Conditional Sentences: Go To The Library Once Every Week
Conditional Sentences: Go To The Library Once Every Week
Conditional Sentences: Go To The Library Once Every Week
(e) If I dont eat breakfast, I always get hungry In (e): The simple present is used in the result
during class. clause to express a habitual activity or situation.
(f) Water freezes (will freeze) if the temperature In (f): Either the simple present or the simple
goes below 32 F/0C. future is used in the result clause to express an
(g) If I dont eat breakfast tomorrow morning, I will established, predictable fact.
get hungry during class. In (g) and (h): The simple future is used in the
(h) If the weather is nice tomorrow, we will go on a result clause when the sentence concerns a
picnic. particular activity or situation in the future.
EXERCISE 6: Put the following words in order to create third conditional sentences
1) said / have / same / I'd / the / thing
2) would / have / no. / He / said
3) wouldn't / accepted. / They / have
4) you / what / have / said? / would
5) tried. / have / could / I
6) it. / might / got / We / have
7) You / have / done? / would / What
EXERCISE 11: Choose the correct ending for the following sentences
1. If the weather had been better yesterday,
2. If Jane had arrived on time last night,
3. If I had studied more for my exams,
4. We would have had a wonderful weekend
5. The party would have been funnier
ORAL (BOOKS CLOSED): Answer each question. Begin with No, but
Example: Do you have a dollar?
Response: No, but if I did (No, but if I had a dollar), I would lend it to you.
1. Are you rich? 8. Are you (the President of the United States)?
2. Do you have a car? 9. Are you tired?
3. Are you a bird? 10. Are you at home right now?
4. Are you in (students country/hometown)? 11. Are you married? Single?
5. Do you live in an apartment? Dormitory? 12. Do you speak (another language)?
Hotel? 13. Is the weather hot/cold today?
6. Are you the teacher of this class? 14. Are you hungry?
7. Do you have your own airplane? 15. Do you live in (New York City)?
EXERCISE 14: ORAL (BOOKS CLOSED): Begin your response with But if I had known
Example: There was a test yesterday. You didnt know that, so you didnt study.
Response: But If I had known (that there was a test yesterday), I would have studied.
1. Your friend was in the hospital. You didnt know that, so you didnt visit her.
2. Ive never met your friend. You didnt know that, so you didnt introduce me.
3. There was a party last night. You didnt know that, so you didnt go.
4. Your friends parents are in town. You didnt know that, so you didnt invite them to dinner.
5. I wanted to go to the soccer game. You didnt know that, so you didnt buy another ticket.
6. I was at home last night. You didnt know that, so you didnt visit me.
7. Your sister wanted a gold necklace for her birthday. You didnt know that, so you didnt buy her one.
8. I had a problem. You didnt know that, so you didnt offer to help.
9. The book you loved was at a discount. You didnt know that, so you didnt buy it.
10. The girl you liked had a boyfriend. You didnt know that, so she turned you down.
EXERCISE 15: Change the following statements into conditional sentences.
1. I didnt buy it because I didnt have enough money. But I would have bought it if Id had enough money.
2. I wont buy it because I dont have enough money. But
3. You got into so much trouble because you didnt listen to me. But
4. We ran out of gas because we didnt stop at the service station. But
5. Jack came, so I wasnt disappointed. But
6. The woman didnt die because she received immediate medical attention. But
7. There are so many bugs in the room because there isnt a screen on the window. But
8. Ann didnt pass the entrance examination, so she wasnt admitted to the university. But
(a) TRUE: I did not eat breakfast several hours ago, so I am hungry now.
(b) CONDITIONAL: If I had eaten breakfast several hours ago, I would not be hungry now.
(past) (present)
(c) TRUE: He is not a good student. He did not study for the test yesterday.
(d) CONDITIONAL: if he were a good student, he would have studied for the test.
(present) (past)
(a) If I were a bird, I could fly home. In (a): could fly = would be able to fly
(b) If I could sing as well as you, I would join the In (b): could sing = were able to sing
opera. In (c): could have gone = would have been
(c) If Id had enough money, I could have gone to able to go
Florida for vacation.
(d) If I dont get a scholarship, I might get a job In (d): I might get = maybe I will get
instead of going to graduate school next fall. In (e): you might get = maybe you would
(e) If you were a better student, you might get get
better grades. In (f): I might have been = maybe I would
(f) If you had told me about your problem, I might have been
have been able to help you.
(g) If John should call, tell him Ill be back around In (g): If John should call indicates a little
five. more uncertainty or doubt than If John
(h) If there should be another world war, the calls, but the meaning of the two is basically
continued existence of the human race would the same.
be in jeopardy. In (h): If there should be indicates more
uncertainty or doubt then If there were.
18-1 OMITTING IF
(a) Were I you, I wouldnt do that. With were, had (past perfect), and should,
(b) Had I known, I would have told you. sometimes if is omitted and the subject and
(c) Should anyone call, please take a message. verb are inverted.
In (a): Were I you = If I were you
In (b): Had I known = If I had known
In (c): Should anyone call = If anyone
should call
EXERCISE 19: Give sentences with the same meaning by omitting if from the conditional sentences.
1. The other team committed a foul, but the referee didnt see it. If the referee had seen it, our team would have
won the game. Had the referee seen it, our team would have won the game.
2. Your boss sounds like a real tyrant. If I were you, I would look for another job.
3. You really should learn how to use a computer. If you had used a computer, you could have finished the
work in half the time.
