II. The Four Conditionals: Details and Exercises

1.0 Real or Realistic Actions or Situations

1. Put /slashes/ around the 0 Conditionals in the following paragraph.  Underline the Dependent If Clause (the cause) and double underline the Independent Clause (the effect).
    
   The Laws of Nature: Predictable Effects
    
   The results of doing dangerous things are predictable.  Yet, some social media influencers are putting their lives at risk to get that incredible picture that will get them thousands of views.  They think that they can break the laws of nature, for example, the law of gravity.  If an object is 500 feet above the ground, it will fall, unless there is something to keep it from falling.
    
   Yet some social media stars forget this rule and get too close to the edge of a cliff and fall to their deaths.  Another example is Einstein’s calculation of E=MC².  This, in simple terms, says that, if something heavy goes very fast, it has a huge impact when it hits something.  Yet, some people forget about this rule when they drive their sports cars at 160 kph (100 mph) on a busy highway, while they are paying more attention to their camera than to their driving.  Here is a prediction to think about.  If you think you can break one of the laws of nature, you have probably failed your physics class.
    
2. Underline the 1^st Conditional verbs in the following paragraph.  Put /slashes/ around the Dependent If Clause (the cause) and #pound signs# around the Independent Clause (the effect).
    
   Thinking of the Consequences
    
   If people don’t get serious about reducing carbon emissions, it will have serious consequences in the future.  In fact, the consequences seem to be happening much sooner than we expected.  However, it will not be an easy path.  If we don’t confront our current attitudes towards the production of unnecessary goods, we will continue to dump huge amounts of carbon into our atmosphere.  But it will also necessitate the confrontation of those who have a bigger interest in their own profits than in what is good for the planet, which also means what is good for every single person on the planet, including themselves.
    
   The attitude of some of these entities was, “If we produced this harmful products, it didn’t really matter—as long as I can benefit.” Perhaps some of them also thought that if they stuck my head in the sand like an ostrich and pretended that the effects would not really happen, it would somehow all work out in the end—wishful thinking.  Or perhaps they thought that bad things only happen to other less powerful people and not to them—they themselves will not be affected by this.
    
   But maybe if we all spend more time making friends and enjoying them, maybe we won’t need the short-term and addictive fix of buying one more thing, traveling to one more place, and spending one more hour building our castles in the sand.  And if we quit buying the things we don’t really need, those that sell them will someday be washed away by the waves of the sea.
    
3. Match the following causes with an appropriate effect.  First, write the letter of each result clause in the left column next to the dependent conditional clause that it matches.  Next indicate whether the conditional is a 0 Conditional or a 1^st Conditional in the second column on the left.
    
   Example: 100. z

    

   Dependent Clause (the Cause)
   (100) If it rains

   Independent Clause (the Effect)
   (z) our flowers grow.

   Dependent Clause (the Cause)
   (1) If you study now,
   (2) If there is a severe drought this year,
   (3) If we buy a dog,
   (4) When there is a solar eclipse,
   (5) Whenever it is sunny out,
   (6) If she drinks too much coffee,
   (7) If there is a forest fire,

   Independent Clause (the Effect)
   (a) I think about going to a park.
   (b) people travel from around the world to see it.
   (c) many animals die.
   (d) our lives will be busier.
   (e) she gets a headache.
   (f) you won’t feel as much stress later.
   (g) food prices will increase.

    

4. Write your own effect to finish the sentences below.
    
   1. If I spend too much time alone,                                                                 .
   2. If I don’t get enough time alone,                                                                 .
   3. If my friends don’t text me for a while,                                                                 .
   4. Whenever I eat foreign food,                                                                 .
   5. In the past, if I made my parents angry,                                                                 .
   6. In the past, if my parents were angry with me,                                                                 .

    

5. Write the correct form of the verb for either the 0 Conditional or the 1^st Conditional in the blank next to the verb in (parenthesis).  If there is a auxiliary verb in the past, be sure to use the past auxiliary form.  Use the proper past, present, or future form for modals (see “Simple Modals and Verb Tenses” on chapter 6 part II).
    
