UNIT 2

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 the English grammar:

2.1.1. Real conditional - The situation is true, may be true or may be a

possibility in the future. The subordinate clause is always in the present tense while the main clause is either: imperative, present or future.

2.1.2. Unreal conditional - The situation is imaginary or hypothetical. It may exist as a way of expressing desire or advice. The grammatical formula is as follows: the subordinate clause is in the past or past perfect and the main clause is in the simple conditional or perfect conditional.

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

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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. A zero conditional sentence consists of two clauses, an "if" clause and a main clause (note that most zero conditional sentences will mean the same thing if "when" is used instead of "if"). For example: 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 If or like this: Result We get wet IF If Condition it rains. Condition it rains, Result we get wet

Notice that we only use a comma in the first example. Examples: 1. If /when you finish the test, you can go 2. If you cross an international date line, the time changes. 3. Phosphorus burns if you expose it to air. 4. If you heat water to 100 degrees celsius, it boils. 5. If I drink coffee, I get a headache. 6. miss my bus if I get up late 7. If he finishes on time, we play 8. Phosphorus burns if you expose it to air. 9. If you heat water to 100 degrees Celsius, it boils. 10. If I drink coffee, I get a headache. 1. If you are thirsty, there is water in the fridge.
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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 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 Results 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 . ______________________________________.

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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 + [ verb in simple form ] May must

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 If or like this: Result

Condition the sun comes out,

Result I will go the beach

If/When if

Condition the sun comes out

I will go the beach 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.

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English IV Extension

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First Conditional Exercise

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)

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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. We use the past tense in the condition part and would for the result. IF Condition past simple If I had the time, past simple If I won the lottery, future Time present Result WOULD + base verb I would learn Italian. WOULD + base verb I would travel around the world. Possibility impossible I don't have the time, so I'm not going to learn Italian. unlikely 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 past simple If If I had the time, I had more time, I had more time, I had more time , Result WOULD + base verb I would learn Italian. I might learn Spanish. I should learn some more about IT. I could learn Hindi. Although unlikely to happen, the speaker is sure that they would do it given the opportunity. Although unlikely to happen, it is only a possibility anyway. Although unlikely to happen, the speaker is saying that it would be a good idea, but is not committed to it. Although unlikely to happen, it is only a possibility anyway. Certainty

If

If

With the verb to be, there are two forms that can be used with I, he, she & it: IF I, he, she, it If Condition Were I were you, I'd marry her. Result

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I, he, she, it If

Was I was you, I'd marry her.

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Second Conditional Exercise

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

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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 Past Perfect If I had known, Result WOULD HAVE + Verb Past Participle I would have helped. I didn't know and didn't help. What actually happened

IF

Condition past perfect

Result WOULD HAVE+ verb past participle I would have helped. I could have helped. I might have helped. you should have helped.

Certainty

If If If If

I had known, I had known, I had known, you had known,

Although this didn't happen, the speaker is sure about the result. Although this didn't happen, the result is only a possibility. Although this didn't happen, the result is only a possibility. Although this didn't happen, it is only a good suggestion or piece of advice.

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The Third Conditional Exercise IF + PAST PERFECT, WOULD HAVE + VERB PAST PARTICIPLE WOULD HAVE + VERB PAST 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)

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