So long as vs As long as

– As long as or so long as mean ‘provided that’, ‘providing that’ or ‘on the condition that.’
– "So long as" tends to be more formal.
– "So long as" and "as long as" can both be used to talk about conditions interchangeably:
– I'll talk to you all night, so long as you keep pouring the pinot noir.
– I'll talk to you all night, as long as you keep pouring the pinot noir.
– However, "as long as" can also be used in comparative expressions, where "so long as" cannot.
– Right: This snake is as long as my arm.
– Wrong: This snake is so long as my arm.
Conditional Sentences

Ana Lucía Chaves Barquero

 Name Form Time Function Example

Zero Conditional If + present, present Present Use this conditional to • If he takes vitamins everyday, he doesn’t get sick.
show an outcome that
happens if a specific • He doesn’t get sick if he takes vitamins everyday
repeated condition is
met.

Fist Conditional If + present, will + verb Present/Future Use this conditional to • If she studies for the test, she will get a good
(Real show a likely or possible grade.
Conditional) outcome that will
probably happen if a • She will get a good grade if she studies for the
specific condition is met. test.

Second If + past, would + verb Present/Future Use this conditional to Unlikely situation:
Conditional show an unlikely or • If he won the lottery, he would quit his job.
(Unreal impossible outcome that • He would quit his job if he won the lottery.
Conditional) probably wouldn’t Impossible situation:
happen (unless a specific • If I had wings, I would fly to an island.
condition is met). • I would fly to an island if I had wings.

Third Conditional If + had + PP would + have + PP Past Use this conditional to • If I had remembered to call my friend last night,
show a past regret or she wouldn’t have sent me an angry message.
different outcome that
would have happened if • My friend wouldn’t have sent me an angry
a condition had been message if I had remembered to call her last
met. night.
 ZERO: IF + PRESENT, PRESENT

If he takes vitamins every day, he doesn’t get sick. / He doesn’t get sick if he takes vitamins
every day.
– This is called the zero conditional.
– Use this conditional to show an outcome that happens if a specific repeated condition is met.
– The verbs in the if clause and in the main clause will both be simple present verbs
– Remember that 3rd person singular verbs end in –s
– He/She/It sleeps
– For all the conditional patterns, the if clause and the main clause order doesn’t matter: the
meaning is the same.
– Also, note that a comma is needed when the if clause comes before the main clause.
 1st/Real: IF + PRESENT, WILL + VERB

If she studies for the test, she will get a good grade.
She will get a good grade if she studies for the test.
– This is called the first conditional or the real conditional.
– Use this conditional to show a likely or possible outcome that will probably happen if a specific
condition is met.
– The verb in the if clause is a simple present verb, and the verb in the main clause is will +
base form of the verb.
– The verb in the if clause will end in -s if the subject is third person singular.
 2nd/Unreal: IF + PAST, WOULD + VERB

(Unlikely): If he won the lottery, he would quit his job. / He would quit his job if he won the lottery.
(Impossible): If I had wings, I would fly to Antarctica. / I would fly to Antarctica if I had wings.
– This is called the second conditional or the unreal conditional.
– Use this conditional to show an unlikely or impossible outcome that probably wouldn't happen
(unless a specific condition was met).
– The verb in the if clause is a simple past verb, and the verb in the main clause is would + base form
of the verb.
– This is one case where it’s correct to use a past tense verb for a future situation.
– Note: The verb to be is always were with this conditional, even in the first and third person singular.
– If I were rich, I would buy you a car. / I would buy you a car if I were rich.
 3rd: IF + HAD + P.P., WOULD + HAVE + P.P.

