Grammar

Z e m ff first and second condlilQ®Biais

Conditional sentences have two parts: the ♦ i f + present continuous —►will/modal verb/
conditional clause, which begins with i f (or other imperative
words such as when, unless, etc.), and the main I f y ou ’re leaving, I’ll com e with you.
clause. Conditional sentences follow basic patterns. ♦ i f + present perfect -> wz7//modal verb/
imperative
See also: © I f you’ve fin ish ed your homework, you can
go out.
♦ i f + present perfect continuous —> will/modal
Zero conditional
verb/imperative
» We use the zero conditional to talk about If she’s been w aitin g for ages, she m ay g et
things that are always or generally true as a worried.
result of an action. ♦ imperative + and/or —►wz'W/modal verb
» T o form zero conditional sentences, we use: E at less an d y ou ’ll lose weight.
i f + present simple -> present simple: » We can also use the following words and
W hen water freezes, it turns to ice. phrases in first conditional sentences:
I f you m ix red and blue, you get purple. ♦ (just) in case: This means ‘because it is
» The conditional clause can come before or after possible that’ and it usually comes after the
the main clause. When it comes first, we put a main clause:
comma after it: Ann will bring you a coat in case it gets cold.
When I travel by boat, I often get sick. ♦ p rov ided/providin g (that), as long as:
I often get sick when I travel by boat. These phrases mean ‘on condition that’:
P rovided you rest, you ’ll feel better soon.
First conditional ♦ unless: This means ‘if not’:
I f you d o n ’t leave now, you ’ll be late.
° We use the first conditional to talk about
—> Unless you leave now, you ’ll be late.
possible actions or events in the future.
» T o form first conditional sentences, we use:
i f + present simple —►will + infinitive: Second conditional
I f it rains, we’ll stay at home. • We use the second conditional to talk about
» Other structures are also possible in first unlikely events or situations in the future, or
conditional sentences: improbable/impossible events or situations in
♦ i f + present simple -* modal verb the present.
I f you p rom ise to behave yourself, you can = To form second conditional sentences, we use:
com e. i f + past simple + would + infinitive:
» i f + present simple -> be going to I f I h a d enough money, I w ould retire.
I f you d o n ’t w ork hard, you’re goin g to fa il. ° In the main clause, we can also use could or
♦ i f + present simple - » imperative might instead of would:
I f you n eed anything, just ask. I f I lost my job, I m ight go abroad fo r a while.
» In the if clause, we can use were instead of was:
I ’d quit my jo b i f I w ere rich.

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 ZERO, FIRST AND SECOND CONDITIONALS

@ Complete the second sentence so that it has

a similar meaning to the first sentence, using
the word given. Use between two and five
Complete the sentences. Use the correct words. Do not change the word given.
form of the verbs in brackets.
0 She has to do this herself because she doesn’t
0 If she f h o v s e s (phone), I’ll let you know. have a secretary.
1‘ If I .............. (not be) busy, I’ll come. - HAVE
2 If h e ..............(be) careful, he wouldn’t break She .. Would/db have f o d p .. this herself if
so many things! she had a secretary.
3 If we didn’t have to work late, w e .............. 1 I’ll let you borrow my laptop if you promise
(join) you. to be careful.
'I If she breaks that vase, Grandma.............. LONG

(be) furious! You can borrow my laptop...................... to be

careful.
5 Unless y o u .............. (stop) wasting time, I’m
leaving right now! 2 I can’t help you with your homework because
I’m not very good at maths.
6 I can’t help you if y o u .............. (not give) me
COULD
more information.
If I were better at m aths,...................... you
7 If a fire .............. (start), the alarm goes off. with your homework.
H Y o u .............. (should / make) your own food 3 If we win the elections, we will build more
if you don’t like my cooking!
schools.
9 .............. (take) more exercise and you’ll feel PROVIDED
much better soon. We will build more schools...................... the
10 If it wasn’t raining, w e.............. (go) for a walk. elections.
4 They won’t let you into the theatre without a
Write two sentences for each item. ticket.
UNLESS
0 we / leave at eight, we / arrive on time
They won’t let you into the theatre
likely: i f . We. .leave .a+. eigWf,. We.'ll. .avnriye
...................... a ticket.
pv\. +hy\e.....................................................................
5 Bring your sun cream because we may decide
less likely: I f . We. . l e f t .a+. eight,. We'd..........
to go for a swim.
!fl.'r.vT!Y©. &Y\. t ’w .e . ....................................................
CASE
1 I / not be busy, I / pick you up Bring your sun cream ...................... to go for a
likely:............................................................................ swim.
less likely:....................................................................
2 you / fall, you / break your leg
likely:............................................................................
less likely:....................................................................
I we / not leave now, we / be late
likely:............................................................................
less likely:....................................................................
<1 you / get the job, we / have a party
likely:............................................................................
less likely:....................................................................
'< Ilie questions / be easy, everyone / pass the test
likely:............................................................................
less likely:....................................................................
 Third conditional, mixed conditionals

