CONDITIONALS

Eleventh grade
 Zero Conditional
If clause (condition) Main clause (result)
If - when
If + simple present simple present
If this thing happens that thing happens.  If you heat ice, it melts.
 Ice melts if you heat it.
 When you heat ice, it melts.
now or always
general truths  Ice melts when you heat it.
give instructions
real and possible

Examples

If you freeze water, it becomes a solid.

 If Bill phones, tell him to meet me at the
cinema.
 Ask Pete if you're not sure what to do.
Plants die if they don't get enough water.
If my husband has a cold, I usually catch it.
If public transport is efficient, people stop using
their cars.
If you mix red and blue, you get purple.
Complete the zero conditional sentences with expressions
from the box:

it turns I go they don't have comes you aren't

I don't know we don't do he's

If you press that button, the light ____________________ on.

It's easier to sleep if ____________________ stressed.
The teacher gets angry if ____________________ hard.
If ____________________ on a boat, I always feel sick.
His mother gets annoyed if ____________________ late.
If ____________________ a word, I look in my dictionary.
They play football if ____________________ any homework.
If you freeze water, ____________________ to ice.
 First Conditional
If
If clause (condition) Main clause (result)
•If it rains, you will get wet.
If + simple present simple future / modals •You will get wet if it rains.
•If Sally is late again I will be mad.
If this thing happens that thing will happens.
•I will be mad if Sally is late again.
•If you don't hurry, you will miss the bus.
real or possible•You will miss the bus if you don't hurry.
possible condition and
its probable result. warnings
Examples
•If I have time, I'll finish that letter.
 If you drop that glass, it might break.
•What will you do if you miss the plane?
 I may finish that letter if I have time.
•Nobody will notice if you make a
 If he calls you, you should go.
mistake.
 If you buy my school supplies for me, I will be
•If you drop that glass, it will break.
able to go to the park.
•If you don't drop the gun, I'll shoot!
•If you don't leave, I'll call the police.
Complete the first conditional sentences with the verb in
brackets.
Her father will be angry if she ____________________ to this party. (go)
If he ____________________ so hard, he will ruin his health. (work)
He ____________________ English quicker if he goes to England. (learn)
Will her ticket still be valid if she ____________________ the plane? (miss)
I will phone you if I ____________________. (not / forget)
My parents ____________________ me if I am in financial troubles. (not / help)
I will allow you to take my car if you ____________________ slowly. (drive)
She will come if she ____________________ busy. (not / be)
If we ____________________ in groups, we will finish it quicker. (work)
You ____________________ this problem if you read his paper. (solve)
 Second Conditional
If
If clause (condition) Main clause (result) •If it rained, you would get wet.
If + past “would” •You would get wet if it rained.
•If you went to bed earlier you wouldn't
If this thing happened that thing would happen. be so tired.
•You wouldn't be so tired if you went to
an unlikely or bed earlier.
hypothetical condition
Not based on •If she fell, she would hurt herself.
Actual situations •She would hurt herself if she fell.
and its probable result
Examples
• If the weather wasn't so bad, we would go to the park. (But the weather is bad so we can't go.)
• If I was the Queen of England, I would give everyone a chicken. (But I am not the Queen.)
• If you really loved me, you would buy me a diamond ring.
• If I knew where she lived, I would go and see her.
• If I were taller, I would buy this dress.
• If I were 20, I would travel the world.
• If I were you, I would give up smoking.
Use the prompts to write sentences in the second
conditional:
1) If I / (be) you, I /(get) a new job.
2) If he / be / younger, he /travel more.
3) If we /(not/be) friends, I /(be) angry with you.
4) If I /(have) enough money, I /(buy) a big house.
5) If she /(not/be) always so late, she /(be) promoted.
6) If we /(win) the lottery, we /(travel) the world.
7) If you /(have) a better job, we /(be) able to buy a new car.
8) If I /(speak) perfect English, I /(have) a good job.
9) If we /(live) in Mexico, I /(speak) Spanish.
10) If she /(pass) the exam, she /(be) able to enter university.
 Third Conditional
If
If clause (condition) Main clause (result)
•You would have passed your exam if you
If + past perfect “would” + perfect conditional had worked harder.
•If you had worked harder, you would
If this thing had happened that thing would have happened.
have passed your exam.
•I would have believed you if you hadn't
an impossible condition lied to me before.
in the past truly hypothetical •If you hadn't lied to me before, I would
and unreal have believed you.
and its probable result
Examples
• If I had worked harder I would have passed the exam. (But I didn't work hard, and I didn't pass the
exam.)
• If I had known you were coming I would have baked a cake. (But I didn't know and I didn't bake a cake.)
• I would have been happy if you had called me on my birthday. (But you didn't call me and I am not
happy.)
• If I had worked harder I might have passed the exam.
• If I'd known you were in hospital, I'd have visited you.
• If I had known you were in hospital, I would have visited you.
For each question, read the situation and choose the best
sentence.
1. I wasn't thirsty. I didn't drink the lemonade.
    If I was thirsty, I would drink the lemonade
    If I had been thirsty, I would've drunk the lemonade
    If I would have been thirsty, I drank the lemonade

