CONDITIONALS

If, with certain verb inflections, signals significant distinctions in time, truth, and probability.
These combinations are known as the conditionals.

1. zero conditional (general truth)

Zero conditional is used to express general or absolute truth.

present present
e.g.: If hydrogen is mixed with oxygen, an explosion occurs.

2. 1st Conditional (future-probable)

First conditional signals “probability”. It speculates a situation that is possible to happen at
present or future time.

present future
e.g.: If I take your offer, I will be richer.

3. 2nd Conditional (present-unreal)

Second conditional is used to imagine present or future situations that are impossible or
unlikely in reality.

past past
e.g.: If I took your offer, I would be richer.

4. 3rd Conditional (past-unreal)

Third conditional is used to express the past consequence of an unrealistic action or situation
in the past.

past perfect
e.g.: If I had taken your offer, I would have been richer.

DRILL 1
Directions: Each of the statements below is followed by four choices or completions. On a whole
intermediate paper, write the letter of the choice that is best in each case.

1. If you learn to swim, you ______ on this trip.

A. would go
B. will go
C. will be going
D. would have gone

2. If they _____ "The White Birds," they might have liked William Butler Yeats' poetry.
A. will read
B. has read
C. would read
D. had read

3. I chose to move from the Philippines to Australia five years ago. I know that if I _____ in the
Philippines, my life would have been different.
A. will stay
B. stayed
C. had stayed
D. would have stayed

4. If we plan to get marry and have children, our lifestyles _____ dramatically.
A. change
B. changed
C. will change
D. would change

5. He would have repaired the car himself, if he ___ the tools.

A. has had
B. would have
C. will have had
D. had had
6. If Angel Locsin comes to school, Elisa _____ for an autograph from her.
A. asked
B. will ask
C. will have asked
D. would have asked

7. If the candidate had campaigned harder, he _____ in the election.

A. will win
B. could win
C. will have won
D. would have won

8. If I had taken my chance on love, I _____ happier.

A. will be
B. would be
C. could be
D. would have been

9. You would get a low grade if you ______ this test.

A. fail
B. failed
C. will fail
D. had failed

10. If I _____ you before we could have arranged a joint project.

A. know
B. will know
C. had known
D. could have known

11. If the president _____ to the wails of his people, he would have stopped.
A. listens
B. will listen
C. had listened
D. could have listened

12. If I overslept, I ___(not)___ on time.

A. will have been
B. would have been
C. will be
D. would be

13. If you had eaten a good breakfast, you ______ so hungry now.
A. wouldn't be
B. can't be
C. won't be
D. wouldn’t have been

14. If we ____ in General Santos now, we ____ Pacman’s famous restaurant.

A. were / could visit
B. were / will be able to visit
C. had been / would be able to visit
D. had been / would visit

15. If it weren't for your help, we ____ the accident.

A. couldn't have survived
B. won’t survive
C. might have survived
D. couldn't survive
DRILL 2
DRILL 3
Directions: Observing the conditional rules, write your answer to each of the following questions on a
whole intermediate paper.

1. What will happen when we continue polluting the earth?

________________________________________________________________________________
2. What will happen if we stop using plastic bags?
________________________________________________________________________________
3. If there suddenly was no internet, how would the world change?
________________________________________________________________________________
4. If you saw a crocodile what would you do?
________________________________________________________________________________
5. If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?
________________________________________________________________________________
6. If you had been born in a different country, what would have been different in your life?
________________________________________________________________________________
7. How would your life have changed if you had done something different that one time?
________________________________________________________________________________
8. If somebody hit you in the face, what would you do?
________________________________________________________________________________
9. If you had been born as a child of a Hollywood celebrity, how would your childhood have been
different?
________________________________________________________________________________
10. If it was possible, would you like to have your own clone?
________________________________________________________________________________
11. What will you do if your classmate is rude to you?
________________________________________________________________________________
12. What happens to water if you heat it to 100 degrees?
________________________________________________________________________________
13. If you had been born in a different country, what would have been different in your life?
________________________________________________________________________________
14. If you could eat only one thing for the rest of your life, what would that be?
________________________________________________________________________________
15. What would you have done if you had found out you were a lost child of a billionaire?

DRILL 4
Writing Prompt: In English we use the third conditional to talk about something in the past that did
not happen. There is no possibility for this thing to come true because the past already happened.
The result is also impossible because the past is in the past. Use this structure by writing a paragraph
(minimum of 5, maximum of 8 sentences) starting with the phrase “If I had known…”.

If I had known….
Drill 5

Writing Prompt

The first conditional is used to talk or write about real possibilities in the future. Review the
rules for using first conditionals. Then, pretend you are a parent who wants your three children to
behave properly, particularly during class time.

On a whole intermediate paper, write a three-paragraph letter to your children. You may offer
some rewards for good behavior.

DRILL 6

Directions: Following the conditional rules, complete the sentences by giving the correct forms of the
verbs inside the parenthesis. Write the complete sentences on a whole intermediate paper.

1) (Third conditional)
If the students (not/be) late for the exam, they (pass).

2) (Third conditional)
If the weather (not/be) so cold, we (go) to the beach.

3) (Second conditional)
If she (have) her laptop with her, she (email) me.

4) (First conditional)
If she (not/go) to the meeting, I (not/go) either.

5) (Third conditional)
If the baby (sleep) better last night, I (not/be) so tired.

6) (First conditional)
If the teacher (give) us lots of homework this weekend, I (not/be) happy.

7) (Second conditional)
If Lucy (have) enough time, she (travel) more.

8) (First conditional)
If the children (not/eat) soon, they (be) grumpy.

9) (First conditional)
If I (not/go) to bed soon, I (be) tired in the morning.

10) (Second conditional)

If I (want) a new car, I (buy) one.

11) (Second conditional)

If José (not/speak) good French, he (not/move) to Paris.

12) (First conditional)

If John (drink) too much coffee, he (get) ill.

13) (Third conditional)

If we (tidy) our flat, we (not/lose) our keys.
14) (Third conditional)
If Luke (not/send) flowers to his mother, she (not/be) happy.

15) (Second conditional)

If the children (be) in bed, I (be able to) have a bath.

16) (Second conditional)

If you (not/be) so stubborn, we (not/have) so many arguments.

17) (Third conditional)

If Julie (not/go) to Sweden, she (go) to Germany.

18) (First conditional) If she (go) to the library, she (study) more.

19) (Third conditional)

If we (not/have) an argument, we (not/be) late.

20) (Second conditional)

If you (arrive) early, it (be) less stressful.

21) (Third conditional)

If I (not/go) to the party, I (not/meet) Amanda.

22) (Second conditional)

If Julie (like) chocolate, I (give) her some.

23) (Second conditional)

If Luke (live) in the UK, I (see) him more often.

24) (Third conditional)

If the children (not/eat) all that chocolate, they (not/feel) sick.

25) (First conditional)

If they (not/arrive) soon, we (be) late.

26) (Third conditional)

If she (study) Mandarin, she (go) to Beijing.

27) (Second conditional)

If we (not/be) so tired, we (go) out.

28) (First conditional)

If you (buy) the present, I (wrap) it up.

29) (First conditional)

If Lucy (not/quit) her job soon, she (go) crazy.

30) (First conditional)

If we (not/work) harder, we (not/pass) the exam.