UNIT 8: CONDITIONAL SENTENCES

I. Real conditionals

Real
Usages Examples
Conditionals
If you want to turn off the light, you press the first button.
instructions
When you want to turn off the light, you press the first button.
general If the temperature drops to zero degrees Celsius, water turns
Zero truths into ice.
conditional
habits John usually walks to school if he has enough time.
offers If you come to Tokyo, stay with us.
advice Take some aspirin if you have a headache.
Formation: If clause , main clause

If + S + V ..., S + V …
If you do not study hard, you will fail in your next exam.
Unless you study hard, you will fail in your next exam.
future
First
possible
conditional If my headache disappears, we can play tennis.
events
In case my headache disappears, we can play tennis.
Should my headache disappear, we can play tennis.
Formation: If clause , main clause

If + S + V ..., S + will/ shall/ can/ may/ must/ should + V1 ...

 We can put the main clause before the if clause in all conditionals.

Note:
LISA: Shall we take the bus or the train?
JESS: If we take the bus, it will be cheaper.
For Jess, it is possible that they will take the bus, so she says:
“If we take the bus, it will be cheaper.”

Practice 1: Complete these sentences using the correct form of the pairs of verbs in
brackets.
1. If you study Macbeth, you will know the scene with the witches. (study – know)
2. When you ………… a headache, ………… two aspirins three times a day. (have – take)
3. If you ..................... home before I get there. I .................. you at the airport. (leave – meet)
4. Water ………….. if the temperature …………....... to one hundred degrees Celsius.
(vaporize – rise up)
5. If you ...................... the window, you ………............ pay for it. (break – have to)

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6. If you ……………. any questions, please ……………….. to call me. (have – hesitate)
7. I …………… you a lift to the station if the taxi …………….. by 10 o'clock. (give – arrive)
8. If you ……………….. an application form, you …………………. to do so before you can
be considered for the job. (fill in – need)
9. Huy usually ……………. football if he ……………… free time after school. (play – have)
10. I ………… to the hospital if the antibiotics …………... by the end of the week. (go – help)
Practice 2: Rewrite these sentences using the words given.
1. He won’t finish on time if he doesn’t start now.
Unless ……………………………………………………………………………………
2. Unless you read the instructions, you won’t know what to do.
If ………………………………………………………………………………………
3. We’ll go to the cinema tonight if I’m not too tired.
Unless ………………………………………………………………………………………
4. Unless Mary studies harder, she will fail the test.
If ………………………………………………………………………………………
5. If the neighbor doesn’t stop making that awful noise, I’ll call the police.
In ………………………………………………………………………………………
6. Mum will let him go out if he finishes his homework first.
As ……………………………………………………………………………………
7. The headache will go away if you do something about it.
Provided ……………………………………………………………………………………
Practice 3: Underline “one” error in each sentence and correct it.
1. She can’t hear her husband if he speak louder.
2. You will fail the oral test if you practice speaking frequently.
3. He will never find a job if he start looking for one now.
4. I’ll let you go to Philippa’s house that you tidy your room.
5. Providing that I finish work early tomorrow, I come with you.
6. I won’t tell mom what you did as long if you let me wear your sweater.
7. Aunt Josephine will be here at eight provide as her train arrives on time.
Practice 4: Complete these sentences.
1. There have been a lot of thefts from cars in the city center. If you leave your car there, make
sure it’s locked/ don’t leave any valuable in it.
2. If you have any more problems with the computer, ......................................................
3. If you see Lee today, ....................................................................................................