2. I didn't know Kirsty was in town. I didn't call her.

    If I had known Kirsty was in town, I would have called her
    I had called Kirsty if I had know she was in town
    I would had called Kirsty if I have known she was in town

3. I didn't know watching this documentary was important for our exam. I didn't watch it.
    If I knew this documentary was important, I had watched it
    If I would have known this documentary was important, I had watched it
    If I had known this documentary was important, I would've watched it

4. I walked home from the disco. My friend was too drunk to drive.
    I hadn't walked home from the disco if my friend wasn't too drunk to drive
    I wouldn't have walked home from the disco if my friend hadn't been too drunk to drive
    I wouldn't had walked home from the disco if my friend hadn't been too drunk to drive
For each question, read the situation and choose the best
sentence.
5. I didn't go to the store. I thought it closed at 5pm. It closed at 6pm.
    If I had known the store had closed at 6pm, I would've gone
    If I knew the store would have closed at 6pm, I would've gone
    I would've gone to the store if I know it had closed at 6pm

6. I ate the yoghurt in the fridge. I thought it was mine, not yours.
    If I would have known the yoghurt was yours, I wouldn't have eaten it
    If I had known the yoghurt was yours, I wouldn't have eaten it
    I hadn't eaten the yoghurt if I knew it was yours

7. I am really hungry now. I didn't have any breakfast.

    If I had some breakfast, I wouldn't be hungry now.
    If I would had had some breakfast, I wouldn't be hungry now.
    If I had had some breakfast, I wouldn't be hungry now

8. I didn't see Tony at the party. I wanted to speak to him about his vacation in France.
    If I saw Tom at the party, I would've spoken to him
    If I had seen Tom at the party, I would've spoken to him
    If I would have seen Tom at the party, I would've spoken to him
 CONDITIONALS
Complete the sentences using the correct form of the verb in
brackets.
1. If I found a wallet on the street I _____________________ it to the owner (RETURN).
2. If I  _____________________  offered a loan I would accept it. (BE)
3. If you ask the policeman he  _____________________  you how to get to the station (TELL).
4. You  _____________________  healthier if you ate less junk food. (BE)
5. The police  _____________________  into the warehouse , if there hadn't been any gunshots. (NOT
BREAK)
6. If I  _____________________  $10,000 dollars I could afford to repair my house (HAVE)
7. If the movie  _____________________  more than 3 hours I won't be able to sit through it. (LAST)
8. If I  _____________________  for a walk this morning I would have seen that broken tree. (GO)
9. If he  _____________________  time he will call his parents (HAVE).
10.If it  _____________________  the match will be cancelled (RAIN)
 Conditional linkers
My leg's broken. I can't stand up
unless express "if ... not" unless you help me.

Even if we leave right now,

Even if Emphasizes something we still won't catch the train.

Second and third But for your help, I would

conditional
But for have been in big trouble.
“without”

When you heat water to 100

when Zero conditional degrees Celsius, it boils.

In case gives a reason I'll buy a sandwich in case I get hungry.

Take an umbrella in case it should rain.
 Conditional linkers
We visited the outdoor market
Despite the fact that Even though it was raining.
Even though

omitting the subject If necessary, you can call Jake at home.

If necessary
and the verb be

Acetaminophen is dangerous to children

Only if More restrictive only if dosage is too high.

Provided/ Provided/Providing (that)

providing that the bills are paid,
A bit more formal tenants will not be evicted.
than if
As long as You can stay here as long as
you keep quiet.
 Suggested activities

Target Cambridge English First

Pages 54, 55, 56 and 57