If I had remembered to call my friend last night, she wouldn’t have sent me an angry text message.
My friend wouldn’t have sent me an angry text message if I had remembered to call her last night.
– This is called the third conditional.
– Use this conditional to show a past regret or different outcome that would have happened if a
specific condition had been met.
– The verb in the if clause is a past perfect verb (had + past participle form of the verb), and the verb
in the main clause is a past modal pattern (would + have + past participle form of the verb).
– Note: this conditional isn’t very common. Why?
– We don’t often speculate about what might have happened in the past, because we already know what
actually happened.
 PRACTICE
1. I __________ (write)  to her if I knew her address.
2. I wouldn’t mind living in this country if the traffic __________ (not/be)  so bad.
3. If I showed you how to open the safe, __________ (you/promise)  not to tell anyone?
4. If the police come looking for you I __________(say)  you have left the country.
5. If you __________ (move)  to the UK you would have to learn to speak English.
6. She __________ (not/buy)  it if she didn’t think she needed it.
7. The salad __________ (taste)  better if you added some garlic.
8. We __________ (grow)  our own vegetables if we had a garden.
9. What will you do if the boat __________ (sink) .
10. When the sun __________(shine) I like to lie on the beach.
 Answers

1. I would write to her if I knew her address.

2. I wouldn’t mind living in this country if the traffic was/were not so bad.
3. If I showed you how to open the safe, would you promise not to tell anyone?
4. If the police come looking for you I will say you have left the country.
5. If you moved to the UK you would have to learn to speak English.
6. She would not buy it if she didn’t think she needed it.
7. The salad would taste better if you added some garlic.
8. We would grow our own vegetables if we had a garden.
9. What will you do if the boat sinks.
10. When the sun shines I like to lie on the beach.
 Practice
1. When autumn (come) __________ , the leaves (fall) __________  from the trees.
2. He works flexible hours; if there is not much to do, he (come) __________  home early.
3. Unless you (apologize) __________ , I’ll never talk to you again.
4. If you (pick) __________  me up from work today, I (buy) __________  you a drink.
5. If you (boil)  soup, it (spoil) __________  the flavor.
6. You (get)  one point when you (answer) __________  a question correctly.
7. I (meet) __________  you in the square, unless you’d prefer to meet somewhere else.
8. If you (buy) __________  a car, I (sell) __________  my motorbike.
9. The rules of this club are very strict; if you (break) __________  them, you are asked to leave.
10. He will never get promoted unless he (learn) __________  to be more polite to customers.
11. If you really want me to, I (take) __________  the dog to the vet.
 Answers
– When autumn comes, the leaves fall from the trees.
– He works flexible hours; if there is not much to do, he comes home early.
– Unless you apologise, I’ll never talk to you again.
– If you pick me up from work today, I will buy you a drink.
– If you boil soup, it spoils the flavour.
– You get one point when you answer a question correctly.
– I will meet you in the square, unless you’d prefer to meet somewhere else.
– If you buy a car, I will sell my motorbike.
– The rules of this club are very strict; if you break them, you are asked to leave.
– He will never get promoted unless he learns to be more polite to customers.
– If you really want me to, I will take the dog to the vet.
 Practice
1. What would you do if you suddenly (win) ___________ half a million pounds?
2. If he (get up)  ___________ up earlier, he'd get to work on time.
3. If we (have)  ___________ more time, I could tell you more about it.
4. If you (sell)  ___________ more products, you'd earn more money.
5. I could help you if you (trust)  ___________ me more.
6. His car would be a lot safer if he (buy)  ___________ some new tires.
7. The children could be better swimmers if the (go) ___________ swimming more frequently.
8. I wouldn't mind having children if we (live) ___________ in the country.
9. If I (be) ___________ you, I wouldn't worry about going to university.
10. If I (have) ___________ any money, I'd give you some.
11. Your parents (be) ___________ a lot happier if you phoned them more often.
 Answers
1. What would you do if you suddenly won half a million pounds?
2. If he got up earlier, he'd get to work on time.
3. If we had more time, I could tell you more about it.
4. If you sold more products, you'd earn more money.
5. I could help you if you trusted me more.
6. His car would be a lot safer if he bought some new tires.
7. The children could be better swimmers if the went swimming more frequently.
8. I wouldn't mind having children if we (live) lived in the country.
9. If I were you, I wouldn't worry about going to university.
10. If I had any money, I'd give you some.
11. Your parents would be a lot happier if you phoned them more often.