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4. ......................................................................................, keep well away from them.
5. ................................................................., don't hesitate to get in touch with me again.
6. ................................................................................., get off at the stop near the library.
7. I usually walk to school if …………………………………………………………………
8. Please ………………………………………………………………… if you hear from Jane.
9. If you wear a life jacket, ……………………………………………………………………
10. If I have money, …………………………………………………………………………….
11. You can pass grammar 2 as long …………………………………………………………...
12. Students won’t get the 700 marks of TOEIC ………………………………………………
13. Providing that …………………………………….……, I will finish the dress before
Saturday.
Practice 5: Use the following given words and your own ones to make real conditional
sentences.
1. Jack/ always/ bring/ flowers/ when/ come/ visit us.
………………………………………………………………………………………
2. If/ artist/ mix/ red and blue/ he/get/ purple.
……………………………………………………………………………………
3. Glass/ break/ when/ heat/ it?
………………………………………………………………………………………
4. If/ you/ not/ eat/ you/ get/ thin.
………………………………………………………………………………………
5. When/ the weather/ be/ nice/ I / walk/ to work.
………………………………………………………………………………………
6. your brother/ help/ you/ with your homework/ when/ he/ have/ time?
………………………………………………………………………………………
7. I/ usually/ read/ a good book/ when/ I/ not be/ busy.
………………………………………………………………………………………
8. If/ plants/ not get/ enough water/ they/ die.
………………………………………………………………………………………
9. If/ you/ not/ hard, you/ fail in/ next exam.
………………………………………………………………………………………
10. If/ not want/ study/ lessons, / stay/ at home.
………………………………………………………………………………………
11. If/ understand, please/ hesitate/ to/ me.

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 ………………………………………………………………………………………
12. If/ come/ Tokyo, / with us.
………………………………………………………………………………………
13. If/ get/ worse, / may (might)/ delayed.
………………………………………………………………………………………
14. If/ want/ lose weight, you/ do/ exercise.
………………………………………………………………………………………
II. Unreal conditionals

Unreal
Usages Examples
Conditionals
If she had wings, she would fly to school.
Unreal events in the Should she have wings, she would fly to school.
present If I were/ was a millionaire, I would help the poor.
Were/ was I a millionaire, I would help the poor.
Second
conditional Possible events in the
What would you do if this room caught fire?
future
If I were/ was you, I would help the poor.
Advice
Were I you, I would help the poor.
Formation: If clause , main clause

If + S + Ved / V2 …, S + should/ would/ could/ might/ had to + V1 …

(be = were/ was)
If you had not gotten married, I would have married
Third Unreal events in the you.
conditional past Had you not gotten married, I would have married
you.
Formation: If clause , main clause

If + S + had + Ved /V3 …, S + should/ would/ could/ might + have + Ved / V3 …

If he were/ was a good student, he would have
Unreal events in the
Mixed studied for the test yesterday.
present & past
conditionals (= He is not a good student. He did not study for the
test yesterday.)
Formation: If clause , main clause

If + S + Ved/ V2 …, S + would + have + Ved/ V3 …

(be = were/ was)
 We can put the main clause before the if clause in all conditionals.
Note:

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 Lisa and Jess decide to take the train. Later, Jess talks to Joe.
JOE: How are you going to travel?
JESS: We’re going to take the train. If we took the bus, it would be cheaper, but the
train is quicker.
Now Jess knows they are not going to take the bus, so she says:
“If we took the bus, it would be be cheaper, but the train is quicker.”

+ What would you do if you won a lot of money? (I don’t really expect this to happen.)
+ If there was an election tomorrow, who would you vote for? (There will not be an election
tomorrow.)
+ I’d be surprised if they didn’t come to the party. (I expect them to come.)
+ I think I left my watch at your house. If you find it, can you call me? # If you found a wallet
in the street, what would you do with it?
+ If I won a lot of money, I might buy a house. (It is possible that I would buy a house.)
+ If it stopped raining, we could go out. (We would be able to go out.)
+ If I were/ would be rich, I would travel a lot.
+ She could get a better job if she could speak another language.
(would be able to) (was/ were able to)

 but for + noun

The village school would have been closed years ago if it hadn't been for the determination of
teachers and parents to keep it open.
The village school would have been closed years ago but for the determination of teachers and
parents to keep it open.

Practice 6: Use the correct form of these verbs to complete the sentences, using each verb
once only.
belong close doubt hold switch understand

1. If they ......................... an election now, the Democrats would undoubtedly win.

2. If I ................................... his honesty, I wouldn’t employ him.
3. If all cars ................................. to liquefied petroleum gas, air pollution levels would fall
dramatically.
4. I'd sell the house immediately if it .................................... to me.
5. If I ................................ Chinese, I'd do the translation myself.
6. There would be no cinema in the town if the Odeon ................................... .
Practice 7: Complete these sentences.
1. If you had gone to bed earlier, dad ………………… so angry now.
2. If Mum didn’t cook dinner, we ………………. at a restaurant.
3. If I hadn’t already promised to go with John, he ………………………. sad.
4. I would have bought this book if I …………………… all my money on CDs.
5. You …………………….. what to do if you listened to her instructions.
6. If Mary ………………….. that job six months ago, she would not be unemployed today.

