Conditional Sentences

Conditional Sentences are also known as Conditional Clauses or If Clauses. They are used to express that the action in the main clause (without if) can only take place if a certain condition (in the clause with if) is fulfilled. There are three types of Conditional Sentences.

Conditional Sentence Type 1

→ It is possible and also very likely that the condition will be fulfilled.

Form: if + Simple Present, will-Future

Examples: 1) If I find her address, I’ll send her an invitation. 2) If I find her address, I will send her an invitation. 3) I will send her an invitation if I find her address. 4) If I don’t see him this afternoon, I will phone him in the evening.

Exercises. Some friends are planning a party. Everybody wants to party, but nobody's really keen on preparing and organising the party. So everybody comes up with a few conditions, just to make sure that the others will also do something.

Complete the Conditional Sentences Type I.

1. If Caroline and Sue prepareprepareswill preparethe salad, Phil decoratedecorateswill decoratethe house.
2. If Sue cutcutswill cutthe onions for the salad, Caroline peelpeelswill peelthe mushrooms.
3. Jane hooverhooverswill hoverthe sitting room if Aaron and Tim movemoveswill movethe furniture.
4. If Bob tidytidieswill tidyup the kitchen, Anita cleancleanswill cleanthe toilet.
5. Elaine buybuyswill buythe drinks if somebody helphelpswill helpher carry the bottles.
6. If Alan and Rebecca organiseorganiseswill organisethe food, Mary and Conor makemakeswill makethe sandwiches.
7. If Bob looklookswill lookafter the barbecue, Sue letletswill letthe guests in.
8. Frank playplayswill playthe DJ if the others bringbringswill bringalong their CDs.
9. Alan mixmixeswill mixthe drinks if Jane givegiveswill givehim some of her cocktail recipes.
10. If they all dodoeswill dotheir best, the party isarewill begreat.

Complete the Conditional Sentences (Type I) by putting the verbs into the correct form.

1. If you (send) this letter now, she (receive) it tomorrow.
2. If I (do) this test, I (improve) my English.
3. If I (find) your ring, I (give) it back to you.
4. Peggy (go) shopping if she (have) time in the afternoon.
5. Simon (go) to London next week if he (get) a cheap flight.
6. If her boyfriend (phone / not) today, she (leave) him.
7. If they (study / not) harder, they (pass / not) the exam.
8. If it (rain) tomorrow, I (have to / not) water the plants.
9. You (be able/ not) to sleep if you (watch) this scary film.
10. Susan (can / move / not) into the new house if it (be / not) ready on time.

Conditional Sentence Type 2

→ It is possible but very unlikely, that the condition will be fulfilled.

Form: if + Simple Past, Conditional I (= would + Infinitive)

Example: 1) If I found her address, I would send her an invitation. 2)  I would send her an invitation if I found her address. 3) If I had a lot of money, I wouldn’t stay here.

Were instead of Was

In IF Clauses Type II, we usually use ‚were‘ – even if the pronoun is I, he, she or it –.

Example: If I were you, I would not do this.

Exercises. Начало формы Janine is a daydreamer. She imagines what would happen if she won the lottery.

Complete the Conditional Sentences Type II.

1. If I would playplayedthe lottery, I would havehada chance to hit the jackpot.
2. If I would hithitthe jackpot, I would bewererich.
3. If I would bewererich, my life would changechangedcompletely.
4. I would buyboughta lonely island, if I would findfounda nice one.
5. If I would ownowneda lonely island, I would buildbuilta huge house by the beach.
6. I would inviteinvitedall my friends if I would havehada house by the beach.
7. I would pickpickedmy friends up in my yacht if they would wantwantedto spend their holidays on my island.
8. We would havehadgreat parties if my friends would comecameto my island.
9. If we would likelikedto go shopping in a big city, we would charterchartereda helicopter.
10. But if my friends' holidays would bewereover, I would feelfeltvery lonely on my lonely island.

Complete the Conditional Sentences (Type II) by putting the verbs into the correct form. Use conditional I with would in the main clause.

1. If we (have) a yacht, we (sail) the seven seas.
2. If he (have) more time, he (learn) karate.
3. If they (tell) their father, he (be) very angry.
4. She (spend) a year in the USA if it (be) easier to get a green card.
5. If I (live) on a lonely island, I (run) around naked all day.
6. We (help) you if we (know) how.
7. My brother (buy) a sports car if he (have) the money.
8. If I (feel) better, I (go) to the cinema with you.
9. If you (go) by bike more often, you (be / not) so flabby.
10. She (not / talk) to you if she (be) mad at you.

Example: If we get the early train, we will be there by lunch-time.

1. If you (not give) me an excuse, I (not be) your friend any more.
2. I (accept) your excuse only if you (tell) me the truth.
3. I (tell) you the truth only if you (not tell) anyone else.
4. What (happen) if everybody (know) your secret?
5. What (you/say) if I (not say) anything?
6. If you (put) me under pressure, I (say) anything.