   Past
   1. If the waves                       (be) too big, we                       (go out, not) in our kayak.
   2. Whenever the bell                       (ring) on last day of school, we all                       (rush out) of the classroom and cheered.
   3. If there                       (be) an economic recession, small businesses                       (need, often) to take out a loan to keep their business going.
   4. If my parents                       (have) enough time, we                       (go) to the beach.
   5. Sometimes when I                       (have) a birthday, and if my parents                       (have) enough money, they                       (plan) a party for me.

    
   Present

   1. If you                       (blow up) that balloon too big, it                       (pop, can).
   2. We                       (have, can) lunch together if you                       (come) to my house at noon.
   3. If Jorge                       (charge, not) his phone tonight, he                       (be able, may not) to call us if he needs help.
   4. If Karna                       (increase) sales by 5% this year, he                       (get) a raise.
   5. Yuka                       (be) sure to visit her grandfather if she                       (travel) home on New Year’s day.

    
   Future

   1. If Sara’s plane                       (arrive) late tomorrow, I                       (be able, not) to pick her up from the airport.
   2. If Giulia                       (finish) her presentation tomorrow, she                       (be able, may) to go camping with us on the weekend.
   3. If he                       (go) shopping this afternoon, Adam                       (want) to buy new shoes.
   4. Rosa                       (own) a coffee bean farm.  If she                       (get) a good crop this year, she                       (buy) a new coffee bean roaster for her processing mill.
   5. If Elif                       (get paid) on Friday, she                       (want) to visit her parents on the weekend.

    

6. Write sentences which make a future prediction if the following events happen or the following situations arise.
    
   1. If you graduate from university, what will your future life be like?
                                                                                                                                      
   2. What is something that you want to happen in the future?  What will happen if it does not happen?
                                                                                                                                      
   3. What will happen in the future if robots or computers take over 80% of all jobs?  What will we need to do to deal with the effects of that situation?
                                                                                                                                      
   4. What will happen if I get my dream job in the future?
                                                                                                                                      

2.0 Unrealistic or Impossible Situations

2.1 The 2nd Conditional

1. Uses of the 2^nd Conditional:
   • Write ‘ie’ in the blank next to the Conditional Sentence that talks about imaginary effects.
   • Write ‘p’ in the blank next to a Conditional sentence which makes a prediction.
   • Write ‘a’ in the blank next to a Conditional sentence that gives advice.

    

   1.          If Guadalupe were here, we would probably get into an argument.
   2.          If Martin had studied engineering instead of literature, he might have had a job by now.  But, I don’t think he would be happy as an engineer.
   3.          If the supervisor were here, she would have us get organized before we started working.
   4.          If my mother were you, she would definitely save more money.
   5.          If I were to practice just 60 minutes a day, I could probably learn to dance much better.
   6.          If Marianne were a famous singer, she would buy a huge house and throw huge parties.
   7.          If the weather were sunnier, a lot more people would be coming to this beach.
   8.          If my family were not so loud, we could actually have a better conversation.  But that is not likely to happen!
   9.          If I were to practice just 60 minutes a day, I could probably learn to dance much better.
   10.          If I were you, I would apologize to your brother.  He’s quite mad at you right now.

    

2. Underline the 2^nd Conditional verbs in the Following Paragraph.  Put /slashes/ around the Dependent ‘if’ Clause (the cause) and #pound symbol# around the Independent Clause (the effect).  Be careful, some of the verbs are 0 or 1^st Conditional Verbs.  You don’t do anything with them.
    
   When I was a child, I loved animals and wanted to be a veterinarian, a doctor for animals.  I imagined that, if I were a veterinarian, I could work with animals all day long—dogs, cats, horses, you name it!  I would spend all of my time with animals.  But as I got older, the fact hit me, if I spend all of my time with animals, that means less time with people, my new first interest.  I wanted a family.  If I were a father, I could spend all of my time with children.
    
   Then, I eventually became a father and had a couple of children.  However, reality struck again!  If you spend all of your time with your children, they will have no food to eat—you need to work, at least quite a bit of the time.  So, I imagined myself as some sort of Superdad, with my imaginary wife Lois, building a dream house, being wealthy, and having my children run in our huge house with a dance floor and saying, “Dad, Dad, look at me, I can dance!” If I were to earn just a little more money, I could achieve it all.
    