Third conditional
• We use the third conditional to talk about
events that were possible in the past but did O Complete the sentences. Use the correct
not happen. form of the verbs in brackets.
o To form third conditional sentences, we use: i f
0 If you had c o m e (come) to the theatre
+ past perfect + would have + past participle: yesterday, you .Wowjd haye.ey^joyed,
I f Bruce had asked me, I would have said yes. (enjoy) the play.
I f I hadn’t become a teacher, I would have
1 If I .............. (come) to Athens last year, I
liked to be an actor. </
..............(visit) you.
I f I wouldn’t have become a teacher, I would
like to be an actor. X 2 If w e.............. (know) you already had
tickets, w e.............. (not get) any for you.
° Notice how changing the clauses from positive
to negative changes the meaning: 3 If y o u .............. (not destroy) my computer, I
I f I had taken an umbrella, I wouldn’t have got .............. (not need) a new one now!
wet. (= I did get wet.) 4 If y o u .............. (not leave) the party so early
I f I hadn’t taken an umbrella, I would have got on Saturday, y o u .............. (might / meet) Joe.
wet. (= I didn’t get wet.) 5 If y o u .............. (not spend) all your money,
• Both clauses can be negative: your fath er.............. (not be) angry now.
They wouldn’t have missed their plan e i f they 6 I .............. (could / become) an accountant if
hadn ’t overslept. (= They did oversleep and they I .............. (be) good at maths.
did miss their plane.) 7 If sh e .............. (try) harder, sh e ................(get)
®In the main clause, we can use could or might that promotion last year.
instead o f would: 8 H e .............. (not get) the job if h e ................
I f y ou ’d asked, I could have told you the answer. (miss) his interview.
I might have got the jo b i f I had applied fo r it. 9 If I .............. (meet) you before, my life
.............. (be) different now.
Mixed conditionals 10 If h e .............. (not see) that car, th ere................
Sometimes we use the second and third (be) an accident.
conditionals in the same sentence. We call these
sentences mixed conditional sentences and
we use them when a past event has an effect
on the present. The conditional clause (third
conditional) refers to the past and the main
clause (second conditional) refers to the present
or future. Compare the following sentences:
I f you hadn’t invited me, I wouldn’t have gone
to the party, (third conditional; I did go to the
party.)
I f you hadn’t invited me, I wouldn’t be here now.
(third conditional + second conditional; I’m here
now.)

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 THIRD CONDITIONAL, MIXED CONDITIONALS

Q W rite third conditional sentences.

0 I felt tired. I went to bed early.
If X .-felt.tivrad,..X.WowIcWt.bAv.e..gcws.,+e. .feed.eavdy-..
1 I didn’t have enough money. I didn’t take a taxi.
I f .................................................................................................................................
2- I wasn’t interested in the film. I didn’t go to the cinema.
I f ......................................................................................’ .........................................
3 We took the wrong turning. We arrived late.
I f ...................................................................................................................: ...........•
4 Romeo thought Juliet was dead. He committed suicide.
R om eo.......................................................................................................................
5 Oliver lied. He was punished.
O liver...................................................................................................................... ..
6 I didn’t go to the wedding. I wasn’t invited.
I ...................................................................................................................................
7 I was afraid o f the dark. I didn’t go downstairs.
I f .................................................................................................................................
8 You didn’t train hard enough. You didn’t win.
I f .................................................................................................................................
9 He didn’t apologise. She didn’t forgive him.
I f .................................................................................................................................
10 She didn’t have a car. She had to take a taxi.
I f ............................................................................................................................... ..

Q Complete the article. Use one word in each gap.

®O0

T h e m ille n n iu m b u g
If you were around at the end of 1999, you’ve probably heard about the ‘millennium bug’
affecting the world’s computer systems and its catastrophic effects. We waited and nothing
happened. But what would <0)..KAy.e.. happened if there really had (1)............ a millennium
bug? Some experts claimed that it (2)............ have created chaos on the Internet, the
whole system would have collapsed and all kinds of disasters would (3)............ followed:
there (4)............ have been massive power failures, telephones would (5).............. stopped
working, banks (6)............ have closed and so on.
What will happen if there (7)............ a similar bug in the future? Experts say that it is
unlikely, but(8)............ it did happen, it (9)..............pose a serious problem. And if it
happened unexpectedly, technicians (10)............ not have time to take the necessary action
to prevent all possible problems. It is an unlikely scenario bu t(11)............ we plan ahead,
we may live to find out.
A
|Y

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