Mohamed Khider University, Biskra

Faculty of Arts and Languages

Department of Foreign Languages
English Language Division
Module: GRAMMAR
Level: First Year LMD Semester two: sentence structure In Context
Teacher: SAIHI H. Lesson fourteen: CONDITIONAL

Conditional
If people eat too much they get fat.
If I have time I will visit you.
If I had more time I would travel the world.
If I had had time I would have gone to the football match.

Definition and types of conditionals

To talk about things that are possible, you often use if in a sentence. A sentence with if is called a conditional sentence.
 If it rains tomorrow, we shall not go to the beach.  We’ll play indoors if it rains.
 If there’s no rice in the cupboard, we’ll buy some more.  You’ll get sick if you don’t eat good food.
 If we don’t work hard, we’ll never learn.  Sam will do well in his piano recital if he practices regularly.
 If we leave now, we’ll arrive on time.

TYPE IF-CLAUSE MAIN CLAUSE USE EXAMPLES

0 - PRESENT SIMPLE - PRESENT SIMPLE Pure fact Water turns into ice if it gets cold.

1 if + PRESENT - FUTURE SIMPLE real present If he comes late, we’ll miss the
PROBABLE SIMPLE - IMPERATIVE real or very probable train.
CONDITION - MODAL VERB + INFINITIVE situation in the present or If you don’t have enough money,
future. don’t buy it.

2 if + PAST SIMPLE - WOULD + BARE INFINITIVE unreal present If I had money, I would buy a new
IMPROBABLE - COULD + BARE INFINITIVE improbable situation in car (but I don’t have enough
CONDITION - MIGHT + BARE INFINITIVE the present or future money)
- SHOULD + BARE INFINITIVE also used to give advice If I were you, I would see a doctor.
Would you run away if you saw a
ghost?
3 if + PAST PERFECT - WOULD HAVE + P. unreal past If you hadn’t been rude, your boss
IMPOSSIBLE PARTICIPLE unreal or improbable wouldn’t have fired you (but you
CONDITION - COULD HAVE + P. PARTICIPLE situation in the past were rude and he fired you)
- MIGHT HAVE + P. PARTICIPLE also used to express She would have passed the exam
- SHOULD HAVE +P regret and criticism if she had studied.
PARTICIPLE
Let’s practice (01): Rewrite these sentences without changing the meaning of the original one
1. I think it will rain tomorrow. We’ll have to stay 8. Tommy would love to have a baby sister.
indoors. Tommy wishes..............................................................................
If.................................................................................................. 9. Take my advice – don’t move into that
2. David must practise more to be a really good pianist. neighbourhood.
If ................................................................................................ I.................................................................................................
3. If anyone complains, refer them to the manager. 10. It rained a lot when we were in England.
Should....................................................................................... I wish .....................................................................................
4. You have to have a visa to enter China. 11. Suzi has to work very hard. Suzi cannot take more
Unless....................................................................................... exercise.
5. I need a grant in order to study at university. Suzi ........................................................................................
I won’t ...................................................................................... 12. You missed a good game on Sunday.
6. I cannot afford to buy a PSP. ‘I wish ....................................................................................
If .................................................................................................. 13. When I was younger, I didn’t learn how to play a
7. I couldn’t finish the crossword because it was too musical instrument.
difficult. ‘If ..............................................................................................
I ....................................................................................................

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 14. I didn’t bring a map. We got lost. Unless ........................................
Had................................................... 18. I advise you not to tell anyone.
15. Tom was sent to bed last night because he didn’t Were ............................................
behave himself. 19. He didn’t recover soon. He didn’t follow the doctor’s
If ....................................... order. (PROVIDED)
16. I don’t like Tony because he is always saying nasty ...........................
things. 20. He may go to prison. He refuses to pay the fine.
I wish................................... Unless .................................................
17. Drivers do not pay attention to the rules of the road. 21. The Smiths regret cancelling their trip to Turkey.
There are a lot of accidents. The Smiths wish.....................................................

Mixed Conditionals

Unreal conditionals (type II + III) sometimes can be mixed, that is, the time of the if- clause is different from the one of the main clause.

