Conditional Sentence Exercise & Practice with Explanation

1. Water boils ______ you heat it to 100 degree Centigrade.

unless	until
if	although
Correct Answer: if
Explanation: Zero Conditional (If + present simple + present simple) is used for Universal Truth / Scientific Truth or Habitual Truth.

2. If he wants to play the violin, I _______ the piano for him.

play	shall play
am playing	have played
Correct Answer: shall play
Explanation: This is an example of 1 st Conditional ( If + Present + Future).

3. If I had much money, I ______.

will help the distressed people	would have helped the distressed people
would help the distressed people	would have been helped the distressed people
Correct Answer: would help the distressed people
Explanation: As per rules of 2 nd conditional: If + Past Indefinite (1 st clause), + Subject + would /could + present form of verb + Object (2 nd clause).

4. “If the driver had been more careful, the accident _________ occurred.

might not have	would not be
might not have been	might not
Correct Answer: might not have
Explanation: Third Conditional: If + Past Perfect form of verb + would/could/might + Past Participle form of verb

5. Had I known in advance, I ______ enough money.

would take	took
will take	would have taken
Correct Answer: would have taken
Explanation: Had + sub+ past participle form of verb + sub+ would have/ could have/ might have + past participle form of verb

6. If I had known you were coming, ________.

I would go to the station	I had gone to the station
I would have gone to the station	I would be going to the station
Correct Answer: I would have gone to the station
Explanation: Third Conditional: If + Past Perfect form of verb + would have/ could have / might have + Past Participle form of verb

7. He ______ to see us if he had been able to.

would come	would have come
may come	may have come
Correct Answer: would have come
Explanation: Sub + would have/could have / might have + past participle form of verb+ if + sub + past perfect

8. Had I been a king, I _________.

had helped the poor	would have helped the poor
have helped the poor	helped the poor
Correct Answer: would have helped the poor
Explanation: Had + sub+ past participle form of verb + sub+ would have/ could have/ might have + past participle form of verb

9. Choose the correct sentence:

If he works hard, he will succeed.	If he works hard, he succeeds.
If he works hard, he succeeds.	If he works hard, he succeeds.
Correct Answer: If he works hard, he will succeed.
Explanation: Structure of 1 st Conditional: If + Present tense + Future Indefinite Tense

10. If I had a typewriter, ______.

I will type myself	I would have typed myself
I would type myself	I will be typing myself
Correct Answer: I would type myself
Explanation: 2 nd conditional: If + Past Indefinite (1 st clause), + Subject + would /could + present form of verb + Object (2 nd clause).

11. Had I the wings of a bird, _________

I flew in the sky.	I could fly in the sky.
I fly in the sky.	I would have flown in the sky.
Correct Answer: I could fly in the sky.
Explanation: 2 nd Conditional: Had + subject + object + could/would/might + present form of verb

12. I we had a boat, we ________ the river.

will cross	would be crossing
would have crossed	would cross
Correct Answer: would cross
Explanation: Rules for 2 nd conditional: If + Past Indefinite (1 st clause), + Subject + would /could + present form of verb + Object (2 nd clause)

13. If she ______ her identity card, she ______ in trouble.

loses, would be	loses, will be
will lose, would be	lose, would be
Correct Answer: loses, will be
Explanation: 1 st Conditional: If + Present tense + Future Indefinite Tense

14. Choose the correct sentence:

If I find a bag in the street, I take it to the police.	If I find a bag in the street, I took it to the police.
If I find a bag in the street, I took it to the police.	If I find a bag in the street, I had to take it to the police.
Correct Answer: If I find a bag in the street, I take it to the police.
Explanation: Zero Conditional (If + present simple + present simple) is used for Universal Truth / Scientific Truth or Habitual Truth.

15. What would have happened if _____?

the bridge is broken	the bridge had broken
the bridge would have been broken	the bridge had been broken
Correct Answer: the bridge had been broken
Explanation: 3 rd Conditional (Question) : Relative Pronouns + would/might/could have + Past participle form of verb + if + sub + Past Perfect Tense

16. Choose the correct sentence:

If I had a camera, I would have taken some photographs.	If I had a camera, I had taken some photographs.
If I had a camera, I would take some photographs.	If I had a camera, I would take some photographs.
Correct Answer: If I had a camera, I would take some photographs.
Explanation: If I had a camera, I would take some photographs.

17. You might have had a windfall _____________.

if you had had an opportunity	if you had an opportunity
if you have had an opportunity	if you hadn’t have an opportunity
Correct Answer: if you had had an opportunity
Explanation: Structure for 3 rd Conditional: Sub + would have/could have / might have + past participle form of verb+ if + sub + past perfect tense

18. If you had seen the accident, you _________ so fast now.

shan’t be driving	shouldn’t drive
hadn’t driven	won’t be driving
Correct Answer: won’t be driving
Explanation: According to the meaning of the sentence, 3rd Conditional rules will not be applied. Rather simple future tense will be used for the future possibility of the sentence.

19. If you don’t want to miss the train, you ________ finish your tea soon.

would rather	had better
will	would
Correct Answer: had better
Explanation: For future suggestion: If + any tense + had better + present form of verb

20. __________ more help, I could call my neighbor.

Needed	I should need
Should I need	I have needed
Correct Answer: Should I need
Explanation: For very minimal amount of possibility, Should I need = If I should need structure is used.

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