’ll see you in August if I come to New York. (Perhaps I’ll come to New York, perhaps not)
3. Unless =
If he doesn’t work hard, he will lose his job. = Unless he works hard, he will lose his job.
Unless you answered my question, I’d punish you. =
4. Otherwise:
I had no problems. Otherwise, I would have telephoned you.
Thanks for your directions to the house. We wouldn’t have found it otherwise.
5. Truth/Facts
Ex. Oil floats if you pour it on water.
If you boil water, it turns into steam.
6. Mixed conditional sentences
Ex. If I hadn’t stayed up late last night, I wouldn’t be tired now.
7. If… should; if … happen to:
Ex. If he should be late, we’ll have to start without him.
If you happen to pass a supermarket, perhaps you could get some eggs.
8. If … were to:
If I were to ask you to marry me, what would you say?
9. if so
There is a possibility that Jack will be late. If so, I’ll take his place.
10. Even if:
Even if it rains, we’ll still go for a picnic.
11. What if?
What if the train is late? What if she forgets to bring it?
12. Inversion:
Tran Bien High School Teacher: Lê Thị Thu Hòa

Ex. 1.If I were you, I would accept his invitation.

=
2. If he had studied harder, he would have passed the exam.
=
3. If you should finish early, give me a ring.
=
4. If I hadn’t met you, I wouldn’t have much trouble now.
=

13. in case
Ex. There’s some steak in the fridge if you’re hungry.
= There’s some steak in the fridge in case you’re hungry.
I have bought some more food if / in case our guests stay to dinner.
(underline the correct oftion)
14. But for /Without

Ex. If there were no sun, there would be no light.

= But for/without the sun, there would be no light.
If it weren’t for his wife’s money, he’d never be a director.

If he hadn’t helped me, I would have died.

If the man hadn’t acted so quickly, I could have been killed.

15. imagine (that), suppose (that), supposing (that), providing (that), provided (that), as/so long as, on
condition (that)
Ex. Imagine we could all fly. Wouldn’t that be fun?
Supposing you fell in love with your boss, what would you do?
You can borrow my bike providing/provided you bring it back.
I’ll lend you the money so /as long as you return it to me by December.
I’ll give you the day off on condition that you work on Saturday morning.
16. If and adjectives
If necessary, take a taxi.
17. If only = I wish
Present/future meaning

S + wish/wishes + S +

The students wish (that) today were Sunday. (Today is not Sunday.)
We wish we could make a trip around the world. (We can’t make a trip around the world.)
She wishes she had a car. (She doesn’t have a car now.)
I wish I was going on holiday with you next week. (I am not going)
Would is used:
 Tran Bien High School Teacher: Lê Thị Thu Hòa

+
I wish he would change his mind and marry Jane.
+
I wish you wouldn’t make such a mess.

Past meaning
S + wish/wishes +
Now she wishes she had gone to university.

Ex. If only it would stop raining, we could go out. (future)

If only I were better looking. (present)
If only I hadn’t drunk too much, this wouldn’t have happened. (past)
I wish you (not bite)…………………………… your nails!
If only she (not tell)…………………. the police, everything would have been all right. (past)
Exercises:
I. Give the correct form of the verbs in brackets.
1. I’ll look for your notebook, and if I (find) ________, I (give) _______ you a ring.
2. Unless Tom (take) _______ his library book back tomorrow, he (have to pay)___________ a fine.
3. If he (not study) _____________ his lessons, he will be punished.
4. If we invited them, they (come) __________________?
5. I (not be) __________________ upset if she wrote to me earlier.
6. I (tell) ______________________ you about it if I had seen you last week.
7. He didn’t tell me that he was a vegetarian. If he (tell) ______________, I (cook)
_______________him something more suitable.
8. If he (study) ___________ his lesson carefully, he would have passed the exam.
9. If he (take)………………………….. my advice, everything can go well.
10. It’s too bad we lost the game. If you (play) ………………for us, we (win)………………..
11. What you (do)……………………… if she refuses your invitation?
12. Unless they (pass)………………………. their examinations, they would join the army.

