Topic 2.2 Conditional Sentences & exercises
Zero conditionals
- Use zero conditionals when the relationship between the situation and result is always the same; there is no element of chance or doubt.
If we hit our targets, we get a bonus.
- We can also use two past tenses, to talk about something that used to be true.
We got time off in lieu if we worked weekends.
- Informally, we can use this structure where a first conditional would be more appropriate in a formal situation.
If we lose the contract, we’re in trouble.
First conditional
- Use the first conditional when a situation is very likely to have the result given.
If you arrive late, you’ll miss the meeting.
- The present continuous and present perfect are possible in the if-clause.
If Jenny’s working on this project, she’ll learn a lot of useful stuff.
If John’s broken his leg, you’ll have to give the presentation.
- Other modal/semi-modal verbs such as can, may, be going to are possible in the result clause instead of will.
If we don’t gain market share, we may be in a sticky situation.
I’m going to change the distributors if Kikibo don’t get their act together.
Second conditional
- Use the second conditional when a situation is hypothetical or imagined.
If taxes rose, we would consider relocating.
- The second conditional is also useful to make suggestions, offers, warnings, etc. more distant and polite.
If you arrived on time, we’d get much more done.
- Might and could are also possible in the result clause.
We could save time if we adopted the new system.
Third conditional
- The third conditional is used to express the past consequence of an unrealistic action or situation in the past.
If my alarm had gone off, I wouldn’t have been late for work.
- We often use the third conditional to express regrets – describing things we are sorry happened or didn’t happen.
If there hadn’t been so much traffic, we wouldn’t have missed our flight.
- Might and could are also possible in the result clause.
We could have saved time if we had adopted the new system.
Mixed conditional
- It is possible to use the if-clause of a second conditional (if + past simple or continuous) with the result clause of a third conditional (would have + infinitive). We talk about a present imagine situation, with an imagined past result.
If you weren’t so lazy, you would have finished that report by now.
- More often we use the if-clause of a third conditional sentence (if + present perfect) with the result clause of a second conditional (would + infinitive). We use this to talk about an imagined situation with an imagined present result.
If I had won the lottery, I wouldn’t be working now.
If I hadn’t got the job, I would probably be unemployed still.
Discussion questions using different types of conditionals.
- If you get a raise, what might you do with the extra money?
- If you wake up with a cold tomorrow, what will you do?
- Think of a current trend in your field of work. Tell your group about this trend. What will happen if this trend continues?
- What are you currently working on? What will you do if you run into problems?
- If you could change one thing about your current job, what would it be?
- If you were offered a job in another country, would you accept it? Why or why not?
- Who helps you the most at work? What would it be like if you didn’t work with this person?
- If you had an extra two hours of time every day, what could you do with the time?
- Think about an important advancement in your field. What would have happened if this advancement had never happened? What would be different now if this advancement had never happened?
- What might the world be like now if the internet had never been invented?
- What do you think has been the most important invention of the last 50 years? What would have been different if this had never been invented? How would the world be different now?
- What is the best decision you have ever made in your professional life? What would have happened if you had made a different decision? How would your life be different now if you hadn’t made that decision?
