CONDICIONALES
LAS ORACIONES CONDICIONALES
FIRST CONDITIONAL
Conditional Clause Result Clause Examples
IF Future Simple If you travel abroad, you will meet a lot of
+ Present Simple people.
UNLESS May / might + infinitive
SECOND CONDITIONAL
IF Would + infinitive If we had enough Money, we would buy a
+ Past simple new car.
Could / might + infinitive
THIRD CONDITIONAL
IF Would have + participle If I had phoned my parents, they wouldn’t
+ Past Perfect have been worried.
Could / might have + participle
Las condicionales son oraciones complejas compuestas por una proposición
subordinada introducida por if y una principal. Hay de tres clases.
1. PRIMER CONDICIONAL
Se forma con if + presente simple y futuro con will. Expresa lo que ocurrirá si se
cumple la condición deseada.
Además de con el futuro, se puede expresar con may y might o con el verbo en
imperativo.
If you see Jack, say hello to him.
USOS
- Se utiliza para hablar de acontecimientos futuros posibles o probables.
If I am fit enough, I will tun the maratón.
- Hacer promesas y advertencias.
If we buy an exercise bike, I will use it every day.
Para usarlo en negativa podemos negar el verbo que va en Presente Simple o bien
dejarlo en afirmativa pero introducido por la conjunción unless (si no, a menos que, a
no ser que) que equivale a if not.
He won’t believe anything unless we prove it is true. (No creerá nada si no le
demostramos que es verdad.)
2. SEGUNDO CONDICIONAL
Se forma con if + Past Simple y would + verbo en infinitivo sin to. Expresa condiciones
hipotéticas referidas al presente, es decir que es poco probable que ocurran.
If you talked to him, he would understand the situation. (si tu hablaras con él,
entendería la situación)
Si el verbo de la oración IF es to be, se suele utilizar were en todas las personas del
singular y del plural. Y siempre se usa were con el pronombre I cuando damos un
consejo.
If I were you, I would ask my parents for permission. (SI yo fuera tu, pediría permiso a
mis padres)
Las variantes más frecuentes del segundo condicional son los modales could y might.
Equivalen a “podría” o a las expresiones “tal ves / quizás”.
USOS
- Usamos el condicional de segundo grado para hablar de situaciones
hipotéticas en el presente y en el futuro.
If I were a famous chef, I would cook better meals.
3. TERCER CONDICIONAL
Se forma con if + Past Perfect y would have + participio. Sirve para expresar algo
imposible, pues se refiere al pasado y la hipótesis ya no puede realizarse.
You would have learnt to play the guitar if you had taken classes. (Habrias aprendido a
tocar la guitarra si hubieras dado clases.
Las variantes de esta estructura son could have y might have + participio.
USOS
- Se utilizara para hablar de hechos hipotéticos en el pasado.
If Serena had trained more, she would have won the race.
(Si Serena hubiera entrenado mas, ella habría ganado la carrera).
ACTIVITIES: CONDITIONALS
1. COMPLETE THE SENTENCES WITH THE VERB IN BRACKETS. USE
THE FIRST OR SECOND CONDITIONAL.
- They will set up another shop if business………………..(be) good.
- If I could use this tin opener, I…………………(open) a tin of tuna.
- If I………………………..(travel) to London, I’ll visit you.
- If more people…………………..(be) left-handed, more shops would sell
left-handed products.
- She……………………(not buy) anything unless it’s on sale.
- If you were left-handed, ………………….you (join) the Left Handers Club?
2. COMPLETE THE SENTENCES WITH THE CORRECT FORM OF THE
VERBS IN BRACKETS. USE THE THIRD CONDITIONAL.
- I suppose Jack didn’t see us,
You’re right, If he………………..(see) us, he…………………..(say) hello.
- How was the exam?
Not bad! But if you……………………..………..(not help) me,
I…………………….……….(fall).
- It’s a pity Tara didn’t come to the picnic.
Well, she……………………………(come) if she……………………..(not
be) ill.
3. CHOOSE THE SENTENCE IN EACH PAIR THAT IS SIMILAR IN
MEANING TO THE FIRST SENTENCE.
A. I don’t want to have dinner without you.
a. I won’t have dinner unless you join me.
b. If you join me, I won’t have dinner.
B. She hasn’t got a good voice, so she can’t sing.
a. If she has got a good voice, she will be able to sing.
b. If she had a good voice, she would be able to sing.
C. We didn’t buy tickets on time, so we didn’t attend the concert.
a. If we had bought tickets on time, we would have attended the
concert.
b. If we bought tickets in time, we would attend the concert.
4. CHOOSE THE CORRECT ANSWER.
- If you travel to other countries, you would meet / will meet interesting
people.
- Our team would have won / would win last week’s game if our best player
hadn’t been ill.
- He would be / will be jealous if he saw mu new mobile phone.
- If you had listened / listen to me, you wouldn’t have had any problems.
- I’ll call you when I get / will get to the shop.
- Benny won’t come to the party unless he gets / got a lift.
- As soon as they will arrive / arrive, I’ll serve coffee and cake.
5. COMPLETE EACH SENTENCE WITHOUT CHANGING THE ORIGINAL
MEANING.
- I remember Jane’s birthday because you reminded me.
If you hadn’t……………
- Tom is lonely because he hasn0t got friends.
He wouldn’t……………
- I was angry because you didn’t say goodbye.
If you had…………………..
- It’s very important that I call my parents when I get home.
As soon as ……………….
- I’m going to try hard in order to succeed.
I’ll succeed if……………..
- I think you should call your teacher.
If I were you………………
- I haven’t got enough money to travel at the moment.
When……………………
6. COMPLETE THE SENTENCES, MAKING THEM TRUE FOR YOU.
- If I could meet a famous person, I………………….
- If I found a purse in the street, I……………………
- If the weather is unpleasant at the weekend, I…………………………
- I wouldn’t have met my best friend if I……………………….
- As soon as I finish secondary school, I………………………………
7. COMPLETE THE SENTENCES WITH THE VERBS IN BRACKETS.
- I…………………………..(tell) the truth if I……………………(be) you.
- If I…………………….(have) time, I………………………….(go) out
tonight.
- When I…………..………..(see) her tomorrow, I…………………..(ask) her.
- You………………………(not able to) write e-mails unless
you………………….(learn) to use a computer.
- Susan…………………………(not buy) the guitar if they…………………...
(not give) her such a good discount lat week.
