Using conditionals

Test it ✔
1 Circle the correct option, A, B or C. Look at punctuation as well as grammar.
A I really wouldn’t do that if I were you!
B I really won’t do that if I’m you.
C I really wouldn’t have done that, if I’m you.
a A If you will heat ice, it melts.
B If you heat ice, it melts.
C If you heated ice, it melts.
b A Nothing would have happened if we didn’t call the police.
B Nothing happened if we hadn’t called the police.
C Nothing would have happened if we hadn’t called the police.
c A If it’s hot tomorrow, we’ll barbecue some food.
B If it’s hot tomorrow we’ll barbecue some food.
C If it will be hot tomorrow, we’ll barbecue some food.

2 Match a–k to 1–11.

a I’m going to be angry 1 we had met years ago! 5
a .....
b What happens when 2 if we hadn’t visited her. b .....
c If only 3 if he knew the truth? c .....
d If Ed hadn’t dropped a match, 4 he’d have told me the answer. d .....
e If I were a dog, 5 if Nico doesn’t phone today. e .....
f How would he feel 6 if you were in my shoes? f .....
g Mum might have been upset 7 I’ll take you sightseeing. g .....
h What would you do 8 clouds form? h .....
i If I have time tomorrow, 9 I’d sleep all day. i .....
j If he’d understood the question, 10 we wouldn’t be late now. j .....
k If you’d been on time, 11 the floor wouldn’t have been burnt. k .....

3 True or false?
True False

¨ ¨
I wish I am on the beach, not in the office.
This sentence is possible. ✓

¨ ¨
a If Paddy were giving a speech tomorrow, he’d be anxious.
This sentence is possible.
b I wish I didn’t have so much to do!

¨ ¨
I could have gone out last night if I hadn’t had so much to do.
Only one of these sentences is correct.

¨ ¨
c If you spoke Greek, you could have translated this for me.
This sentence is possible.

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GO to page 68 and check your answers.

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 Using conditionals

Test it again ✔
1 Tick the sentences that are possible.
¨
If Luke would have got the job, he’d be moving to Australia next year. ¨
We would still be married if I hadn’t been so stupid. ✓

¨
a

¨
b I’d have bought the necklace we saw yesterday if I were rich.

¨
c If you had a new job, you might be nervous, too.

¨
d Is it true that if you’ll mix blue and yellow, you get green?
e We’ll leave at eight unless Harry will be late.

¨
f If I didn’t like you so much, I wouldn’t have stayed up all night

¨
waiting for you.

¨
g If I were five years old, I had no worries at all.

¨
h She would have lend us the money if she had any.

¨
i They wouldn’t have been late if they hadn’t overslept.
j I might not have had such a great time if I hadn’t been with you!

2 Complete the sentences. Use the correct form of the verbs in brackets.
More than one answer may be possible.
will die
If it doesn’t rain soon, the plants ......................... (die).
a If Patricia ......................... (start) taking some exercise, she’d get fit.
b I’d consult a qualified electrician if I ......................... (be) you.
c If I hadn’t gone on that business trip, I ......................... (not/meet) you.
d When I go on a coach, I always ......................... (feel) sick.
e If Charlie weren’t so funny, you ......................... (not/fancy) him.
f If only dogs ......................... (can) talk, we’d have such great conversations.
g I really wish people ......................... (stop) killing whales.
h Listen, if it rains later, we ......................... (change) the plan and go
to the cinema.
i If she ......................... (not/talk) so much, she might hear what you said.
j I promise I’ll laugh at your jokes when they ......................... (be) funny, OK?