4. Ill be out of my office until 2:00. If you should need to reach me, Ill be in the conference room.
5. The factory was on the verge of bankruptcy. If it had gone out of business, hundreds of people would have
lost their livelihood.
6. We would have won the game if Thompson had caught the ball.
7. If Thompson had not dropped the ball, we would have won the game.*
8. The artists and creative thinkers throughout the history of the world have changed all of our lives. If they had
not dared to be different, the history of civilization would have to be rewritten.
9. If there should be a global nuclear war, some scientists predict that life on earth as we know it would end
forever.
10. If Tom had told the truth about his education background, he probably wouldnt have gotten the job with the
accounting firm. I suspect his boss will figure it out and fire him one of these days.
11. I know youre getting discouraged and are planning to drop out of school. However, if you were to finish
your education, many more career opportunities would be open to you.
12. Im glad I went to the meeting. If I hadnt been there, my proposal probably would not have been accepted.
*In the negative, not follows the subject. It is not contracted with the auxiliary verb:
CORRECT: Had I not seen it with my own eyes, I wouldnt have believed it.
INCORRECT: Hadnt I seen it with my own eyes,
EXERCISE 20: Give sentences with the same meaning by using if clauses.
1. I would have visited you, but I didnt know that you were at home.
I would have visited you if I had known you were at home.
2. It wouldnt have been a good meeting without Rosa.
It wouldnt have been a good meeting if Rosa hadnt been there.
3. I would have answered the phone, but I didnt hear it ring.
4. I couldnt have finished the work without your help.
5. I would have been on time, but I left too late.
6. He would have taken a taxi, but she didnt have enough money.
7. I like to travel. I would have gone to Nepal last summer, but I didnt have enough money.
8. I stepped on the brakes. Otherwise, I would have hit the child on the bicycle.
9. Cathy turned down the volume on the tape player. Otherwise, the neighbors probably would have called to
complain about the noise.
10. Jack would have finished his education, but he had to quit school and find a job in order to support his
family.
EXERCISE 21: Complete the sentences with the verbs in parentheses. Some of the verbs are passive.
1. If I could speak Japanese, I (spend) _____________________ next year studying in Japan.
2. Had I known Mr. Jung was in the hospital, I (spend) _____________________ him a note and some flowers.
3. We will move into our new house next month if it (complete) _____________________ by then.
4. How old (be, you) _____________________ now if you (be) _____________________ born in the year 1900?
5. Its too bad that its snowing. If it (snow, not) _____________________, we could go for a drive.
6. I was very tired. Otherwise, I (go) _____________________ to the party with you last night.
7. Im broke, but I (have) _____________________ plenty of money now if I (spend, not)
_____________________ so much yesterday.
8. That child had a narrow escape. She (hit) _____________________ by a car if her father (pull, not)
_____________________ her out of the street.
9. Im glad I have so many friends and such a wonderful family. Life without any friends or family (be)
_____________________ lonely for me.
10. My grandfather is no longer alive, but if he (be) _____________________, Im sure he (be)
_____________________ proud of me.
11. If you (sleep, not) _____________________ last night when we arrived, I would have asked you to go with
us, but I didnt want to wake you up.
12. Bill has such a bad memory that he (forget) _____________________ his head if it (be, not)
_____________________ attached to his body.
13. According to one report, the average hen lays 247 eggs a year, and the average person eats 255 eggs a year. If
hens (outnumber, not) _____________________ people, the average person (eat, not) _____________________
255 eggs a year.
EXERCISE 22: Complete the sentences with the verbs in parentheses. (*unless = if not)
1. A: What would you be doing right now if you 6. A: Why isnt Peggy Adams in class today?
(be, not) _____________________ in class? B: I dont know, but Im sure she (be, not)
B: I (sleep) _____________________. _____________________ absent unless* she (have)
_____________________ a good reason.
2. A: Why were you late for the meeting?
B: Well, I (be) _____________________ there on 7. A: When did Mark graduate?
time, but I had a flat tire on the way. B: He didnt.
A: Oh?
3. A: How did you get to work this morning? B: He had to quit school because of some trouble at
B: I drove. I (take) _____________________ the bus, home. Otherwise, he (graduate)
but I overslept. _____________________ last June.
4. A: Did you know that Bob got 100% on the test? 8. A: Hi, sorry Im late.
B: Really? That surprises me. If I didnt know better, B: Thats okay.
I (think) _____________________ he cheated. A: I (be) _____________________ here sooner, but I
had car trouble.
5. A: Boy, is it ever hot today!
B: You said it! If there (be) _____________________ 9. A: Want to ride on the roller coaster?
only a breeze, it (be, not) _____________________ B: No way! I (ride, not) _____________________ on
quite so unbearable. the roller coaster even if you paid me a million
dollars.
10. A: hi, Pat. Come on in. 12. A: Do you really mean it?
B: Oh, I didnt know you had company. I (come, B: Of course! I (say, not) _____________________ it
not) _____________________ (know, I) unless I (mean) _____________________ it.
_____________________ someone was here.
A: Thats okay. Come on and let me introduce you 13. A: Are you coming to the party?
to my friends. B: I dont think so, but if I change my mind, I (tell)
_____________________ you.
11. A: How did you do on the test?
B: Not so well. I (do) _____________________ 14. A: I hear Dorothy had an accident. Was it
much better, but I misread the direction for the last serious?
section. B: No. Luckily, she wasnt driving fast at the time of
the accident. If she (drive) faster, Im sure it (be)
_____________________ a more serious accident.