II. Rewrite the following sentences, using “if clauses”.

1. He got up late this morning. That’s why he was late for school.
If ………………………………………………………………..
2. It’s too cold, so we can’t go swimming.
If ………………………………………………………………..
3. There will be a shortage of water unless it rains.
If ………………………………………………………………..
4. You drank too much coffee that’s why you can’t sleep.
If you ………………………………………………………………..
5. You will catch a cold if you don’t keep your feet dry.
Unless ………………………………………………………………..
6. I don’t know his address so I can’t contact him.
If ………………………………………………………………..

III. Choose the best answer.

1. If people ______ after their houses properly, the police wouldn’t have so much work to do. (CĐ, 08)
A. should look B. look C. have looked D. looked
2. Had she worked harder last summer, she ______. (CĐ, 2009)
A. wouldn't be sacked B. wouldn't sack C. wouldn't have been sacked D. wouldn't have sacked
 Tran Bien High School Teacher: Lê Thị Thu Hòa

3. If everyone ______, how would we control the traffic? (ĐH, 2010)

A. had flown B. can fly C. could fly D. flies
4. We have bought extra food ______ our guests stay to dinner. (ĐH, 2010)
A. if B. so that C. in case D. when
5. If it ______ for the heavy storm, the accident would not have happened. (ĐH, 2011)
A. were B. hadn’t been C. weren’t D. isn’t
6. Had they arrived at the shop earlier, they ______ a better selection of clothes.(CĐ, 2011)
A. will find B. would be finding C. would have found D. will have found
7. The children wish that they have more free time to play football. (CĐ, 2012)
A B C D
8. The bad weather caused serious damage to the crop. If only it ______ warmer. (ĐH, 2012)
A. were B. had been C. has been D. was
9. I would join that running competition ______. (A 1, 2013)
A. when I was 5 years older B. if I were 5 years younger
C. if it would happen 5 years ago D. unless I were 5 years younger
10. “What ______ if the earth stopped moving?” (A 1, 2013)
A. happened B. would happen C. happens D. will happen
11. I wish I hadn’t accepted the invitation to her birthday party. (A 1, 2013)
A. I insisted on having been invited to her birthday party.
B. I was very glad to accept the invitation to her birthday party.
C. I regret accepting the invitation to her birthday party.
D. If only I had come to her birthday party.
12. I would have worn the right shoes if I had known I was going to do all this climbing. (A 1, 2013)
A. I would love to go climbing, but I do not have any shoes that would be suitable.
B. As I did not know I was going to do so much climbing, I did not wear suitable shoes.
C. I did not go climbing because I did not have the right shoes.
D. I would have gone on the climb if I had been wearing the right shoes.
13. If you had stuck to what we originally agreed on, everything would have been fine. (ĐH, 2013)
A. If you had not kept to what was originally agreed on, everything would have been fine.
B. Things went wrong because you violated our original agreement.
C. If you had changed our original agreement, everything would have been fine.
D. As you fulfilled the original contract, things went wrong.
14. ________ a few more minutes, we could have finished the task. (A 1, 2014)
A. Unless we had B. If we had had C. If we have D. If we had
15. ______ my mother’s encouragement, I wouldn’t have made such a daring decision. (ĐH, 2014)
A. Until B. In spite C. But for D. Providing
16. “Take a spare tyre ______ you have a puncture on the way to the beach.” (ĐH, 2014)
A. in case B. if C. so that D. unless
17. Students will not be allowed into the exam room if they ………………their student cards. (2015)
A. didn’t produce B. don’t produce C. produced D. hadn’t produced
18. If John does not change his working style, he will be sacked soon. (2015)
Unless……………………………………………………………………………………………………
19. Without your help, I ______ the technical problem with my computer the other day. (2016)
A. wouldn’t solve B. couldn’t have solved C. could solve D. can’t solve
20. She didn’t pass the exam because of her serious illness. (2016)
Had she not ______________________________________________________________.
21. He now regrets that he didn’t take the doctor’s advice. (2016)
He now wishes ___________________________________________________________.
22. He was successful in his career thanks to his parents' support. (2017)
A. Had it not been for his parents' support, he wouldn't be successful in his career.
B. If his parents hadn't supported him, he wouldn't have been successful in his career.
 Tran Bien High School Teacher: Lê Thị Thu Hòa

