conditional sept 10

 Conditional structures and ‘wish’
Student’s Copy
PART A. Mixed Conditionals
Task 1: The three sentences below are about the text on p.123 in LL Intermediate, Unit 12. Which ones have information about the present time? ________________________________________
1. If the teenage boy didn’t have a sweet tooth, he wouldn’t have ordered so much chocolate.
2. If his parents had been at home when the courier delivered the chocolate, they wouldn’t have let him accept the order.
3. If the Argentinean credit card holder hadn’t realized the order for $2,000 of chocolate, the boy’s parents wouldn’t know their son’s secret.
Task 2: Look at the sentences below, and choose the option which explains the situation correctly.
1. If the teenage boy didn’t have a sweet tooth, he wouldn’t have ordered so much chocolate.
a. He has a sweet tooth, so he ordered so much chocolate.
b. He had a sweet tooth, so he ordered so much chocolate.
c. He didn’t have a sweet tooth, so he didn’t order so much chocolate.
2. If the Argentinean credit card holder hadn’t realized the order for $2,000 of chocolate, the boy’s parents wouldn’t know their son’s secret.
a. The Argentinean credit card holder didn’t realize the order for $2,000 of chocolate, so the boy’s parents don’t know their son’s secret.
b. The Argentinean credit card holder realized the order for $2,000 of chocolate, so the boy’s parents know their son’s secret.
c. The Argentinean credit card holder realized the order for $2,000 of chocolate, so the boy’s parents didn’t know their son’s secret.
Task 3: Look at the two sentences in Task 2, and complete the notes below.
There are two types of mixed conditionals:
(a) If- clause ( ____ conditional) + Main clause ( ____ conditional): e.g. 2
(b) If- clause ( ____ conditional) + Main clause ( ____ conditional): e.g. 1
MORE EXAMPLES:
(1) If Fleming hadn’t discovered penicillin, there would be far more fatalities every year than there actually are.
(2) If she had been born in the United States, she wouldn't need a visa to work there.
(3) If Mark had gotten the job instead of Joe, he would be moving to Shanghai.
(4) If I weren't going on my business trip next week, I would have accepted that new assignment at work.
(5) If the island were still a tourist attraction, last week’s earthquake would have caused far more deaths.
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PRACTICE
I. Match each if-clause (1-5) with two possible main clauses (a-l). Then complete the main clauses using the words in parentheses. Use modal verbs if appropriate. The first one has been done as an example (0).
0.
1.
2.
3.
4.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
i
j.
If Bill Gates hadn’t been in the right place at the right time,
If athletes today didn’t take their training so seriously,
If John Lennon and Paul McCartney hadn’t met,
If Oppenheimer hadn’t discovered how to build an atomic bomb,
If the printing press had not been invented,
Hiroshima and Nagasaki __________________________ (not/destroy).
he wouldn’t be (not/be) the richest man in the world now.
it ______________ (not/be) possible to extend education to most people.
much of our history _________________________ (be) unknown to us.
Microsoft wouldn’t have become (not/become) a famous brand.
sport _____________________________ (not/be) so exciting to watch.
the Beatles _______________________________ (never/form).
the pop music of today ________________________(be) very different.
the world _____________________________ (be) a more secure place.
they ___________________(not/break) so many records in recent years.
b , e
________
________
________
________
Which ones are mixed conditionals? Circle the letter of the main clause of mixed conditionals as in the example.
II. Rewrite these sentences without changing their meaning.
1. The students attended all the classes and worked very hard, so their English is much better now.
If ____________________________________________________________________________.
2. He can go to school by car since he was given a car by his parents last month.
If ____________________________________________________________________________.
3. Atatürk fought against the enemies and founded the Turkish Republic. Therefore, we are able to live in a democratic country.
If ____________________________________________________________________________.
4. He drank too much at the party and then drove home. He is in hospital now because of a car accident.
If ____________________________________________________________________________.
5. The villagers didn’t use any fertilizers to enrich the soil. Now they don’t have a good harvest.
If ____________________________________________________________________________.
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PART B. Alternatives to If
If is not the only word we can use to introduce conditionals. Providing/Provided (that), so/as long as, on (the) condition (that), suppose/supposing (that), what if, whether or not and even if can also be used for that purpose.