Past --> Present

If I had taken an aspirin, I wouldn't have a headache now.
Past --> Future
If I had known that you are going to come by tomorrow, I would be in then.
Present --> Past
If she had enough money, she could have done this trip to Hawaii.
Present --> Future
If I were you, I would be spending my vacation in Seattle.
Future --> Past
If I weren't flying to Detroit, I would have planned a trip to Vancouver.
Future --> Present
If I were taking this exam next week, I would be high-strung.

Let’s practice (02): Use mixed tenses in these sentences

1. If I ……………………………. (be) you, I …………………………………….. (check) my facts before I wrote that letter.
2. If you ………………………. (be) so hungry, you ……………………………. (not miss) breakfast.
3. If he ……………………………… (not/catch) the 5.30 train, he …………………………… (not arrive) for another two hours.
4. He ………………………………. (feel) very tired today if he ……………………………….. (play) rugby yesterday.
5. If the snake bite ……………………………….. (be) poisonous, you …………………………………… (feel) very ill now.
6. If I ………………………………………. (be) in your position, I …………………………………… (answer) his letter by now.

Let’s practice (03): Rewrite the following mixed conditional sentences

1. She isn’t at the meeting because she wasn’t told about it.
2. I didn’t apply for the job. I don’t want to work there.
3. He didn’t take his job seriously. He’s unemployed now.
4. He didn’t train every day. He won’t win the race.
5. I didn’t warn me. Now I’m in a difficult situation.
6. I don’t know him very well, so I didn’t give him any advice.

NOTES
1. We put a comma after the IF-CLAUSE when it comes first.
If we go by plane, it will be more expensive. It will be more expensive if we go by plane.
2. After IF, we can use WERE instead of WAS in all persons
If I were you, I wouldn’t spend so much time watching TV.
3. We do not usually use WILL, WOULD or SHOULD in an IF-CLAUSE
If we take a taxi, we won’t be late.
However, we use SHOULD after IF when we are less sure about a possibility
If I should see him, I’ll give it to him. (Perhaps I’ll see him but I’m less sure)

4. OTHER LINKING WORDS

UNLESS. IF NOT: We’ll go for a picnic unless it rains.
PROVIDED (THAT): Children are allowed to go for a ride on the roller coaster provided that they go with an adult.
AS LONG AS: As long as he’s on time, we won’t be late for the meeting.

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Let’s practice (04): Rewrite these sentences using UNLESS.
We won’t buy any fish today if it isn’t cheaper than yesterday. 3. If it doesn’t stop raining, we’ll stay at home.
We won’t buy any fish today unless it is cheaper than yesterday. ______________________________________________________________
4. If he doesn’t go to the post office, he won’t buy the stamps.
1. If you don’t go to the party, they’ll be disappointed. ______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________ 5. George won’t come out of hospital if he doesn’t feel better.
2. I can’t help her if she doesn’t want to talk to me. ______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
Let’s practice (05): Complete the following sentences.
1. If we don’t hurry, we ___will be____________ (be) late. 7. If he does that again, dad ____________________ (be) very
2. If I see her, I _____________________ (give) her your angry.
message. 8. If he ______________________ (not/finish) his homework,
3. If you’re hungry, I _____________________ (make) you a he won’t go out.
sandwich. 9. If he ______________________ (come), I’ll talk to him.
4. If he _____________________ (not/come) to the party, I will 10. If she _______________________ (hurry), she won’t be late.
be very upset. 11. If it rains, we ___________________ (not/go) out.
5. If she ____________________ (go) to Paris, she’ll send me a 12. If they are late, they ______________________ (miss) the
postcard. bus.
6. If we _____________________ (not/be) busy, we’ll come
with you.

Let’s practice (06): Complete with the Second

Conditional. 5) I would travel round the world if I
1) If he __________________________ (exercise), he would be ___________________________ (win) the lottery.
healthier. 6) If she had time, she __________________________ (go) to
2) If I __________________________ (be) you, I would call the the gym.
police. 7) If I __________________________ (meet) an alien, I
3) I _________________________ (buy) a new jacket if I had wouldn’t be scared.
some money. 8) If I __________________________ (go) to New York, I
4) I _________________________ (help) him if I were you. would visit the Empire State building.

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