C. But for his parents' support, he wouldn't be successful in his career.

D. Without his parents' support, he would have been successful in his career.
23. They were late for the meeting because of the heavy snow. (2017)
A. Had it not snowed heavily, they would have been late for the meeting.
B. If it snowed heavily, they would be late for the meeting.
C. But for the heavy snow, they wouldn't have been late for the meeting.
D. If it didn't snow heavily, they wouldn't be late for the meeting.
24. We survived that accident because we were wearing our seat belts. (2017)
A. If we weren't wearing our seat belts, we couldn't have survived that accident.
B. But for our seat belts, we would have survived that accident.
C. Had we not been wearing our seat belts, we wouldn't have survived that accident.
D. Without our seat belts, we could have survived that accident.
25. They cancelled all the sporting events because of the heavy rain. (2017)
A. If it didn't rain heavily, they wouldn't cancel all the sporting events.
B. Without the heavy rain, they wouldn't cancel all the sporting events.
C. If it hadn't rained heavily, they would have cancelled all the sporting events.
D. Had it not rained heavily, they wouldn't have cancelled all the sporting events.
26. If Martin were here now, he ______ us to solve this difficult problem. (2018)
A. would help B. helps C. will help D. has helped
27. If he didn't have to work today, he ______ his children to the zoo. (2018)
A. will take B. takes C. would take D. has taken
28. If you didn't have to leave today, I ______ you around the city. (2018)
A. have shown B. showed C. will show D. would show
29. If our teacher were here now, he ______ us with this difficult exercise. (2018)
A. has helped B. helps C. will help D. would help
30. We __________on a field trip if the weather is fine this weekend. (2019)
A. would go B. went C. could have gone D. will go
31. Peter moved abroad for a fresh start. He regrets it now. (2019)
A. If only Peter had moved abroad for a fresh start.
B. If Peter moved abroad for a fresh start, he would regret it.
C. Peter regrets not having moved abroad for a fresh start.
D. Peter wishes he hadn’t moved abroad for a fresh start.
32. If you follow my directions, you _________her house easily. (2019)
A. will find B. would have found C. found D. would find
33. Mike didn’t follow his parents’ advice on choosing his career. He regrets it now. (2019)
A. Mike regrets having followed his parents’ advice on choosing his career.
B. If Mike followed his parents’ advice on choosing his career, he regrets it now.
C. If only Mike followed his parents’ advice on choosing his career.
D. Mike wishes he had followed followed his parents’ advice on choosing his career.
34. If I ______you, I would take the doctor’s advice. (2020)
A. had been B. are C. were D. will be
35. The English patient made a miraculous recovery from Covid-19. This was thanks to the efforts of the
Vietnamese meadical staff. (2020)
A. Suppose that the English patient made a miraculous recovery from Covid-19, the Vietnamese
meadical staff would make efforts.
B. Without the efforts of the Vietnamese meadical staff, the English patient a a miraculous recovery
from Covid-19.
C. If the English patient had made a miraculous recovery from Covid-19, the Vietnamese meadical
staff would have made efforts.
D. But for the efforts of the Vietnamese meadical staff, the English patient couldn’t have made a
miraculous recovery from Covid-19
 Tran Bien High School Teacher: Lê Thị Thu Hòa

36. Jane doesn’t have a computer. She can’t work from home. (2021)
A. If only Jane had had a computer, she couldn’t have worked from home.
B. If Jane had had a computer, she couldn’t have worked from home.
C. Jane wishes she had a computer so that she could work from home.
D. Provided that Jane has a computer, she can’t work from home.
37. Mike doesn’t feel well today. He can’t go out with his friends. (2021)
A. If only Mike had felt well today, he couldn’t have gone out with his friends.
B. If Mike had felt well today, he couldn’t have gone out with his friends.
C. Mike wishes he felt well today so that he could go out with his friends.
D. Provided that Mike feels well today, he can’t go out with his friends.
38. Her English is not good. She can’t apply for the job. (2021)
A. If only her English had been good, she couldn't have applied for the job.
B. If her English had been good, she couldn’t have applied for the job.
C. She wishes her English were good so that she could apply for the job.
D. Provided that her English is good, she can’t apply for the job.
39. Paul doesn’t have access to the Internet. He can’t go online. (2021)
A. Provided that Paul has access to the Internet, he can’t go online.
B. Paul wishes that he had access to the Internet so that he could go online.
C. If only Paul had had access to the Internet, he couldn’t have gone online.
D. If Paul had had access to the Internet, he couldn’t have gone online.