CONDITIONALS

IF –CLAUSE MAIN CLAUSE USE

(hypothesis)
(result clause)

Type 1 IF + any present form a) FUTURE *True or likely to

– real b) IMPERATIVE happen in the
(PRESENT SIMPLE, c) CAN/MAY/MIGHT/
present present or the future
PRESENT CONT., SHOULD + BARE
PRESENT PERFECT) INFINITIVE
d) PRESENT SIMPLE
a) If you finish work early, we’ll go for a walk.
b) If you’re ill, see a doctor!
c) If you have finished your coffee, we can pay the bill.
d) If you burn yourself, it hurts.
IF + PAST WOULD/COULD/MIGHT + *Untrue in the present;
SIMPLE/PAST BARE INFINITIVE
Type 2 *Also used to give
CONTINUOUS
- unreal advice
present
If I had money, I would travel round the world. (but I don’t have money –
untrue in the present)

If I were you, I would take an umbrella. (advice)

IF + PAST WOULD/COULD/MIGHT + *Imaginary situation

PERFECT/PAST HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE contrary to facts in the
Type 3 -
PERFECT past;
unreal
CONTINUOUS
past *Also used to express
regrets or criticism

If we hadn’t left so early, we would have missed the plane.

 There are three types of conditionals:

Type 1 –true in the present

If the weather is nice, we’ll go swimming. (true – It’s possible.)

Type 2 – untrue in the present

If I were a bird, I could fly. (untrue in the present -I am not a bird.)

Type 3 – imaginary, contrary to facts in the past.

If I had been invited to the party, I would have gone. (imaginary in the past -I wasn’t invited, so I
didn’t go.)
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  When the if-clause precedes the result clause, we separate the two clauses with a comma.

If you work hard, you will succeed.

but: You will succeed if you work hard. (no comma)

 Conditionals are usually introduced by if, unless (= if not – normally used with 1st type
conditionals).

The following expressions can be used instead of “If”: providing, provided (that), as long as, in
case, on condition (that), but for (= without), otherwise, or else, what if, supposing,
even if, only if.

If you don’t reserve a ticket, you won’t get a seat.

Unless you reserve a ticket, you won’t get a seat.

You will get a seat providing/provided (that)/as long as/only if you reserve a ticket.

Only if you reserve a ticket, will you get a seat. (When we begin the sentence with “only if”, we
invert the subject and the verb of the result clause.)

Reserve a ticket, otherwise/or else you won’t get a seat.

What if it rains, will you still go for a picnic with him?

Supposing it rains, will you still go for a picnic with him?

Will you still go for a picnic with him even if it rains?

But for him, I wouldn’t have been able to survive. (If it hadn’t been for him – without
his help)

 We do not normally use will, would or should in an if-clause. However, we can use will,
would, should in conditionals to make a request or express insistence,
annoyance, doubt or uncertainty.

If you will/ would calm down for a minute, I will be able to help you. (request – Will you please
calm down?)

If you will make a noise, I’ll send you out. (insistence – If you insist on making a noise …)

If you should need any help, ask me. (uncertainty -I am not sure you will need help.)

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  We can omit “if”. When we omit “if” should, were and had (Past Perfect) come
before the subject.
If he should turn up, tell him to wait for me. → Should he turn up, tell him to wait for me.

If I were you, I would speak to her. → Were I you, I would speak to her.

If he had known, he would have told us. → Had he known, he would have told us.

 After “if” we normally use WERE instead of was in all persons in type 2
conditionals in formal Situations. Was is mainly used in spoken English.
If I were/was you, I wouldn’t buy such an expensive dress.

EXERCISES

I. Rephrase the following using “unless”.

1. If the neighbours don’t stop shouting, I’ll call the police.
2. If he doesn’t pay the fine, he may go to prison.
3. If the traffic isn’t heavy, we should arrive by 10 pm.
4. If the Chinese restaurant isn’t open, we’ll go for a pizza.
5. If the athlete can’t improve his speed, he won’t break the record.

II. Rewrite the following sentences omitting “if”.

1. If you drink too much coffee, you won’t be able to sleep.

2. If you’d brought a map, we wouldn’t have got lost.
3. If I were you, I wouldn’t tell anyone about it.
4. If he’d known about the meeting, I’m sure he would have come.
5. If you come across Paul, tell him I want to see him.

III. Rephrase the following using the words in brackets.

1. You can take photos in museums if you don’t use a flash. (only if, otherwise, as long as, unless)

2. If you eat sensibly, you won’t put on weight. (providing, unless, otherwise, on condition that)

3. Should he invite me, I’ll go. (if, unless, provided, only if)

IV. Complete the following sentences with an appropriate conditional clause.

1. If I won £1,000,000,… ……………………………………………………………………………………………….

2. If you do well in the interview, ……………………………………………………………………………………

3. If you had caught the bus, ……………………………………………………………………………………………

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4. Should you see Jane tonight, ………………………………………………………………………………

5. But for him, I …………………………………………………………………………………………………….

6. Unless he gets a promotion, …………………………………………………………………………………………

7. She would have gone to work ……………………………………………………………………………….

8. Only if you save your money, ........………………………………………………………………………………….

V. What do the if-clauses express: request, insistence, annoyance or uncertainty?

1. If you will wash up afterwards, I’ll make lunch, (… ……………………………………………….)

2. If you will listen to that awful music, you could at least wear headphones. (…………………………..)

3. If you will lend me the money, I can pay you back on pay-day. (…. …………………………………..)

4. If you should drop out of college, you will have to look for a job. (……………………………………….)

5. If the dog will keep barking, I’ll let it out. (……………………………………………………)

VI. Put the verbs in brackets into the correct tense.

“If you don’t work harder at school, you 1) ………………………………………. (never/get) a good job.” I
remember my parents saying these words to me when I was at school. If I had listened to them then,
I 2)……………………………………….(not/become) what I am now. I 3)…………………………………(be) so much
more if I had tried harder. I haven’t always been a tramp actually; when I left school I had a job as a
milkman and if the hours had been easier, I 4)……………………………………….(do) it for much longer, but I
hated getting up so early in the morning. When I lost my job, I 5)………………… (cannot/ pay) the rent,
so my landlord said that if I 6)…………………………………………………..(not/get) another job, I would be on
the streets; and before I knew it, I was. I could have got another job if I 7)…………………………………………..
(want) to, but at first I quite enjoyed the freedom of the outdoor life. If you sleep out in summer, it 8)
………………………………………….(not/be) too bad, but in winter it’s awful. If I 9)
………………………………………………… (can/change) anything about my life now, I would get in touch with
my family again, even though I know they would only say, “If you’d worked harder at school, you 10)
………………………………………… (not/get) yourself in this situation.