Conditionals (Types 0, 1 & 2) – English Grammar Exercises For B1
Choose the most appropriate option (A, B, C, or D) to complete each sentence according to the company’s safety regulations.
1 If you hear the continuous fire alarm, you ______ the building immediately.
(a) will leave
(b) leaving
(c) leave
(d) inspect
2 When a fire breaks out, we never ______ the elevators to go downstairs.
(a) use
(b) uses
(c) would use
(d) clean
3 If there is a lot of smoke in the corridor, you ______ close to the floor to breathe safely.
(a) stay
(b) stays
(c) will stay
(d) to stay
4 Employees must follow the green emergency exit signs if the power ______ out.
(a) go
(b) goes
(c) will go
(d) went
5 When the evacuation starts, nobody ______ behind to collect their personal belongings.
(a) stay
(b) staying
(c) will stay
(d) stays
6 If you find a blocked emergency exit, you ______ it to the security desk right away.
(a) report
(b) reported
(c) ignore
(d) will report
7 The automatic fire doors close by themselves if the system ______ a sudden rise in temperature.
(a) will detect
(b) detect
(c) detecting
(d) detects
8 Unless the safety warden ______ you to re-enter, you remain outside at the assembly point.
(a) authorizes
(b) doesn’t authorize
(c) authorize
(d) forces
9 Whenever you use a fire extinguisher, you ______ the safety pin first.
(a) pulls
(b) pull
(c) will pull
(d) throw
10 If an employee ______ minor burns during an incident, the first aid kit is available in the main lobby.
(a) suffer
(b) will suffer
(c) suffers
(d) is suffering
11 When we conduct our monthly fire drill, every department manager ______ their team’s attendance list.
(a) checks
(b) check
(c) will check
(d) checking
12 If a chemical spill causes the fire in the lab, you ______ water on it under any circumstances.
(a) don’t pour
(b) not pour
(c) won’t pour
(d) pour
13 As soon as the main alarm system activates, the front security gate ______ automatically to allow fast evacuation.
(a) open
(b) opens
(c) is opening
(d) will open
14 If you don’t know the exact location of the fire, you ______ other closed doors to look for it.
(a) don’t open
(b) won’t open
(c) not open
(d) lock
15 Unless a designated safety officer ______ otherwise, the primary assembly point is always Parking Lot B.
(a) advising
(b) don’t advise
(c) advises
(d) advise
16 In case of a sudden fire drill, supervisors ensure that no one ______ in the restrooms or meeting rooms.
(a) will remain
(b) remaining
(c) remains
(d) remain
17 If the main staircase is inaccessible due to smoke, the secondary route ______ everyone directly to the back exit.
(a) lead
(b) will lead
(c) leading
(d) leads
18 Employees violate a strict company policy if they ______ the fire alarm during a non-emergency situation.
(a) triggers
(b) trigger
(c) triggering
(d) will trigger
19 Whenever the smoke detector beeps intermittently, it ______ that the battery requires immediate replacement.
(a) indicate
(b) indicates
(c) will indicate
(d) fixes
20 Provided that everyone ______ calm, the entire evacuation process takes less than three minutes.
(a) stay
(b) stays
(c) staying
(d) will stay
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (c) leave
- Why it is correct (The Key): Type 0 Conditional is used for rules and instructions. Both clauses use the Present Simple (If + Present Simple, Present Simple / Imperative).
- Error Analysis: Option (a) “will leave” is a Common Mistake (confusing Type 0 rules with Type 1 future predictions). Option (b) “leaving” is a Structural Error (missing finite verb). Option (d) “inspect” is a Strong Distractor (grammatically correct, but you don’t ‘inspect’ during an alarm, making it a dangerous meaning trap).
2 (a) use
- Why it is correct (The Key): Present Simple for a general safety fact. “We” requires the base plural verb.
- Error Analysis: Option (c) “would use” is a Common Mistake (using Type 2 for a real safety rule). Option (b) “uses” is a Structural Error (wrong subject-verb agreement). Option (d) “clean” is a Strong Distractor (wrong meaning/action during a fire).
3 (a) stay
- Why it is correct (The Key): Present Simple in the main clause to give a factual instruction.
- Error Analysis: Option (c) “will stay” is a Common Mistake (Type 1 instead of Type 0). Option (d) “to stay” is a Structural Error. Option (b) “stays” is a Structural Error (“you” takes the base verb).
4 (b) goes
- Why it is correct (The Key): Present Simple in the if-clause for a systematic rule. “The power” is singular.
- Error Analysis: Option (c) “will go” is a Common Mistake (never put ‘will’ in the if-clause). Option (a) “go” is a Structural Error (missing ‘es’ for 3rd person singular). Option (d) “went” is a Strong Distractor (shifts to Type 2, but this is a real operational rule).
5 (d) stays
- Why it is correct (The Key): Indefinite pronouns like “nobody” always take a singular verb in the Present Simple.
- Error Analysis: Option (a) “stay” is a Common Mistake (treating “nobody” as plural). Option (c) “will stay” is a Common Mistake (future tense for a universal rule). Option (b) “staying” is a Structural Error.
6 (a) report
- Why it is correct (The Key): Present Simple (Imperative tone) for the required action.
- Error Analysis: Option (d) “will report” is a Common Mistake. Option (b) “reported” is a Structural Error (wrong tense). Option (c) “ignore” is a Strong Distractor (grammatically perfect, but fundamentally violates the safety context).
7 (d) detects
- Why it is correct (The Key): “The system” is singular, requiring “detects” in the Present Simple condition.
