CONDITIONALS (REVISION)

TYPE I (future reference; real, i.e. likely to happen)

If you study harder next time, you will pass your exam.

Apart from the most common conjunction IF, conditional clauses can be introduced by other
conjunctions, as in the examples below:

Unless you study harder next time, you won’t pass your exam. (= if you don’t study)
You will pass your exam provided / providing (that) you study hard.
You will pass your exam as long as you study hard.
You will pass your exam on condition that you study hard.

IF + WILL

WILL is not normally used in a conditional clause but rather in the main clause; however, when used
after IF, it has different meanings, namely it expresses willingness to do something or insistence on
doing something:

If you will calm down for a minute, I will be able to help you. (= If you want to, if you are willing to)
If you will make noise, I will call the police. (=if you insist on making noise)

IF + SHOULD

If you should need help, just give me a call. (=if you happen to need help, if by any chance you need help
– this implies that I don’t really expect you to need my help, it’s just a chance possibility, and therefore
not really likely to happen)
Should you need help, give me a call. (inversion)

TYPE II (present / future reference; hypothetical, imaginary situations or completely unreal situations
in the present)

If she had money, she would travel round the world. (unreal – she doesn’t have money, so she doesn’t
travel)
If you found a lot of money in the street, what would you do with it? (hypothetical situation – not
entirely impossible but unlikely to happen)

If I were a millionaire, I would be charitable. / Were I a millionaire … (inversion)

If I were to inherit a fortune, I would spend part of the money on travel. (were + infinitive = highly
unlikely situations) / Were I to inherit … (inversion)

TYPE III (past reference; unreal past situations)

If he hadn’t lent us the money, we would have gone bankrupt.

Had he not lent us the money, we would have gone bankrupt. (inversion)
But for his loan, we would have gone bankrupt. (BUT FOR + noun = If it hadn’t been for his loan …)
MIXED CONDITIONALS (type 2 + type 3 and vice versa)

If you had listened to my instructions carefully, you would know how to do the task now.
(= you didn’t listen to the instructions, so you don’t know)

If I spoke German, I would have applied for that job when I saw the advert.
(= I don’t speak German, so I didn’t apply for the job)

PRACTICE

I Put the verbs in brackets into the correct form

Bob was getting bored of lying in his hospital bed, so he was happy to see his Uncle Jim come into the
room. ‘Hello, Bobby!’ shouted Jim. ‘How are you?’ ‘Well, I _________________(be) better if I
__________________(not lie) in this hospital,’ grumbled Bob. ‘Oh cheer up! You _________________
(never / get) better if you ________________(have) such a negative attitude’, said Jim. ‘You
____________________ (have) a negative attitude too if you __________________(be) stuck in this
boring room with no TV for 24 hours a day!’ said Bob. ‘Well, you have no one to blame but yourself,’
said Jim. ‘If you __________________(not drive) so fast, you ___________________(not crash into that
tree).’ ‘Oh no, Uncle Jim, if one more person ___________________(say) that to me, I swear I
__________________ (punch) them!’ said Bob. ‘Now, now Bobby! If I ________________(be) you, I
__________________(be) more polite to my visitors. ‘I’m sorry,’ Bob apologized. ‘I promise I
__________________(be) polite as long as you __________________(not mention) my reckless driving
again. ‘OK, Bobby,’ agreed Jim. ‘I’m sorry too. If I _________________(know) how upset it makes you, I
__________________(not mention) it.’

II Rephrase the sentences below as conditionals

1.He isn’t celebrating because he didn’t win the race.

2.They are not at the reception because they weren’t invited.

3.I bought the book because it was a bestseller.

4.I don’t know him very well, so I didn’t give him any advice.

5.You didn’t book the seats, so we can’t go to the concert tonight!

6.Please wait here and I’ll see if Mr Jones is available.

7.Since you insist on handing in your notice, I won’t stop you.

8.If you happen to see him, give him my regards.

9.He didn’t take his job seriously, so he is unemployed now.

10.I didn’t make a mistake thanks to your advice.

11.I didn’t enjoy the meal because the meat was overdone.

12.They don’t study hard enough, so they don’t have good grades.

13.You don’t spend enough time with your son, so you don’t know what bothers him.

III Complete the following sentences

1.Ih he does well in the interview, …

2.If you had caught the bus, …

3.Should you see Jane tonight, …

4.But for him, …

5.Unless he gets a promotion, …

6.She would have gone to work …

7.Only if you save your money, …