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7. I’d be in London right now if I ………………………. the bus.
8. We wouldn’t have been in trouble if we ………………….. his advice.
9. If I had bought that lottery ticket, I ………………….. today.
10. I would go to the movies with Rita if she …………………...
Practice 8: Use the second conditional to rewrite these sentences.
1. I haven’t got any money, so I won’t buy that CD.
………………………………………………………………………………………
2. Pigs haven’t got wings, so they can’t fly.
………………………………………………………………………………………
3. His marks aren’t good because he doesn’t work hard.
………………………………………………………………………………………
4. I’m busy, so I won’t come with you.
………………………………………………………………………………………
5. They don’t know her, so they don’t invite her to their party.
………………………………………………………………………………………
6. I won’t call him because I haven’t got his phone number.
………………………………………………………………………………………
7. She walks to school because she hasn’t got a bike.
………………………………………………………………………………………
8. It’s cold, so we won’t go to the beach.
………………………………………………………………………………………
9. I won’t join you because I have to stay at home.
………………………………………………………………………………………
10. He won’t lend you his camera because he needs it.
………………………………………………………………………………………
Practice 9: Use the third conditional to rewrite these sentences.
1. I didn’t say hello because I didn’t see her.
If ………………………………………………………………………………
2. We didn’t go out to dinner because Dad finished work late.
If ………………………………………………………………………………
3. She was angry because you didn’t call her.
If ………………………………………………………………………………
4. We didn’t hear about the accident because we didn’t watch the news.
If ………………………………………………………………………………

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5. You dropped the vase because you weren’t careful.
If ………………………………………………………………………………
6. He didn’t pass the exam because he was nervous.
If ………………………………………………………………………………
7. We didn’t go to the beach because it rained.
If ………………………………………………………………………………
8. I had a good time because you were there with me.
If ………………………………………………………………………………
9. They didn’t get a taxi because they didn’t have enough money.
If ………………………………………………………………………………
10. We were late because our car broke down.
If ………………………………………………………………………………
11. She didn’t follow my advice, so she didn’t make a profit.
If …………………………………………………………………………………
12. You didn’t put the milk in the fridge, so it went bad.
If …………………………………………………………………………………
Practice 10: Write a new sentence with a similar meaning to the sentence given. Begin with
the word(s) given.
1. We could go for a drive if today were Saturday.
Were …………………………………………………………………………………… .
2. You would know what you have to do for homework, if you had not been absent from school
on Friday.
Had ................................................................................................................................. .
3. Clare would have been able to stay with her friends if they were still living in Brussels. Were
…………………………………………………………………………………… .
4. The shop would not have had to shut down if the workers were prepared to accept a wage cut.
Were ………………………………………………………………………………….... .
5. He didn’t decide earlier, so he couldn’t leave on the afternoon flight.
Had ……………………………………………………………………………………….
6. I might have considered taking the job if the salary had been higher.
Had ............................................................................................................................... .

III. Wish clauses

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 Wish is very similar to an unreal condition.

Forms Usages Formation and Examples

Formation:
S + wish + (that) + S + could/ would + V1
were/ was + Ving

a wish about the Examples:

future We wish that you could come to the party tonight.
She wishes she would pass the oral test tomorrow.
He wishes that he were/ was coming with us.

I wish/ If only all my dreams would become true.

Formation:
S + wish + (that) + S + V2/ Ved
(be = were/ was)
Wish
a wish about the
(I wish = If only) Examples:
present
Lan wishes Diep came here now.
We wish that he were/ was old enough to come with us.

I wish/ If only my father came here now.

Formation:
S + wish + (that) + S + had + V3/ Ved …
could have + V3/ Ved …
a wish about the
Examples:
past
Lan wishes Diep had not lied to her yesterday.
She wishes that she could have gone.

I wish/ If only Diep had not lied to Lan yesterday.

Note: We use I wish … would … to say that we want something to happen. We do not use I
wish … would … to say how we would like things to be. Compare:
 I wish Sarah would come. (= I want her to come.)
but I wish Sarah was/ were/ would be here now.
 I wish somebody would buy me a car.
but I wish I had/ would have a car.
I wish I had/ would have something to read.
 I wish I could help you. (= was/ were able to)
 The weather was cold. I wish it had been/ would have been warmer.