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 Fix it

Answers to Test it Fix it notes head

Check your answers. Wrong answer?
A Use the present simple after when or
Read the right Fix it note to find out why.
if when the statement is always true.
1 • A ➔C B Use first conditional sentences to
aB ➔A
talk about future possibilities. Use
bC ➔D
the present tense in the if-clause and
c A ➔B
will or going to in the other clause.
2a5 ➔B g2➔ D
C Use second conditional sentences
b 8 ➔ A h6➔ C
when you’re thinking about present
c 1 ➔ F i 7➔ B
and future situations. Use second
d 11 ➔ D j 4➔ D
conditional sentences with If I were
e 9 ➔ C k 10 ➔ E
you to give advice. Use the past tense
f 3 ➔ C
in the if-clause of second conditional
3 • False ➔ F sentences and would/could/might +
a True ➔ C base form in the other clause.
b False ➔ D, F
D Use third conditional sentences to
c True ➔ E
talk about things that have already
happened in the past. Use the past
Now go to page 67. Test yourself again. perfect in the if-clause of third
conditional sentences and would/
Answers to Test it again could/might have in the other clause.
1a✘ f ✔ E Use a mix of tenses (e.g. past
b ✔ g ✘ simple and past perfect) in some
c ✔ h ✘ conditional sentences, especially
d ✘ i ✔ when there’s an effect or result in
e ✘ j ✔ the present.
2 a started F Use If only and I wish + past simple
b were or past perfect to express a regret.
c wouldn’t have met
d feel
For more information, see the
e wouldn’t fancy
Review page opposite.
f could
g would stop
h will/’ll change
i didn’t talk
j are/’re

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 Using conditionals

i Review
Third conditional You use third
EXAM TIP

You may need to use conditionals

accurately in any part of the FCE conditional sentences to talk about things
exam. Review them regularly and that have already happened in the past
make a note of any frequent mistakes and their consequences. You use the past
that you make. perfect in the if-clause and would/wouldn’t,
could/couldn’t, and might/might not have
+ past participle in the other clause.
Types of conditional You can divide If I’d told you, you’d have been furious
conditional sentences, sometimes called with me. (So I didn’t tell you and you
if sentences, into several different weren’t furious.)
categories. Many people call these zero,
first, second and third conditionals. They Mixed conditionals You can also use a
all have different uses. mix of tenses, for example past perfect in
one clause and would + infinitive in the
Zero conditional The zero conditional other clause in some conditional
isn’t very common. You use it for general sentences, especially when there is an
truths about the world or yourself. You effect or result in the present.
use the present tense in both clauses. If you hadn’t lost your wallet, we’d be at
I’m always sick if I go on a boat. the cinema now.
Ice thaws when you warm it up.
Order of clauses The if-clause often
First conditional The first conditional is comes first in conditional sentences.
common when you talk about real future However, you can reverse the two
possibilities; things that are likely to clauses without changing the meaning.
happen. You use the present tense in the If James didn’t have such a good sense
if-clause and will/won’t in the other of humour, I wouldn’t like him as much. =
clause. I wouldn’t like James as much if he didn’t
! Don't use will/won’t in both clauses. have such a good sense of humour.
If it hadn’t been for you, we wouldn’t
This is a very common mistake.
have got here. = We wouldn’t have got
If it rains, we’ll stay indoors.
here if it hadn’t been for you.
NOT If it will rain, we’ll stay indoors.
Punctuation When the if-clause comes
Second conditional You can use second
first, you put a comma between the two
conditional sentences to talk about unreal
clauses. You don’t need one if it comes
situations in the present and about
second.
unlikely events in the future. You use the
If it rained, I’d stay at home.
past tense in the if-clause and would/
I’d stay at home if it rained.
wouldn’t, could/couldn’t and might/might
not + base form in the other clause. You Note however that it isn’t unusual for
can also use second conditional sentences native speakers to leave the comma out.
with If I were you to give advice. You may see examples of this in
If I didn’t have to work, I’d read books all newspapers and magazines, and on the
day. (But I have to work, so I can’t.) internet. For the written parts of the FCE
If I won the lottery, I’d share it with you. (Paper 2 Writing and Paper 3 Use of
(But I probably won’t win it, so I won’t English), it’s best to punctuate this type
share it with you.) of sentence correctly.
If I were you, I’d see a doctor.
I wouldn’t forget to call home if I were
you.

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