Providing/Provided (that), so/as long as, on (the) condition (that)
We use these conjunctions to emphasize that the condition is necessary to the result. That is, the part of the sentence starting with these link words expresses the first action which must be fulfilled. They all mean if and only if. That’s why, they cannot always replace if.
e.g. We’ll have the meeting this afternoon provided/providing (that) no one objects.
(We’ll have the meeting if and only if no one objects. Otherwise, we won’t.)
BUT
We won’t have the meeting this afternoon if someone/anyone objects.
You can borrow my CD player as long as you return it by Monday.
BUT
You can’t borrow my CD player if you don’t return it by Monday.
You won’t be dismissed on condition that you pay the fee on time.
BUT
You will be dismissed if you don’t pay the fee on time.
Note: These link words are not used with the third conditional, as they can only refer to present or future conditions.
Suppose/Supposing (that), what if
Suppose/Supposing (that) and what if can be used to introduce suggestions. The verb can be present or past, a past form makes the suggestion unreal. These are used with questions.
e.g. Suppose we run out of petrol, what will we do then?
What if we invite your mother next week and go away the week after?
These expressions can also be used to talk about fears.
e.g. “Let’s go swimming.” “Suppose there are sharks, what will you do?”
“I’m going to climb up there.” “What if you slip?”
In sentences about the past, past perfect tenses are used to talk about situations that did not occur.
e.g. Climbing up there was very clever, but suppose you had slipped?
Whether or not, even if
Whether or not expresses the idea that neither one condition nor another matters; the result will be the same.
e.g. I’m going swimming tomorrow whether or not it’s cold. (OR whether it is cold or not)
(If it’s cold, I’m going swimming. If it’s not cold, I’m going swimming. I don’t care about the temperature. It doesn’t matter.)
Sentences with even if are close in meaning to those with whether or not. Even if gives the idea that a particular condition does not matter. The result will not change.
e.g. I always enjoy sailing even if the weather is rough.
Mario can’t come with us even if he is your best friend.
It would be too late to start work on the building this year even if it were possible to find the money for it.
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In case, in (the) case of
In case expresses the idea that something might happen, but it is not certain.
e.g. I always take an umbrella in case it rains. (=Whether it rains or not, I’ll take my umbrella as a precaution because it might rain.)
I don’t want to go out tonight in case Ann phones. (NOT... in case Ann will/may/might phone.)
I’ll be at my uncle’s house in case you need to reach me.
I had to watch where I put my feet in case I fell.
The prepositional phrase in (the) case of can also be used in expressing condition.
e.g. In case of fire, break the glass. (If there is a fire…)
In case of emergency, the simplest thing is to turn off the electricity.
PRACTICE:
I. Read the following statements/situations, and complete the following sentences about them.
1. Sam’s uncle tells a lot of jokes. Sometimes they are funny, and sometimes they are not. It doesn’t matter, Sam still laughs at them.
Sam laughs at the jokes ______________________________________________.
Sam laughs at the jokes even if ________________________________________.
2. Maybe you’re finished with the exam, and maybe you’re not. It doesn’t matter. The time’s up, so please hand in your exam paper.
You have to hand in your exam paper whether __________________________________.
You have to hand in your exam paper even if you ________________________________.
II. Rewrite the sentences using the given expressions:
1. If he doesn’t get a scholarship, he won’t be able to continue his education. (on condition that)
____________________________________________________________________.
2. You won’t get cold if you don’t throw the blankets off. (as long as)
____________________________________________________________________.
3. The police will leave you alone unless you cause trouble. (providing)
____________________________________________________________________.
4. We’ll end the meeting now providing you don’t have any questions. (unless)
____________________________________________________________________.
5. Unless you think it through very carefully, you won’t come up with the right answer. (provided)
____________________________________________________________________.
6. Take some cash with you because some shops might not accept credit cards. (in case)
____________________________________________________________________.
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7. Don’t forget to lock the doors and windows as there may be burglars in the neighborhood. (in case)
____________________________________________________________________.
8. People should protest. Otherwise, the new power plant will be built near the national park. (unless)
____________________________________________________________________.
III. Complete the following sentences without changing their meanings.
1. The economic situation will get better on condition that the private sector does not stop production.
The economic situation won’t get better if _______________________________________.