   But reality strikes again.  Here, I am, in my smallish apartment, surrounded by my still smallish but growing kids.  By now, my dreams are more realistic.  If you want to have it all, it comes at a price—no time for yourself or the people you love.  But maybe my kids can live the dream.  One of them came up to me the other day and said, “Dad, can we get a pet turtle.  I just love animals, and if I had a pet turtle, I would spend all of my time watching it slowly walk across the floor.”  At least their dreams are realistic!
    
3. In the following sentences, first decide if the clause is the conditional clause (with ‘if’) or the main clause.  Then, write the correct form of the 2^nd conditional verbs in the blanks below.  Remember, in sentences with a dependent adverb clause, the main clause or, on the other hand, the subordinate clause, can come first in the sentence.
    
   1. If my mother                       (are) here, what                       (do, she)?
   2. Valentina                       (be) so happy if she                       (be) to become a dancer.
   3. If we                                            (be) to leave at 6:00 a.m., we                       (be) there at noon.
   4. I                       (wear) the blue sweater if I                       (be) you.
   5. If Carmen                       (be) to climb Mount Everest, everyone in my country                      _ (hear) about it.
   6. If Emre                       (be) to call tonight, I                       (tell) him to get lost.  I am so angry.
   7. My mother                                            (tell, definitely) me to comb my hair, if she                       (see) me right now.
   8. If Aoi                       (complete) her certificate to be a dental hygienist, she                       (apply) for jobs like this one.

    

4. Complete the following sentences using your own main clause.
    
   1. If I were a restaurant owner,                                                                 .
   2. If you were an astronaut,                                                                 ?
   3.                                                                  if my friend were here right now.
   4. If my mother were here right now                                                                 .
   5.                                                                  if the world had the same gravity as the moon.
   6. If I were president of my country                                                                 .
   7.                                                                  if my country were as cold as Antarctica.

    

5. Complete the following sentences using your own 2^nd Conditional clause.
    
   1.                                          , she would get really angry.
   2. Juan could sing at the wedding                                          .
   3. I would get a job as a pizza delivery driver                                          .
   4. I would almost ‘live’ at the beach                                          .
   5. You could save a lot of money                                          .
   6.                                          , I would learn to play the tuba.

    

6. Match the conditional ‘if’ clause with the appropriate effect or result.

   Conditional Clause (If Clause)
   (1) Even if I can finish my assignment on time
   (2) If I had not come back so late last night
   (3) If Andrii gets accepted into graduate school
   (4) If Alejandro finishes work early
   (5) Even if I work late tonight

   Independent Clause (Result)
   (a) he will study architecture.
   (b) he wants to eat out with us tonight.
   (c) I will still not get a good grade.
   (d) I still have to get up at 5:00 to go to work.
   (e) I wouldn’t be drinking so much coffee today.

2.2 The 3rd Conditional

1. Identify the key aspects of the following 3^rd Conditional Clauses.  Underline the 3^rd Conditional verbs in the following paragraph.  Put /slashes/ around the Dependent ‘if’ Clause (the cause) and #pound symbols# around the Independent Clause (the effect).  Underline the verbs in both the Dependent and Independent 3^rd Conditional clauses.  Be careful, some of the verbs are 0 or 1^st Conditional Verbs.  You don’t do anything with them.
    
   *Note: In this exercise, not all of the Conditional Clauses are in the same sentence as the result clause.  For some, the Conditional Clause is in the form of a sentence that is a question.  The result clause is in a separate sentence.
   
    
   The Benefits of Peace
    
   What if many of the wars that have happened in the past had not happened?  How would the world be different now?  For one thing, if these wars had not happened, the world would probably be more prosperous.  So much of our human work has been destroyed in wars.  If all of these efforts, buildings and infrastructure had not been destroyed, those efforts would not have had to be made again.  Instead, all of that energy and time could have been saved for something more productive.
    
   Then, of course the most important thing is that, if so many human lives had not been lost in war, we could have avoided all of the grief and pain that this has caused for family, friends and nation. Maybe people who start wars think that they will gain something. This is an illusion. There are only losers in war. We always underestimate the cost of war. If so many of our world leaders had not lived under an illusion of power or wealth gained through war, they would have actually had a much better, peaceful and stress-free life.
    
