Conditional Sentences Modul 9.

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Rules You Need to Know
 There are four types of conditional sentences.
 It’s important to use the correct structure for each of these different conditional sentences because they
express varying meanings.
 Pay attention to verb tense when using different conditional models.
 Use a comma after the if-clause when the if-clause precedes the main clause.
Conditional sentences are statements discussing known factors or hypothetical situations and their consequences.
Complete conditional sentences contain a conditional clause (often referred to as the if-clause) and the consequence.
Consider the following sentences:
If a certain condition is true, then a particular result happens.
I would travel around the world if I won the lottery.
When water reaches 100 degrees, it boils.
What Are the Different Types of Conditional Sentences? There are four different types of conditional sentences in
English. Each expresses a different degree of probability that a situation will occur or would have occurred under
certain circumstances.
 Zero Conditional Sentences
 First Conditional Sentences
 Second Conditional Sentences
 Third Conditional Sentences
Let’s look at each of these different types of conditional sentences in more detail.
How to Use Zero Conditional Sentences
if/when + simple present simple present
Zero conditional sentences express general truths—situations in which one thing always causes another. When you use
a zero conditional, you’re talking about a general truth rather than a specific instance of something. Consider the
following examples:
If you don’t brush your teeth, you get cavities.
When people smoke cigarettes, their health suffers.
There are a couple of things to take note of in the above sentences in which the zero conditional is used. First, when
using the zero conditional, the correct tense to use in both clauses is the simple present tense. A common mistake is to
use the simple future tense.
When people smoke cigarettes, their health will suffer .
Secondly, notice that the words if and when can be used interchangeably in these zero conditional sentences. This is
because the outcome will always be the same, so it doesn’t matter “if” or “when” it happens.

How to Use First Conditional Sentences

if/when + simple present  simple future (will + bare infinitive)
 imperative (bare infinitive)
First conditional sentences are used to express situations in which the outcome is likely (but not guaranteed) to happen
in the future. Look at the examples below:
If you rest, you will feel better.
If you set your mind to a goal, you’ll eventually achieve it.
Note that we use the simple present tense in the if-clause and simple future tense in the main clause when we indicate
that under a certain condition (as expressed in the if-clause), a specific result will likely happen in the future. Examine
some of the common mistakes people make using the first conditional structure:
If you will rest , you will feel better.
If you rest , you will feel better.
Explanation: Use the simple present tense in the if-clause.
If you set your mind to a goal, you eventually achieve it.
If you set your mind to a goal, you’ll eventually achieve it.
Explanation: Use the zero conditional (i.e., simple present + simple present) only when a certain result is guaranteed. If
the result is likely, use the first conditional (i.e., simple present + simple future).

How to Use Second Conditional Sentences

if/when + simple past Modal past + bare infinitive
Second conditional sentences are useful for expressing outcomes that are completely unrealistic or will not likely
happen in the future. Consider the examples below:
If I inherited a billion dollars, I would travel to the moon.
If I owned a zoo, I might let people interact with the animals more.
Notice the correct way to structure second conditional sentences is to use the simple past tense in the if-clause and an
auxiliary modal verb (e.g., could, should, would, might) in the main clause (the one that expresses the unrealistic or
unlikely outcome). The following sentences illustrate a couple of the common mistakes people make when using the
second conditional:
If I inherit a billion dollars, I would travel to the moon.
If I inherited a billion dollars, I would travel to the moon.
Explanation: When applying the second conditional, use the simple past tense in the if-clause.
If I owned a zoo, I will let people interact with the animals more.
 If I owned a zoo, I might let people interact with the animals more.
Explanation: Use a modal auxiliary verb in the main clause when using the second conditional mood to express the
unlikelihood that the result will actually happen.