- Error Analysis: Option (a) “will detect” is a Common Mistake (“will” in the if-clause). Option (b) “detect” is a Structural Error (wrong agreement). Option (c) “detecting” is a Structural Error.
8 (a) authorizes
- Why it is correct (The Key): “Unless” means “if not”. The verb must be affirmative to make logical sense (if the warden does NOT authorize you).
- Error Analysis: Option (b) “doesn’t authorize” is a Common Mistake (creates a double negative: “if the warden doesn’t not authorize you”). Option (c) “authorize” is a Structural Error (“warden” is singular). Option (d) “forces” is a Strong Distractor (wrong situational meaning).
9 (b) pull
- Why it is correct (The Key): “Whenever” acts exactly like “If” in Type 0 conditionals for operational routines.
- Error Analysis: Option (c) “will pull” is a Common Mistake. Option (a) “pulls” is a Structural Error (“you” takes base verb). Option (d) “throw” is a Strong Distractor (wrong action for an extinguisher).
10 (c) suffers
- Why it is correct (The Key): Present Simple in the if-clause to state a general condition. “Employee” is singular.
- Error Analysis: Option (b) “will suffer” is a Common Mistake. Option (a) “suffer” is a Structural Error. Option (d) “is suffering” is a Strong Distractor (present continuous changes the focus from a general rule to an action happening right now).
11 (a) checks
- Why it is correct (The Key): “Every department manager” acts as a singular subject in the Present Simple.
- Error Analysis: Option (b) “check” is a Common Mistake (learners see “every” and think plural). Option (c) “will check” is a Common Mistake (future instead of routine). Option (d) “checking” is a Structural Error.
12 (a) don’t pour
- Why it is correct (The Key): Negative imperative in the main clause for a strict prohibition.
- Error Analysis: Option (c) “won’t pour” is a Common Mistake. Option (b) “not pour” is a Structural Error (missing auxiliary ‘do’). Option (d) “pour” is a Strong Distractor (dangerous meaning trap: pouring water on a chemical fire is incorrect).
13 (b) opens
- Why it is correct (The Key): “As soon as” triggers a Type 0 conditional for automatic, guaranteed results.
- Error Analysis: Option (d) “will open” is a Common Mistake (often used, but Type 0 ‘opens’ is better for programmed automatic actions). Option (a) “open” is a Structural Error (“gate” is singular). Option (c) “is opening” is a Structural Error (continuous tense doesn’t fit the systematic rule).
14 (a) don’t open
- Why it is correct (The Key): Negative imperative to state what not to do.
- Error Analysis: Option (b) “won’t open” is a Common Mistake. Option (c) “not open” is a Structural Error. Option (d) “lock” is a Strong Distractor (grammatically fine, but you shouldn’t waste time locking doors during an escape).
15 (c) advises
- Why it is correct (The Key): Affirmative Present Simple verb after “Unless”. “Officer” is singular.
- Error Analysis: Option (b) “don’t advise” is a Common Mistake (double negative). Option (d) “advise” is a Structural Error. Option (a) “advising” is a Structural Error.
16 (c) remains
- Why it is correct (The Key): “No one” is a singular pronoun. Type 0 conditional structure applied in a subordinate clause.
- Error Analysis: Option (d) “remain” is a Common Mistake (treating “no one” as plural). Option (a) “will remain” is a Common Mistake. Option (b) “remaining” is a Structural Error.
17 (d) leads
- Why it is correct (The Key): Present Simple result clause for a permanent fact/architectural layout.
- Error Analysis: Option (b) “will lead” is a Common Mistake (the route doesn’t magically decide to lead there in the future; it permanently leads there). Option (a) “lead” is a Structural Error. Option (c) “leading” is a Structural Error.
18 (b) trigger
- Why it is correct (The Key): Present simple in the if-clause. “They” requires the base verb.
- Error Analysis: Option (d) “will trigger” is a Common Mistake (“will” in the if-clause). Option (a) “triggers” is a Structural Error. Option (c) “triggering” is a Structural Error.
19 (b) indicates
- Why it is correct (The Key): Result clause of a general mechanical rule (“Whenever” = If).
- Error Analysis: Option (c) “will indicate” is a Common Mistake. Option (a) “indicate” is a Structural Error. Option (d) “fixes” is a Strong Distractor (the beep indicates a problem, it doesn’t “fix” it).
20 (b) stays
- Why it is correct (The Key): “Provided that” acts like “If”. “Everyone” is a singular indefinite pronoun.
- Error Analysis: Option (a) “stay” is a Common Mistake (treating “everyone” as plural). Option (d) “will stay” is a Common Mistake (future in the condition clause). Option (c) “staying” is a Structural Error.
GRAMMAR POINTS TO REMEMBER
- Type 0 Conditional Structure: The formula is If / When / Whenever + Present Simple, Present Simple (or Imperative).
- Core Function: We use Type 0 for general truths, scientific facts, automatic results, and strict rules/regulations. It is the perfect grammar structure for writing manuals, company policies, or safety protocols because it implies 100% certainty: “Every time A happens, B happens.”
- “Will” is completely absent: Unlike Type 1 (which is about specific future predictions), Type 0 never uses will or won’t because the result is a timeless fact, not just a future possibility.
- Indefinite Pronouns Rule: When dealing with safety rules, you often use words like everyone, nobody, no one, somebody. Remember that grammatically, these are always singular in English (e.g., everyone stays, not everyone stay).
- Alternative Connectors: Words like when, whenever (every time that), as soon as, and provided that (on the condition that) function identically to if in these regulatory contexts.