TRENDS / SHOPPING AND CONSUMERISM

Facts which are Present of future Past unreal and

Conditionals
generally true hypothetical, imaginary
to talk about
or scientific imaginary and situations
real situations
facts unreal situations

Conditional Sentences
A conditional sentence (clause) describes the result of something that might happen (in the
present or future) or might have happened but didn't (in the past) . They are made using different
English verb tenses.

The conjunctions (connectors) if, even if, when, whenever, whether, and unless often appear in
conditional sentences. The meaning of a conditional sentence determines which verb tenses need
to be used in the independent and subordinate clauses.

There are different types of conditionals:

1. Zero Conditional: Used to express a general or habitual fact. In this case, the present
simple tense is used in both clauses.
• General fact: If water reaches 100°C, it boils. = Water boils if it reaches 100°C.
• Habitual fact: Whenever I touch an ice cube, it feels cold.

2. First Conditional: Used to make predictions about the future or to express future
intentions or possibilities. In this case, the verb in the subordinate clause is in the present
tense, and the main verb in the independent clause is preceded by “will” or another modal
verb (can, might, should, must, may, etc.).
• Intention: If I win the lottery, I will go to Paris.
• Possibility: If I don't call you tonight, you can call me.
Will you wait for me if I am late?

3. Second Conditional: We use the second conditional when we imagine a situation or

when there is very little or no possibility that something will happen.
In this case, the verb in the subordinate clause is in simple past tense, and the main verb in
the independent clause is preceded by the modal would, could, or might.

• Present: At the moment, it's raining. Speculation: If it were sunny, I would go out.
(I’d go out)
What would you do if you found a lot of money in the street?
If I were the president of the country, I would do a great job
 In the second conditional, when the verb in the if-clause is a form of be, we use were instead
of was. Note that this use of were is possible and recommended with all subjects. Was is also
becoming acceptable, but many grammarians still insist that you should use were.

4. Third Conditional: You cannot alter or change the past. You didn't drive carefully in
the past (something you cannot change now) so you had an accident.

Imaginary situation: If you had been more careful, you wouldn't have had an
accident.

In this case, the verb in the subordinate clause is in past perfect tense; the main verb in
the independent clause is a past participle, preceded by the modal would have, could
have, or might have.

• Speculation: If I had won the lottery, I would have gone to Jamaica.

A. Now, time for you to practice: Write conditional sentences using the prompts given

ZERO CONDITIONAL

1. Students not study / not do well on tests.

If students do not study, students don't well on tests.
2. ice melt / heat it?
 Ice melt if heat it?
3. Sales increase/ companies make profit
 If sales increase, the companies make profit.
4. you close the door / lock automatically?
 If you close the door lock automatically?
5. People not need to buy much / not need to work much
 If people do not need to buy much, people do not need to work much.
FIRST CONDITIONAL
1. Salads seem boring sometimes, but we eat something healthier / sleep better.
 Salads seem boring sometimes, but if we eat something healthier, we sleep
better.
2. the boss be upset / you not complete this project on time
 The boss will be upset if you do not complete this project on time.
3. A client not pay invoice / cancel subscription
 If a client not pay invoice, the subscription will be cancelled.
4. The company lose clients to competition / not complete project on time.
 If the company lose clients to competition, the company won't complete project
on time.
5. Product successful in China / introduce it into other Asian markets
 If product successful in China, the product will introduce it into other Asian
markets.

SECOND CONDITIONAL
1. Win lottery / start my own company
  If I won lottery, I would start my own company.
2. Become president / change social security system
 If I were the president, I would change social security system.
3. My sister / not spend so much in luxury / save some
 If my sister didn't spend so much in luxury, she could save some.
4. Andres / apply for scholarship in Germany / speak German
 Andres could apply for scholarship in Germany if he spoke German.
5. We not use plastic / oceans not be contaminated
 If we didn't use plastic, oceans wouldn't be contaminated.
THIRD CONDITONAL
1. You had a job interview, but you didn’t prepare for it, so you didn’t get the job.
(regret)
 If I had prepared for the job interview, I would have gotten the job.
2. A friend was in trouble, and she needed help. You had the ability to help, but she
never told you she was in trouble.
 If my friend had told me she was in trouble, I would have helped her.
3. John was talking on the phone while driving. He got pulled over by the police. He
got a huge fine.
 If John had not talked on the phone while driving, the police wouldn´t have got
him a huge fine.
4. Some friends didn’t come to your party / you didn’t invite them. Ask them a
Question.
 If I had invited you to my party, would you have come?
5. You didn’t attend most of your classes. You failed in the test.
 If I had attended most of my classes, I would not have failed in the test.
With effects now:
6. She didn’t accept the position of senior partner / she is begging to keep her job now.
 If she had accepted the position of senior partner, she would not have begged to
keep her job now.

B. Conditional Sentences
Complete each sentence below by giving the correct form of the verb in parentheses.

1. Whenever my roommate snores loudly, I cannot sleep.

2. Students may be disappointed if they wouldn’t receive good grades.

3. If we didn´t take an exam on the conditional, we might not have

learned it.

4. Clara won´t pass her driving test unless she calms down.

5. If it was winter, all these trees would be covered in snow.

6. If the airplane hadn’t had a mechanical problem, we probably would have arrived in Dublin
by now.
7. We would have relaxed on the beach in Montego Bay right now if we had been able to get
our visas on time.

8. I would try to find more opportunities to write in English if I were you.

What will happen to Earth if...?

Complete the blanks with the verbs in brackets:

1. Many wildlife habitats will be destroyed if man ____keep___ (keep) polluting the
environment.

2. If we dump all sorts of chemicals into rivers, we ____won't be able to____ (not be able
to) swim in them in the future.

3. If we __don't stop___ (not stop) cutting down so many trees, we ___will endanger ____
(endanger) our oxygen supply.

4. Soon the Earth’s resources will be exhausted if the human population __continues__
(continue) to grow.

5. If everybody continues to use aerosols and CFCs, the hole in the ozone layer ____will
get____ (get) bigger.

6. If the sun radiation can’t escape into space, Earth’s temperature _____will
increase_____ (increase) steadily.

7. If the global temperature ____rises_____ (rise), sea levels ______will rise____ (rise) too.

8. We’ll threaten our own existence if we ___do not cut down___ (not cut down) on waste
rapidly.

9. People ____will run out of___ (run out of) drinking water one day if they ___don’t
use____ (not use) it more rationally.

10. If he __wants__ (want) to help the planet, then he ___will have to__ (have to) change his
habits. What would happen to Earth if...?

Complete the blanks with the verbs in brackets:

1. If people ____were not___ (not be) so careless, Earth wouldn’t be in danger.

2. The amount of waste ____ would decrease____ (decrease) if people started to buy reusable
packages.
3. Many fish wouldn’t die if factories ___didn’t dump___ (not dump) so many chemicals into
rivers and oceans.

4. If people ___bought___ (buy) more recycled paper, there wouldn’t be so much waste.

5. ____Would you took___ (you take) these bottles to the bottle bank if I asked you to?

6. If people really _____didn’t care____ (not care) about the environment, they _____wouldn’t
try_____ (not try) to save it.

7. If Paul ___thought___ (think) more about the planet, he wouldn’t waste so much water.

8. We ____would be____ (be) less worried if oil spills _______did not have ____ (not have) such
destructive effects.

9. If we consumed less, we ____would produce______ (produce) less waste material.

10. If we ___destroyed___ (destroy) the ozone layer, nothing ___could save___ (save) us from
the UV rays.