CONDITIONAL CLAUSES

ZERO CONDITIONAL
Use: to talk about something that is true at any time

If you eat too much, you get fat. (=fact)

FIRST CONDITIONAL
Use: to talk about things that are possible in the future

If I see Ann, Ill invite her. (=real / possible in the future)

SECOND CONDITIONAL
Use: to imagine something that is not true (refers to the present/future!)

If I won a lot of money, Id buy a new house. (= unreal in the present)

THIRD CONDITIONAL
Use: to imagine something that did not happen in the past

If he had tried harder, he would have passed the exam.

(= unreal in the past)

Type 3
Form:

If + past perfect would / could/ might+ have + past participle

Use:

past conditions that cannot be fulfilled

If more countries had invested on space exploration, we would have found
much more about it.

Exercises:
A- Complete the sentences to form past conditions.
1. If the Soviets ____________(not / enter) the Space Race, the exploration
of space ____________(be) slower.
2. If Sputnik 1s mission ____________(not / be) successful, the space
program ____________ (slow down).
3. If the Moon ____________ (not/be) the first celestial body to be explored,
Neil Armstrong ____________ (walk) there.

4. If China ____________ (not / launched) its own space station, only the
USA and Russia ____________(remain) in that race.
5. Some people say that if the US government ____________(not / spend)
so much money on space, they ____________(solve) other problems on
Earth.
6. Other point out that if they ____________(not / explore) space, they
____________ (not/ achieve) success in other areas.
B- Write sentences according to the example.
1. The car broke down. You didnt check it.
If you had checked the car, it wouldnt have broken down.
2. They didnt use the map. They got lost.
If _________________________
__________________________
3. They didnt but any water. they were very thirsty.
If _________________________
__________________________
4. There werent any taxis going by. They waited for hours.
If _________________________
__________________________

THIRD CONDITIONAL
FORM:
If clause
If+ past perfect
USES:
Criticism.
Speculating .

+ main clause
+ would / could + present perfect
Example : If you had studies, you would have passed.
Example: I wouldnt have invited him if I had known.

A- Underline the correct form of the verbs.

1. If he hadnt committed a crime, he wouldnt be / wouldnt have been arrested.
2. If the hotel hadnt been so expensive, we would have stayed / stayed / will stay there.
3. We arrived / will arrive / wouldve arrived on time if we hadnt got lost.
4. I would have visited / would visit / will visit him if I had known that he was in hospital.
5. If you didnt leave / hadnt left the door open, the dog wouldnt have eaten our lunch.
6. The holiday wouldve been / was / would be great if the weather had been better.

B- Write the correct form of the verbs in brackets.

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

If they _______________ (close) the gate, the dog wouldnt have got out.
They wouldve let us in if you _______________ ( not lose) the tickets.
He _______________( not see) us if you hadnt made a noise.
I _______________(buy) a present if I had known it was your birthday.
If the pilot _______________(not be so experienced, the plane would have crashed.
You _______________(pass) your driving test, if you hadnt been so nervous.

C- Rewrite the sentences using the third conditional.

1. He drank a lot so he had an accident.
If he _______________________________________________________
2. I fell down the stairs because it was very dark.
If it ________________________________________________________
3. Carol felt sick because she forgot to take her medicine.
She ________________________________________________________
4. His parents were cruel to him so he ran away.
He _________________________________________________________
5. I got up late because my alarm clock didnt ring.
If ___________________________________________________________