Wishes and Conditionals Unit 2

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Dr. Lenin Lara Olivo
2.1. English Conditionals: An Introduction


There are a number of structures in English that are called the conditionals which
are used to talk about possible or imaginary situations.
A "Condition" is a "situation or circumstance".

There are 2 types of conditionals in English grammar:

2.1.1. Real conditional
The situation is true, may be true or may be a possibility in the future.

2.1.2. Unreal conditional
The situation is imaginary or hypothetical.
It may exist as a way of expressing desire or advice.

if I won the lottery, I would buy a car.

For example: If a certain condition is true, then a particular result happens.

There are four basic conditionals that we use in English.

Zero Conditional
First Conditional
Second Conditional
Third Conditional

Wishes and Conditionals Unit 2
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Dr. Lenin Lara Olivo
2.2. Zero Conditional

The zero conditional is a structure used for talking about general truths, or
scientific facts -- things which always happen under certain conditions.

If the "if " clause comes first, a comma is usually used. If the " if " clause
comes second, there is no need for a comma.
The simple present tense is the tense use in both clauses. Examples:
if + [ present tense ] + [ present tense ].
If / When Condition Result
If
it rains,
we get wet
or like this:
Result IF Condition
We get wet If it rains.

1. If /when you finish the test, you can go
2. Phosphorus burns if you expose it to air.
3. If you heat water to 100 degrees Celsius, it boils.
4. If he finishes on time, we play
5. Phosphorus burns if you expose it to air.
6. If you are thirsty, there is water in the fridge.


Wishes and Conditionals Unit 2
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Dr. Lenin Lara Olivo
The Zero Conditional Exercise

if + [ present tense, ] + [ present tense ].
If it rains, we get wet
We get wet If it rains.

Use the conditions and results in the box to complete the phrases below.

Conditions

Results
you've got a headache
you don't wear a crash helmet
you heat it to 100 c
she comes home very late
you leave gates open in the country
you add sugar
you get pink
A dog bites
the dvd player comes on
Butter melts
it scratches you
You have more chance of being
killed
Exercises:

1. Water boils if ______________________________________.

2. If you mix red and white, ______________________________________.

3. ______________________________________. if you leave it in the sun.

4. If ______________________________________, take an aspirin.

5. If ______________________________________, it tastes sweet.

6. ______________________________ if you go near its food when it's eating.

7. If you pull a cat's tail,______________________________________.

8. ______________________________________.if you don't wear a seat belt.

9. You can end up brain damaged if ______________________________.


10. If you press this switch, ______________________________________.

11. If ______________________________________, her folks get very angry

12. Farmers get very angry if . ______________________________________.
Wishes and Conditionals Unit 2
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Dr. Lenin Lara Olivo
2.3. First Conditional

We use the first conditional to talk about a possibility in the future. There needs to
be a real possibility that this situation could occur.

if + [ present tense ] + [ future tense ].

If + subject + simple present tense +
Will
Can
May
must

+ [ verb in simple form ]

If I have the money, I will buy a new car

For example perhaps you want to go to the beach after lunch, but the weather is a bit
cloudy at the moment, and you only want to go if the sun comes out
The simple present tense is the tense use in both clauses. Examples:

If/When Condition Result
If
the sun comes out,
I will go the beach

or like this:
Result If/When Condition
I will go the beach if the sun comes out

Examples:

1. If/when you come over, I will make some coffee.
2. If the phone rings, I will take the call in the.
3. We will go to the cinema If he finishes on time.
4. If it is sunny, I will go for a walk.
Wishes and Conditionals Unit 2
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Dr. Lenin Lara Olivo
First Conditional Exercise at Auto-English


IF + PRESENT SIMPLE , WILL + INFINITIVE WILL
+ INFINITIVE + IF + PRESENT SIMPLE


Fill using the verb in brackets.some sentences need a NEGATIVE verb and watch out for the
third person of Singular!



1. If Clare _________ late again, the volleyball trainer will be furious. (to arrive)

2. You'll be sorry if you _________ for your exams. (to revise)

3. We _________ if the weather's good. (to go)

4.They _________ you if you wear a wig and dark glasses. (to recognize)

5. If the bus _________ on time, I won't miss the football. (to be)

6. If you _________ your homework now, you'll be free all tomorrow. (to do)

7. We _________out if there's no food at home. (to eat)

8. You'll find life much easier if you _________ more often. (to smile)

9. If it's hot, we _________ for a swim. (to go)

10. You'll do it better if you _________ more time over it. (to take)

11. If she _________ practicing, she'll get better. (to keep)

12. Mom will be very sad if Jim _________ Mother's Day again. (to forget)

13. I _________ so happy if I pass the exam. (to be)

14. You'll be really tired tomorrow if you _________ to bed soon. (to go)

15. The government _________ the next election if they continue to ignore
public opinion. (to lose)

16. If someone _________ you a bike, you can come with us. (to lend)
Wishes and Conditionals Unit 2
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Dr. Lenin Lara Olivo
2.4. Second Conditional: Imaginary Present or Unlikely Future

