Conditional Sentences / If-Clauses Type I, II und III

Conditional Sentences are also known as Conditional Clauses or If Clauses. They are used to express that the action in
the main clause (without if) can only take place if a certain condition (in the clause with if) is fulfilled. There are three
types of Conditional Sentences.

Conditional Sentence Type 1

→ It is possible and also very likely that the condition will be fulfilled.

Form: if + Simple Present, will-Future

Example: If I find her address, I’ll send her an invitation.

more on Conditional Sentences Type I ►

Conditional Sentence Type 2

→ It is possible but very unlikely, that the condition will be fulfilled.

Form: if + Simple Past, Conditional I (= would + Infinitive)

Example: If I found her address, I would send her an invitation.

more on Conditional Sentences Type II ►

Conditional Sentence Type 3

→ It is impossible that the condition will be fulfilled because it refers to the past.

Form: if + Past Perfect, Conditional II (= would + have + Past Participle)

Example: If I had found her address, I would have sent her an invitation.

more on Conditional Sentences Type III ►

Exceptions
Sometimes Conditional Sentences Type I, II and III can also be used with other tenses.
 Complete the Conditional Sentences Type I.

1. If Caroline and Sue the salad, Phil the house.

2. If Sue the onions for the salad, Caroline the mushrooms.

3. Jane the sitting room if Aaron and Tim the furniture.

4. If Bob up the kitchen, Anita the toilet.

5. Elaine the drinks if somebody her carry the bottles.

6. If Alan and Rebecca the food, Mary and Conor the sandwiches.

7. If Bob after the barbecue, Sue the guests in.

8. Frank the DJ if the others along their CDs.

9. Alan the drinks if Jane him some of her cocktail recipes.

10. If they all their best, the party great.

Exercises on Conditional Sentences Type 1

Complete the Conditional Sentences (Type I) by putting the verbs into the correct form.

1. If you (send) this letter now, she (receive) it tomorrow.

2. If I (do) this test, I (improve) my English.

3. If I (find) your ring, I (give) it back to you.

4. Peggy (go) shopping if she (have) time in the afternoon.

5. Simon (go) to London next week if he (get) a cheap flight.

6. If her boyfriend (phone / not) today, she (leave) him.

7. If they (study / not) harder, they (pass / not) the exam.

8. If it (rain) tomorrow, I (have to / not) water the plants.

9. You (be able/ not) to sleep if you (watch) this scary film.

10. Susan (can / move / not) into the new house if it (be / not) ready on time.

Exercise on Conditional Sentences Type 2

Janine is a daydreamer. She imagines what would happen if she won the lottery.

Complete the Conditional Sentences Type II.

1. If I the lottery, I a chance to hit the jackpot.

2. If I the jackpot, I rich.

3. If I rich, my life completely.

4. I a lonely island, if I a nice one.

5. If I a lonely island, I a huge house by the beach.

6. I all my friends if I a house by the beach.

7. I my friends up in my yacht if they to spend their holidays on my

island.

8. We great parties if my friends to my island.

9. If we to go shopping in a big city, we a helicopter.

10. But if my friends' holidays over, I very lonely on my lonely island

Exercise on Conditional Sentences Type 2

Complete the Conditional Sentences (Type II) by putting the verbs into the correct form. Use conditional I with
would in the main clause.

1. If we (have) a yacht, we (sail) the seven seas.

2. If he (have) more time, he (learn) karate.

3. If they (tell) their father, he (be) very angry.

4. She (spend) a year in the USA if it (be) easier to get a green card.

5. If I (live) on a lonely island, I (run) around naked all day.

6. We (help) you if we (know) how.

7. My brother (buy) a sports car if he (have) the money.

8. If I (feel) better, I (go) to the cinema with you.

9. If you (go) by bike more often, you (be / not) so flabby.

10. She (not / talk) to you if she (be) mad at you.

Exercise on Conditional Sentences Type 3

What a match – your favourite team has lost again! So after the game, the supporters discuss what could have been
different.

Complete the Conditional Sentences Type III.

1. If the midfielders the ball more exactly, our team more

chances to attack.

2. If the forwards faster, they more goals.

3. Their motivation if they a goal during the first half.

4. The fullbacks one or the other goal if they their
opponents.

5. If the goalie up, he the ball.

6. If the referee the foul, he a penalty kick to our team.

7. Our team in better form if they harder the weeks before.

8. The game better if the trainer a substitute in during the

second half.

9. If it a home game, our team the match.

10. If our team the match, they up in the league.

Exercise on Conditional Sentences Type 3

Complete the Conditional Sentences (Type III) by putting the verbs into the correct form. Use conditional II with
would in the main clause.

1. If you (study) for the test, you (pass) it.

2. If you (ask) me, I (help) you.

3. If we (go) to the cinema, we (see) my friend Jacob.

4. If you (speak) English, she (understand) .

5. If they (listen) to me, we (be) home earlier.

6. I (write) you a postcard if I (have) your address.

7. If I (not / break) my leg, I (take part) in the contest.

8. If it (not/ start) to rain, we (walk) to the museum.

9. We (swim) in the sea if there (not / be) so many sharks there.

10. If she (take) the bus, she (not / arrive) on time.

English Test on Conditional Sentences Type 1, 2 and 3

Test your knowledge on Conditional Sentences. After submitting your answers, you will see how well you have done
in the test.

Conditional Sentences Type I

Complete the Conditional Sentences Type I.

 If you (go) out with your friends tonight, I (watch) the football match on
TV.

 I (earn) a lot of money if I (get) that job.

 If she (hurry / not) , we (miss) the bus.
Conditional Sentences Type II

Complete the Conditional Sentences Type II.

 If he (try) harder, he (reach) his goals.

 I (buy) these shoes if they (fit) .

 It (surprise / not) me if he (know / not) the answer.

Conditional Sentences Type III

Complete the Conditional Sentences Type III.

 If we (listen) to the radio, we (hear) the news.

 If you (switch) on the lights, you (fall / not) over the chair.

 She (come) to our party if she (be / not) on holiday.

Conditional Sentences Type I, II or III

Complete the Conditional Sentences with the correct form (Type I, II or III).

 If I stronger, I'd help you carry the piano.

 If we'd seen you, we .

 If we him tomorrow, we'll say hello.

 He would have repaired the car himself if he the tools.

 If you drop the vase, it .

 If I hadn't studied, I the exam.

 I wouldn't go to school by bus if I a driving licence.

 If she him every day, she'd be lovesick.

 I to London if I don't get a cheap flight.

 We'd be stupid if we him about our secret.