Practice 11: Use the correct form of the verbs in brackets to complete these sentences.
1. The sky is very cloudy. I wish the sun were shining. (shine)
2. I wish you ……………………… with us to the concert last night. (go).
3. I wish Spiro …………………… to work. I’d ask him for a drive home. (drive).

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4. I wish I ……………………… so that I would feel safe in a boat. (swim)
5. I wish you ………………. fighting and tried to work things out. (stop)
6. I wish we ……………………… the game last night. (win)
7. I wish Bill …………………… the promotion last week. He feels bad. (get)
8. I wish I ……………………… my job until I’d found another one. (quit)
9. I wish it ……………………… winter so that I could go skiing. (be)
10. I wish Al …………………… a couple of songs. He has a good voice. (sing)
IV. As if and as though
These conjunctions are very similar in form to conditional sentences.

Forms Usages Formation and Examples

Formation:
S + V (present) + as if/ as though + S + V2/ Ved …
(be = were/ was)
Unreal events
in the present Examples:
The old lady dresses as if it were/ was winter even in the summer.
Diem walks as though she studied modeling.
As if/ as He acts as though he were/ was rich.
though
Formation:
S + V (past) + as if/ as though + S + had + V3/ Ved …
Unreal events
Examples:
in the past
Hai talked about the contest as if he had won the grand prize.
Hong looked as if she had seen a ghost.
Hung looked as though he had run ten miles.

Note:
1. We use like or as if/ as though to say how somebody/ something looks, sounds or feels:
+ That house looks like/ as if/ as though it’s going to fall down.
+ Amy sounded like/ as if/ as though she had a cold, didn’t she?
+ I’ve just had a holiday, but I feel very tired.
I don’t feel like/ as if/ as though I’ve had a holiday.
+ You look like/ as if/ as though you haven’t slept.
2. We say: it looks like/ as if/ as though …; it sounds like/ as if/ as though…
+ Sarah is very late. It looks like/ as if/ as though she isn’t coming.
+ It looked like/ as if/ as though it was going to rain, so we took an umbrella.
+ The noise is very loud next door.
It sounds like/ as if/ as though they’re having a party.
3. You can use like/ as if/ as though with other verbs to say how somebody does
something:
+ He ran like he was running for his life.
+ After the interruption, the speaker went on talking as if nothing had happened.
+ When I told them my plan, they looked at me as though I was mad.

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 4. After as if/ as though, we sometimes use the past when we are talking about the present.
+ I don’t like him. He talks as if/ as though/ like he knew everything. (He does not
know everything.)
+ She’s always asking me to do things for her as if/ as though I didn’t have enough to
do already. (I have enough to do already.)
+ Joe’s only 40. Why do you talk about him as if/ as though he was/ were an old man?
(He isn’t an old man.)
+ They treat me as if/ as though I were/ was their own son. (I’m not their son.)

Practice 12: Use the correct form of the verbs in brackets to complete these sentences.
1. Henry talks to his dog as if it …………………………… him. (understand)
2. Mrs. Wood always talks to her tenth-grade students as though they ………….. adults. (be)
3. Ly talked about the story as if he ………………… everything. (know)
4. He looked as if he ………………….. the test well. (finish)
5. Tung …………………. very quickly as though he had been an excellent driver. (drive)
Practice 13: Choose the correct completion.
1. If I could speak Spanish, I ………… next year studying in Mexico.
A. will spend C. had spent
B. would have spent D. would spend
2. It would have been a much more serious accident ………… fast at the time
A. was she driving C. she had driven
B. had she been driving D. if she drove
3. “Can I borrow your car for this evening?”
“Sure, but Nora’s using it right now. If she ………… it back in time, you’re welcome to
borrow it.”
A. brought B. would bring C. will bring D. brings
4. I didn’t get home until well after midnight last night. Otherwise, I ………… your call.
A. returned B. had returned C. would return D. would have returned
5. If energy ………… inexpensive and unlimited, many things in the world would be different.
A. is B. will be C. were D. would be
6. We ………… the game if we’d had a few more minutes.
A. could have won C. have won
B. won D. will win
7. I ………… William with me if I had known you and he didn’t get along with each other.
A. hadn’t brought C. wouldn’t have brought
B. didn’t bring D. won’t bring