The Second Conditional can be used to talk about imaginary present situations,
where we are imagining something different from what is really the case. We can
also use it to talk about things in the future that are unlikely to happen, as the
condition is unlikely to be met.
IF Condition Time Result Possibility
simple past present WOULD + base verb impossible
If
I had the time,
I would learn Italian.
I don't have the time, so I'm not
going to learn Italian.
simple past future WOULD + base verb unlikely
If
I won the lottery,

I would travel
around the world.
There's a very small chance of
winning the lottery, so the trip is
unlikely
We can use other modal verbs in the past tense in the result part of the sentence:
IF Condition Result Certainty
simple past WOULD + base verb
If
I had the time,
I would learn Italian.
Although unlikely to happen, the speaker is
sure that they would do it given the opportunity.
If
I had more time,
I might learn
Spanish.
Although unlikely to happen, it is only a
possibility anyway.
If
I had more time,
I should learn some
more about
Technology.
Although unlikely to happen, the speaker is
saying that it would be a good idea, but is not
committed to it.
If
I had more time ,
I could learn Hindi.
Although unlikely to happen, it is only a
possibility anyway.


Wishes and Conditionals Unit 2
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Dr. Lenin Lara Olivo
With the verb to be, there are two forms that can be used with I, he, she & it:
IF Condition Result
I, he, she, it Were

If I were you, I'd marry her.
I, he, she, it Was
If I was you, I'd marry her.

Wishes and Conditionals Unit 2
8/10
Dr. Lenin Lara Olivo
Second Conditional Exercise at Auto-English


IF + SIMPLE PAST , WOULD + INFINITIVE
WOULD+ INFINITIVE + IF + SIMPLE PAST


Fill using the verb in brackets. Some sentences could need a NEGATIVE verb!


1. I _________ that if I were you. It's bad luck. (to do)

2. They'd be a better team if they _________ fitter. (to be)

3. If I had some spare money, I _________ a DVD player. (to buy)

4. Those children _________ so horrible if their parents were stricter. (to be)

5. I wouldn't go out with him even if you _________ me. (to pay)

6. If we _________ so hard, we wouldn't be so tired all the time. (to work)


7. If she didn't take so long in the shower, she _________ more time for
breakfast. (to have)

8. If you _________ so much beer, you wouldn't be so fat. (to drink)

9. The world _________ a better place if politicians were less vain. (to be)

10. I _________ to visit Galapagos if I had the chance. (to love)

11. If I had more free time, I _________ a play. (to write)

12. If you _________ a digital camera, you could send photos by email.
(to have)

13. He would definitely lose weight if he _________ eating carbohydrates
and sugar. (to stop)

14. If I understood more about computers, I _________ help you out. (to be able
to)


Wishes and Conditionals Unit 2
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Dr. Lenin Lara Olivo
2.5. Third Conditional: Imaginary Past
The third conditional is used when we are talking about the past and imagining
something different from what actually happened:

Condition Result What actually happened
Past Perfect
WOULD HAVE +Verb Past
Participle

If
I had known,
I would have helped. I didn't know and didn't help.

IF Condition Result Certainty
past perfect
WOULD HAVE +Verb Past
Participle

If
I had known,
I would have helped.
Although this didn't happen, the speaker is
sure about the result.
If
I had known,
I could have helped.
Although this didn't happen, the result is only
a possibility.
If
I had known,
I might have helped.
Although this didn't happen, the result is only
a possibility.
If
you had known,
you should have helped.
Although this didn't happen, it is only a good
suggestion or piece of advice.
Wishes and Conditionals Unit 2
10/10
Dr. Lenin Lara Olivo
The Third Conditional Exercise at Auto-English


IF + PAST PERFECT , WOULD HAVE + VERB PAST PARTICIPLE
WOULD HAVE + VERBPAST PARTICIPLE + IF + PAST PERFECT


Fill using the verb in brackets. Think very carefully about the meaning of the phrase before
deciding whether to use a negative or positive verb form.


1. I wouldn't be angry if you ____________my chocolate. (to eat)

2. If he had known you were in hospital, he ____________ you. (to visit)

3. We wouldn't have come by taxi if we ____________the right bus. (to find)

4. We would have visited Quito if we ____________ time. (to have)

5. If you hadn't been asking me questions all the time, I ____________the film.(to
enjoy)

6. If I ____________ your number, I would have phoned.(to know)

7. If just one person had remembered my birthday, I ____________sad. (to be)

8. I would have understood the film if it ____________in German. (to be)

9. They ____________ to see you if they hadn't been away. (to come)

10. If I'd known you were coming, I ____________a cake. (to bake)

11. If you had told me about the concert, I ____________. (to go)

12. The holidays would have been great if the weather ____________better. (to be)