CONDITIONALS (I)

Those troublesome conditionals!

TASK 1 - Would you find the following sentences acceptable?

ALL the sentences are correct :)

1. If you will eat so many hamburgers, you shouldn’t be surprised if you put on weight!

“WILL” here comes from “WILLINGNESS”, wanting to do something, insisting on doing

something (usually something the speaker doesn’t agree or sympathise). It shows the
speaker’s disapproval of the interlocutor’s “willfulness” - disagreeable obstinacy.

2. If you won’t help me with the dishes, I won’t help you with the hoovering!

Similar but in the negative “WON’T” means you refuse to do, you show obstinate
willfulness and refuse to cooperate. It emphasizes the speaker’s annoyance, or disapproval.

3. If you would kindly take a seat, Mr Smith will be with you in a moment.

Not really a conditional sentence, though looks nearly like one. It’s a polite request. This
“if”, and “would” offer more choice to the person we speak to, and make sure it doesn’t
sound like an order.

4. If you wouldn’t mind sitting here for a minute, I’ll see if anyone is free.

Same again.

5. If you will kill him, I’ll give you the money.

Means the speaker is prepared to pay once the interlocutor agrees to kill. By contrast: If you
kill him, … - I’ll pay you once he’s dead.

6. If you have finished your work, you can go.

Variation on Conditional I, instead of Pres. Simple we use Pres. Perfect to emphasise that the
action must be completed. CAN, or MAY are used for giving permission, as it makes more
sense than WILL.

7. If you would only listen to what I'm saying, you might understand!

Suggests that the interlocutor doesn’t listen generally, and probably isn’t listening now,
which exasperates the speaker. WOULD here is for stressing the emotions of the speaker.

8. If he hadn’t worked so hard, he wouldn’t be so well-off now.

Mixed Cond. Type III and II – to show how past actions have results or consequences in the
present.

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9. If I weren’t so busy all the time, I would have been able to help.

Another mixed Cond. But this time the broadly understood present situation had
consequences at the particular instant in the past (e.g. last Saturday)

10. If you watched the film last night you will understand what I am talking about.

Not a conditional sentence at all. Conditionals require the speaker to know what really
happened, and they only hypothesise about alternatives. In this sentence, the speaker
genuinely doesn’t know whether his audience watched or didn’t watch the film last night.

11. If I was sad, my grandmother would make my favourite ginger biscuits to comfort me.

This sentence could be understood in two ways: A) Conditional Type II but with the
colloquial “WAS” instead of the more proper “WERE”.
B) If may mean “whenever”, and “would make” used to make. Then sentence refers to some
particular period in the past (childhood?) where such situations would typically occur.

TASK 2 - How would you fill the gaps in the following sentences?

1. If you ...WERE........ (born) before 1916, well, congratulations to you!

2. If you .WILL EAT.. (eat) McDonald's, don't come to me when you are ill!
3. If you WON’T / DON’T. (help) me, I shall just do it myself. (cross speaker / objective
speaker.
4. If I JUMPED OFF. (jump off) a cliff, do you think I would survive?
5. If you WOULD ONLY STOP (only, stop) procrastinating, you might get some work
done.
6. ..IF YOU PASS (pass) the cake shop, get me a big one!
7. If you ..WOULD JUST TAKE (just, take) a seat, Dr Jones will be with you shortly.
8. Had I been born 2 days later, I .MIGHT BE (might, be) a completely different person
9. .IF.... I …WERE a teacher, I ..WOULD HAVE LOST. (lose) my temper this morning.
10. If you ..HAVE COMPLETED....... (complete) your tasks, then please hand them in
ASAP.

CONDITIONALS PHRASED DIFFERENTLY

TASK 3 - Rephrase the following sentence using the words given.

1. If my mother hadn’t helped me, I wouldn’t have been able to solve half these problems.
HAD MY…mother not helped me, I wouldn’t have.....................
HAD IT …not been for my mother’s help, I wouldn’t have ….
BUT FOR my mother’s help, I wouldn’t have…………..

2. If it hadn’t been for the last minute job offer, I would have killed myself.
HAD …it not been for the last minute job offer…………
BUT FOR …the last minute job offer……………………………

3. If I jumped off this cliff, do you think I would survive?

IF I WERE TO …jump off this cliff, …………………….
WERE I TO …jump off this cliff…………………………………….

4. If you go past the bakery, could you get me a large muffin, please?
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IF YOU SHOULD …go past the bakery………………………………...
SHOULD …you go past the bakery…………………………………...