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8. The lecturer last night didn’t know what he was talking about, but if Dr. Mason …………, I
would have listened carefully.
A. lectured C. was lecturing
B. had been lecturing D. would lecture
9. If you ………… to my advice in the first place, you wouldn’t be in this mess right now.
A. listen B. will listen C. had listened D. listened
10. ………… interested in that subject, I would try to learn more about it.
A. If I am B. Should I C. I was D. Were I
11. If I ………… the same problems you had as a child, I might not have succeeded in life as
well as you have.
A. have B. would have C. had had D. should have
12. I ………… you sooner had someone told me you were in the hospital.
A. would have visited C. had visited
B. visited D. visit
13. ………… more help, I could call my neighbor.
A. Needed B. Should I need C. I have needed D. I should need
14. ………… then what I know today, I would have saved myself a lot of time and trouble over
the years.
A. If I know B. If I would know C. Did I know D. Had I known
15. Do you think there would be less conflict in the world if all people ………… the same
language?
A. speak B. will speak C. spoke D. had spoken
16. If you can give me one good reason for your acting like this, ………… this incident again.
A. I don’t mention C. I never mention
B. I will never mention D. will I never mention
17. I didn’t know you were asleep. Otherwise, I …………. so much noise when I came in.
A. didn’t make C. won’t make
B. wouldn’t have made D. don’t make
18. Unless you………..all of my questions, I can’t do anything to help you.
A. answerer B. answer C. would answer D. are answering
19. Had you told me that this was going to happen, I ……….. it.
A. would never have believed C. hadn’t believed
B. don’t believe D. can’t believe

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20. If Jake ………………. to go on a trip, would you have gone?
A. doesn’t agree B. didn’t agree C. hadn’t agree D. wouldn’t agree
……………………………………………………………………

Homework
Practice 14: Are the underlined parts of the sentences correct? Correct the ones that are
wrong.
1. If I will press this button, will it start to record?
2. You're welcome to borrow my old bike, if you think it will be of any use to you.
3. If he won't resign, the Prime Minister should sack him.
4. If the disease will be untreated, it can lead to brain damage.
5. If you'll tell me where the vacuum cleaner is, I'll clean the house.
6. If you'll complain about me, I'll get into trouble with my teacher.
7. If it'll save money, I'm willing to go by public transport.
Practice 15: Complete these sentences.
1. If you do not study hard, ……………………………………………………..
2. …………………………………………………………, you can stay at home.
3. If you do not understand, ……………………………………………………..
4. If you come to Tokyo, ………………………………………………………...
5. ………………………………………………, the flight may/might be delayed.
6. …………………………………………….., you must/should do some exercise.
Practice 16: Choose one of the given phrases to rewrite the following sentences, using “If I
were …”
Ask her out not eat so many sweets not watch so many horror films
not work so hard put on a jacket see a doctor
take an aspirin take up a hobby

1. Your friend hasn’t been feeling well lately.

………………………………………………………………………………………
2. Your sister wants to lose weight.
………………………………………………………………………………………
3. It’s a cold afternoon. Your brother is leaving the house in a T-shirt.
………………………………………………………………………………………
4. Your elder sister finishes work at nine o’clock and she’s always tired.
………………………………………………………………………………………
5. Your friend has a headache.

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………………………………………………………………………………………
6. Your friend has been having nightmares recently.
………………………………………………………………………………………
7. Your brother really likes a new girl in his class but is too shy to speak to her.
………………………………………………………………………………………
8. Your little sister is bored at the weekends because she has nothing to do.
………………………………………………………………………………………

Practice 17: Make sentences with the same meaning by omitting “if”
1. If I were in your age, I would think differently.
=>……………………………………………………………………………………
2. If Bob shows up while I’m away, please give him my message.
=>……………………………………………………………………………………
3. If my uncle had stood up to sing, I’d have been embarrassed.
=>……………………………………………………………………………………
4. If she were ever in trouble, I’d do anything I could to help her.
=>……………………………………………………………………………………
5. If the manager questions these figures, have her talk to the book keeper.
=>……………………………………………………………………………………
6. I wouldn’t have known about your new job if I hadn’t talked to your mother.
=>……………………………………………………………………………………
Practice 18:
Speaking activity: (group work)
One group says an “if clause” and the other says a “main clause”.

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