Grammar study Conditional Sentences/If Clauses

There are three types of the if-clauses.

Type

Condition

condition possible to fulfill

II

condition in theory possible to fulfill

III

condition not possible to fulfill (too late)

Form
Type

If clause

Main clause

Simple Present

will-future (or Modal + infinitive)

II

Simple Past

would + infinitive *

III

Past Perfect

would + have + past participle *

Examples (if clause at the beginning)

Type

If clause

Main clause

If I study,

I will pass the exam.

II

If I studied,

I would pass the exam.

III

If I had studied,

I would have passed the exam.

Examples (if clause at the end)

Type

Main clause

If clause

I will pass the exam

if I study.

II

I would pass the exam

if I studied.

III

I would have passed the exam

if I had studied.

Autor: Lcia de Freitas Silva

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Examples (affirmative and negative sentences)

Type

Examples
Long forms

+ If I study, I will pass the exam.

I
-

If I study, I'll pass the exam.

If I study, I will not fail the exam.

If I study, I won't fail the exam.

If I do not study, I will fail the exam.

If I don't study, I'll fail the exam.

+ If I studied, I would pass the exam.

If I studied, I would not fail the exam.

II

Short/contracted forms

- If I did not study, I would fail the

If I studied, I'd pass the exam.

If I studied, I wouldn't fail the exam.
If I didn't study, I'd fail the exam.

exam.
+

III
-

If I had studied, I would have passed If I'd studied, I'd have passed the
the exam.

exam.

If I had studied, I would not have

If I'd studied, I wouldn't have failed the

failed the exam.

exam.

If I had not studied, I would have

If I hadn't studied, I'd have failed the

failed the exam.

exam.

* We can substitute could or might for would (should, may or must are sometimes
possible, too):
I would pass the exam.
I could pass the exam.
I might pass the exam.
I may pass the exam.
I should pass the exam.
I must pass the exam.

Replacing if
If can be replaced by words or expressions with a similar meaning.
Autor: Lcia de Freitas Silva

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The most common are:

as long as
assuming (that)
on condition (that)
on the assumption (that)
provided (that)
supposing (that)
unless
with the condition (that)

Exercises

1. Put the verb into the correct form.

a) If the company offered me the job, I think I __________________________ (take) it.

b) I'm sure Liz will lend you some money. I would be very surprised if she
_________________________ (refuse).
c) Many people would be out of work if that factory _________________ (close) down.
d) If she sold her car, she _________________________ (not / get) much money for it.
e) They're expecting us. They would be disappointed if we _______________________
(not / come).
f) Would George be angry if I __________________ (take) his bicycle without asking?
g) Ann gave me this ring. She _______________________ (be) terribly upset if I lost it.
h) If someone ____________________ (walk) in here with a gun, I'd be very frightened.
i) What would happen if you _______________________ (not / go) to work tomorrow?
j) I'm sure she _________________ (understand) if you explained the situation to her.

Autor: Lcia de Freitas Silva

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2. Fill in the correct form of the verb. Use the type given at the end of the sentence.

a) If he ____________________ (eat) everything he ___________________ (be) ill. (3)

b) The police ____________________ (arrest) him if they ____________________
(catch) him. (1)
c) What ____________________ (happen) if my parachute ____________________
(not open)? (1)
d) I ____________________ (be) angry if he ____________________ (make) more
mistakes. (2)
e) If he __________________ (be) late we __________________ (go) without him. (3)
f) If I ____________________ (lend) you 10 pounds, ____________________ (you,
give) it back to me? (1)
g) If you ______________________ (not like) this one, I ______________________
(bring) you another one. (1)
h) If I _____________________ (know) that I _____________________ (visit) you. (3)
i) I ____________________ (not drink) that wine if I ____________________ (be)
you. (2)
j) If we ____________________ (have) more rain our crops ____________________
(grow) faster. (3)
k) If you __________________ (paint) the walls white the room __________________
(be) much brighter. (1)
l) I ____________________ (can repair) the roof myself if I ____________________
(have) a ladder. (3)
m) You _________________ (not have) so many accidents if you _________________
(drive) more slowly. (2)
Autor: Lcia de Freitas Silva

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n) What ____________________ (you, do) if you ____________________ (hear) the

alarm? (2)
o) If you ____________________ (go) to Paris where ____________________ (you
stay)? (1)
p) I __________________ (bring) you something to drink if you __________________
me (tell). (3)
q) If anyone ____________________ (attack) me, my dog ____________________
(jump) at him. (3)
r) If everybody ___________________ (give) me 3 pounds we ___________________
(have) enough. (1)
s) This ____________________ (not happen) if you ____________________ (be)
more careful. (3)
t) We ______________________ (invite) him if he ______________________ (be)at
home. (2)
u) I ___________________ (put) some money into the bank if I ___________________
(have) some left. (2)
v) I ____________________ (offer) them coffee and cake as soon as they
____________________ (come) over. (1)
w) If you ____________________ (ring) the bell someone ____________________
(surely answer) it. (1)
x) If you ____________________ (give) me the letter I ____________________ (post)
it for you. (3)
y) If the professor ___________________ (speak) clearly we ___________________
(understand) him better. (2)

Autor: Lcia de Freitas Silva

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