How to Use Third Conditional Sentences

if + past perfect would/should/could/might (modal past) + have + past participle
Third conditional sentences are used to explain that present circumstances would be different if something different
had happened in the past. Look at the following examples:
If you had told me you needed a ride, I would have left earlier.
If I had cleaned the house, I could have gone to the movies.
These sentences express a condition that was likely enough, but did not actually happen in the past. The speaker in the
first sentence was capable of leaving early, but did not. Along these same lines, the speaker in the second sentence was
capable of cleaning the house, but did not. These are all conditions that were likely, but regrettably did not happen.
Note that when using the third conditional, we use the past perfect (i.e., had + past participle) in the if-clause. The
modal auxiliary (would, could, shoud, etc.) + have + past participle in the main clause expresses the theoretical situation
that could have happened.
Consider these common mistakes when applying the third conditional:
If you would have told me you needed a ride, I would have left earlier.
If you had told me you needed a ride, I would have left earlier.
Explanation: With third conditional sentences, do not use a modal auxiliary verb in the if-clause.
If I had cleaned the house, I could go to the movies.
If I had cleaned the house, I could have gone to the movies.
Exceptions and Special Cases When Using Conditional Sentences
Use of the Simple Future in the If-Clause
Generally speaking, the simple future should be used only in the main clause. One exception is when the action in the if-
clause will take place after the action in the main clause. For example, consider the following sentence:
If aspirin will ease my headache, I will take a couple tonight.
The action in the if-clause is the aspirin easing the headache, which will take place only after the speaker takes them
later that night.
Were to” in the If-Clause
The verb phrase were to is sometimes used in conditional sentences when the likely or unlikely result is particularly
awful or unthinkable. In this case, were to is used to place emphasis on this potential outcome. Consider these
sentences:
If I were to be sick, I would miss another day of work.
If she were to be late again, she would have to have a conference with the manager.
If the rent were to have been a penny more, they would not have been able to pay it.
Note that the emphatic “were to” can be used to describe hypothetical scenarios in the present, future, and past.