2. Providing economic conditions do not deteriorate again, air travel will continue to grow.
If _______________________________________, air travel will not continue to grow.
3. There will not be so much pollution as long as we don’t carry on burning fossil fuels.
If _______________________________________, there will be a lot of pollution.
4. There will not be a severe water shortage provided the government takes measures regarding climate change.
There will be a severe water shortage if _________________________________________.
PART C. Expressing dissatisfaction and regret: I wish/If only We use “wish” to talk about situations we would like to change but can’t, either because they are outside our control or because they are in the past. The tense of the verb after wish does not correspond to the time we are wishing about; it changes. The verb tense is one step back (as in reported speech). I. Present dissatisfaction A wish about a present or future situation is expressed with a past tense. Situation Wish I’m an only child. I wish/If only I weren’t/wasn’t an only child. I can’t drive. I wish/If only I could drive. Jack isn’t attending the meeting. I wish/If only Jack were/was) attending the meeting. I wish/If only I was rich, (but I'm not). I wish/If only I could fly, (but I can't). I wish/If only I had a bigger house, (but I don't). I wish/If only you were here, (but you're not). I wish/If only they had a car, (but they don't).
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I wish/If only + would(n't) + infinitive This is used in the second and third person only and is used when we want a situation to change, generally because it is annoying to us in some way. I wish/If only that dog would stop barking, (because it upsets me). I wish/If only you wouldn't bite your nails, (because it upsets me). I wish/If only you wouldn’t drive so fast, (because the roads are icy). I wish/If only the train would hurry up, (because I'm tired of waiting for it). BUT We cannot use it to talk about situations which annoy us but are impossible to change. I wish/If only my sister was a boy. (NOT I-wish/If only my sister would be a boy.) Would cannot be used to make a wish about the future if the wish includes the speaker. Could, the past form of can, is used instead. I wish I didn't bite my nails/I wish I could stop biting my nails. (NOT I wish I wouldn't bite/l would stop biting my nails) It’s going to be good party. I wish you would come with us. OR I wish we could all go.
II. Past dissatisfaction I wish/If only + Past Perfect A wish about a past situation, regret, is expressed with a past perfect tense. Situation Wish I’ve lost my best pen. I wish I hadn’t lost my best pen. I drank a lot of coffee. If only I hadn’t drunk so much coffee! I wish / If only I had worked harder, (but I didn't). I wish / If only I had been able to stop her, (but I wasn't able to do that). I wish / If only I had had more friends when I was at school, (but I didn't). I wish / If only you had been there, (we would have had a great time together). I wish / If only they had had a car, (so they could have taken me somewhere in it). PRACTICE: I. Change the underlined words so that the tense is correct for the second sentence. 1. If only she lived near us now. If only she ________________ near us when we were at school. 2. I wish I had been more confident when I was younger. I wish I ________________ more confident now. 3. I wish I had been able to think more clearly last week. I wish I ________________ think more clearly today. 4. I wish I didn't have so many responsibilities at the moment. I wish I ________________ so many responsibilities when I was a student.
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II. Complete the sentences with a word which shows the real situation. 1. I wish I wasn't so shy, but I am. 2. I wish you did more to help me, but you ________________. 3. I wish I could understand this message, but I ________________. 4. I wish he wasn't always so miserable, but he ________________. 5. If only I had learned to swim when I was younger, but I ________________. 6. If only I didn't have so much work to do tonight, but I ________________. III. Use the words in brackets and rewrite the sentences using I wish. 1. I didn't have much time to spend with my family when I was younger. ___________________________________________ when I was younger. 2. I hate the way my friend chews gum. ___________________________________________ in such an ugly way. 3. I'd love to be able to speak confidently in public. ___________________________________________ in public. 4. It wasn't very sensible for me to resign from my job. ___________________________________________ my job. 5. I don't believe it. We're having a party in one hour and you haven't helped at all. ___________________________________________ a little. 6. Unfortunately, I have to leave very early in the morning. ___________________________________________ so early in the morning. 7. In my opinion, they shouldn’t have given the award to that author. I wish that author ___________________________________________. I wish the award ___________________________________________.