   Instead, what if we had used the money and energy that we spent on war to help those we are in conflict with?  Maybe the improved relationships between countries would have had economic and political benefits.  Certainly, war costs a lot more than peace.  In contrast to what world leaders may think or have us believe (for their own benefit), peace results in more prosperity than war.  If we had been more creative in solving conflicts, maybe a better solution could have and been thought of.
    
   Maybe it is impossible to stop wars, but wouldn’t it be better to try harder to stop wars and try to solve conflict in a more creative way?  Creativity is the opposite of conflict.  Peace always starts long before wars ever happen—it compassionately treats the ‘other’ as a human being long before conflict builds into an uncontrollable disaster.
    
2. Match the Conditional Clause (cause) with the correct Independent Clause (effect).
    
   Example: 99. z

    

   Conditional Clause (If Clause)
   (99) If I apologized earlier

   Conditional Clause (If Clause)
   (1) If the moon had formed a little closer to the Earth
   (2) If people had reduced carbon emissions earlier
   (3) If I had chosen a career as a tour guide
   (4) If I hadn’t finished high school
   (5) If I had studied Japanese instead of English
   (6) If I had taken up mountain climbing as a hobby
   (7) If I had practised the drums a lot more

   Independent Clause (Result)
   (z) she wouldn’t be mad at me now.

   Independent Clause (Result)
   (a) we might not have such severe weather now.
   (b) I could be playing in a band right now.
   (c) I might be working at a low-wage job now.
   (d) I think I might not be alive right now.
   (e) we would have massive tides.
   (f) I might be traveling around the world now.
   (g) I might be living in Japan right now.

    

3. In the following sentences, first decide if the clause is the conditional clause (with ‘if’) or the main clause.  Then, write the correct form of the 3^rd Conditional Verbs in the blanks below.  Remember, in sentences with a dependent adverb clause, the main clause or, on the other hand, the subordinate clause, can come first in the sentence.
    
   1. If I                                           (eat, not) that greasy hamburger, I would be feeling better now.
   2. Josie                                           (be) here by now if she hadn’t taken the wrong bus.
   3. If our baseball team                                           (try) a little harder, maybe we would have won the game.
   4. If Alejandro hadn’t been so stubborn, I might                                           (agree) to working with him.
   5. If the paramedic                                           (do, not) CPR on the injured man, he might have died.
   6. If Lee                                           (take, not) a different route to work yesterday, he might have been in that bad accident on the highway.
   7. I might                                           (pass) yesterday’s engineering test, if I had studied a little harder for it.
   8. We would have gone to the beach yesterday if it                                           (rain, not).
   9. That factory might not have needed to shut down if they                                           (have, not) so many problems with the quality of their products.
   10. What if he hadn’t made that terrible mistake in his singing audition?  He might                                           (win) the audition.  The rest of his performance was amazing.

    

4. Complete the following sentences using your own main clause or conditional clause.
    
   1. If I had been born in a different country,                                                                                                 .
   2. If my parents would have                                                                                                 , I                                                                                                .
   3. If my parents wouldn’t have                                                                                                 , I                                                                                                 .
   4. If I hadn’t                                                                                                 , I                                                                                                 .
   5. If I had been born ten years earlier, I                                                                                                 .
   6.                                                                                                 , I would learn                                                                                                  (language)
   7.                                                                                                                                                                           .

    

5. Are the following situations the 0, 1^st, 2^nd, or 3^rd Conditionals?  Match the conditional If Clause with the appropriate effect or result.

    

   Conditional Clause (If Clause)
   (1) Even if I can finish my assignment on time
   (2) If we had not come back so late last night
   (3) If Andrii gets accepted into graduate school
   (4) If Alejandro finishes work early
   (5) Whether or not I can well sleep tonight

   Independent Clause (Result)
   (a) he will study architecture.
   (b) he wants to eat out with us tonight.
   (c) I will still not get a good grade.
   (d) I still have to get up at 5:00 to go to work.
   (e) we wouldn’t be drinking so much coffee today.