Punctuating Conditional Sentences

Use a comma after the if-clause when the if-clause precedes the main clause.
If I’d had time, I would have cleaned the house.
If the main clause precedes the if-clause, no punctuation is necessary.
I would have cleaned the house if I’d had time.
Exercises. Complete the Conditional Sentences Type I.
1. If a customer … chocolate ice cream from the restaurant, he or she will get extra toppings. (orders/order)
2. The hotel front desk clerk … you special price room rates if you don’t ask. ( wouldn’t offer/won’t offer)
3. If I tell the truth, … hurt? (will he gets / will he get)
4. If he … the book, I will borrow it in my university library. ( hasn’t / doesn’t have )
5. You will make your parents sad if you … responsible for your life. ( don’t / aren’t )
Complete the Conditional Sentences (Type II) by putting the verbs into the correct form.
1. If I … his mind, I wouldn’t let him touch my PC. ( could read / would read )
2. If I … him, I would quit my job and start a business. ( was / were )
3. If he were here, I … him not to enter the room without permission. ( would advise / would advice )
4. It … appreciated if you returned the form as soon as possible. ( would be greatly / would greatly )
5. … I rich, I would send my son to study overseas. ( Were if / Were )
Complete the Conditional Sentences (Type III) by putting the verbs into the correct form.
1. If you … an umbrella, you wouldn’t have got wet. ( had took / had taken)
2. If you … about personal financial planning, you could’ve spent your money wisely. (had known/had knew)
3. She … your calls if you had reply her text message fast. (wouldn't have been ignored/wouldn't have ignored)
4. Had you treated your maid better, she …(wouldn't have ran away/wouldn't have run away)
5. If he had come to ask forgiveness, … his apologies? (would you have accept/would you have accepted)
CONDITIONAL EXERCISES
1. If the students _____ late to submit the scholarship application to the board, they will not be listed as candidates.
A. be     B. are      C. were     D. have
2. If your brother ______ here, he ______ us with this works.
A. is - would help     B. was - will help     C. were - will help     D. were - would help
3. Aldo : Did you attend the meeting last Monday?
Fery : I would if I had been invited.     The underlined utterance means ______.
   A. Fery didn’t attend the meeting     C. Fery plans to attend the meeting
B. Fery knew about the meeting and he attended the meeting   D. Fery was not invited to the meeting but he came
4. You _____ the job if you were not late to the interview.
   A. would get   B. would be gotten C. would have gotten     D. would have been gotten
5. We would get the tickets, ______
A. Weren’t there so much rush at the cinema     C. Because there were so much rush at the cinema
B. There were not so much rush at the cinema D. Although there were so much rush at the cinema
6. Fortunately you assisted to push the car. If you hadn’t helped him, he ______ with you.
A. will get angry     B. would have gotten angry     C. should angry     D. would get angry
7. "If I had known that you were in Surabaya, I would have shown you some interesting places." “.....................”
A. Yes, It was such an interesting trip C. Thank you for showing me around Surabaya
B. I'm sorry, I didn't have time to write you before I left for Surabaya D. Thank you, I will really enjoy that
8. "Had the company been fair in giving bonuses, the employees would not have gone on strike."
A. the employees were quite dissatisfied C. the employees are still going on strike
B. the employees were not given bonuses at all D. the company has given the employees fair bonuses
9. If I hadn’t booked in advance, I would have had difficulties in going good accommodation at a reasonable price.
Means....
A. I got a good room and I didn’t have to pay much C. It was difficult to get a room although I had a reservation
B. The room I got was good but rather expensive D. I was lucky to get a good room without reservation
10. Had the make up class been announced earlier, more students would have attended the lecture. Means …
A. no students came to the make up class C. many students knew about the make up class
B. students did not want to attend the class D. many students missed the make up class
11. If I work harder, I ………... my paper in due time.
A. will finish B. would finish C. has finished D. will be finished
12. Anggi : Why weren't you in class yesterday?
Rindy : I was sick. If I hadn’t eaten spicy food, I wouldn’t have had a stomachache. The underlined sentence means ...
A. Rindi had B. Rindi has C. Anggi had B. both of them had
13. X : John had drawn all his money because he needed it for his father's operation.
Y: .... If his father's health had not been in a such bad condition.
A. He would not take all his money C. He should take all his money
B. He didn't take all his money D. He wouldn't have taken all his money
14. Lucy : Many of the participants were disappointed because they expected to have a serious talk with the minister
of women's affairs
Secretary : I know I'm sure that the minister would have attended the meeting If she had returned from middle east.
From the dialogue we can conclude that the minister ....
A. is still on tour C. didn't attend the meeting
B. had a serious talk with the participants D. went to the middle east because of the meeting
15. "Why didn't you be those shoes? You seemed to like them". "I would have, if they had been cheaper."
A. I did by the shoes C. I was not again the price
B. the shoes were too expensive D. I looked for a more expensive pain
16. "If they had knows that the flood was coming, They would not have stayed In their house." Means .....
A. They knew that the flood was coming therefore the stayed In their house
B. They decided to stay in their house although the flood was coming
C. They couldn't stay In their house because they knew that the flood was coming
D. They didn't know that the flood was coming therefore, they stayed in their house
17 Had he flown to Madura, he would have seen the bull race. We may conclude that ...
A. the bull race was cancelled C. he came in time for the bull race
B. bull race frightened him D. he was not present at the bull race
18. He .... if I had not reminded him.
A. may forget B. should forget C. might have forgotten D. must forget
19. Were the doctor here, he would have examine Mary. This means ...
A. Mary is being examined because the doctor Is here C. Although the doctor is here, Mary is not examined
B. The doctor is not here but Mary has been examined D. Mary cannot be examined because the doctor is not here
20. He will be late for school if he .... at once.
A. does not leave B. will leave C. may not leave D. did not leave