Exercise 1. Choose the correct response for each of the sentences:
1. If you _________ greasy food, you will become fat.
  eat
  will eat
2. If your sister goes to Paris, she _________ a good time.
  has
  will have
3. If he _________ that, he will be sorry.
  will do
  does
4. If I leave now, I ________ in New York by 8:00 PM.
  will arrive
  arrive
5. You ________ on your test if you don't study.
  won't do well
  don't do well
6. They won't know the truth if you ________ them.
  won't tell
  don't tell
7. If I bake a cake, ________ have some?
  will you
  do you
8. If he ________ you, will you answer the phone?
  will call
  calls
9. If you don't go to the party, I ________ very upset.
  am
  will be
10. If you get a haircut, you ________ much better.
  will look
  look

Exercise 2. Example: If we get the early train, we will be there by lunch-time.
1. If you (not give) me an excuse, I (not be) your friend any more.
2. I (accept) your excuse only if you (tell) me the truth.
3. I (tell) you the truth only if you (not tell) anyone else.
4. What (happen) if everybody (know) your secret?
5. What (you/say) if I (not say) anything?
6. If you (put) me under pressure, I (say) anything.

Exercise 3.

1. If I .................. (work) harder, I ................ (know) more.
2. If he .............. (not eat) breakfast, he .............. (be) hungry.
3. If you ................(have) a toothache, .......... (go) to the dentist.
4. If Dorothy .......(not come) back home before midnight, her parents ......... (be) very angry.
5. Bill’s wife .................(not be) unhappy if he ....................(wash) the dishes.
6. Our plants ........................... (die) if we ................................. (not water) them.
7. We .............................. (not sunbathe) if it .............................. (not stop) raining.
8. If they .......................(not save) some money, they ..........................(not buy) a house.
9. If you ...............................(have) a cold, ............................. (go) to bed.
10. If you ...........................(find) my wallet, .............................. (let) me know.
11. If she .................... (have) a poor sight, she ................................ (should/wear) glasses .
12. You ....................... (get) wet if you ...................................... (not take) an umbrella.
13. Kate ... (may/have) sleeping problems if she .....(watch) TV for more than 12 hours a day.
14. You ........................ (not get) a surprise if you .............................. (not be) quiet.
15. If your boyfriend .............. (propose) to you, what .........................(you/say)?
16. If you ..............................(take) an aspirin, you ........................(feel) much better.
17. If Claudia ................ (want) to lose some weight, she ......(should/stop) eating sweets.
18. ....................(tell) your brother that I want to talk to him if you ............ (see) him.
19. Kate’s mother .............. (give) her a dessert if she ...............................(eat) dinner.
20. You ................ (not be) punished if you .................. (not be) noisy.

Exercise 4.

1. If I (to study), I (to pass) the exams.
2. If the sun (to shine), we (to walk) to the town.
3. If he (to have) a temperature, he (to see) the doctor.
4. If my friends (to come), I (to be) very happy.
5. If she (to earn) a lot of money, she (to fly) to New York.
6. If we (to travel) to London, we (to visit) the museums.
7. If you (to wear) sandals in the mountains, you (to slip) on the rocks.
8. If Rita (to forget) her homework, the teacher (to give) her a low mark.
9. If they (to go) to the disco, they (to listen) to loud music.

11. If you don't study, you (pass) the exam.
12.  If it rains, we (stay) at home.
13.  If it (be) sunny, we'll go to the beach.
14.  If that shop (be) closed, we'll go to another one.
15.  If you (want) , we'll go to the park.
16.  If Adam (arrive) late, his father will be upset.
17. If you work hard, you (get) a bonus.
18.  If you (send) the letter today, it'll arrive tomorrow.

Translate into Ukrainian.

1. If I hear any news about her, I’ll phone you.
2. If my brother lose his money, I’ll help him.
3. If I have enough money, I will buy a new French car.
4. If the weather is fine, I will go for a walk to the park.
5. If I had a million dollars, I would buy a new luxurious house.
6. If I were you, I would strike up the acquaintance with these Englishmen.
7. If I were your mother, I would be dead against your favourite abseiling.
8. If this restaurant were mine, you would get a special offer and a discount.

Translate into English:

1. Якщо ти принесеш книжку, я приготую розповідь про  цього письменника.
2. Якщо погода буде сонячна, мої друзі проведуть уікенд на пляжі.
3. Якщо діти відвідають цей музей,  вони отримають культурне вдосконалення.
4. Якщо вона виявить ентузіазм у вивченні англійської , вчитель допоможе їй вивчити цю мову добре.
5. Якби я мав більше вільного часу, я б написав тобі повідомлення.
6. Якби я був на твоєму місці, я б не залишався у переповненому людьми місці.
7. Якби ти зрозумів і допоміг мені, я б не змінився на гірше.
8. Якби вода у річці була б теплою, моя сестра б плавала б із задоволенням.