Conditionals (Types 0, 1 & 2) – English Grammar Exercises For B1

1 (B) turns

• Why it is correct (The Key): This is a Type 0 conditional (Factual conditional) describing a mechanical fact. If action A happens, result B always happens. Structure: If + Present Simple, Present Simple.
• Error Analysis: (C) will turn (Common Mistake) incorrectly uses the future tense for a basic, universal machine function. (A) turn (Structural Error) lacks the ‘s’ for the singular subject “machine”. (D) turned (Strong Distractor) uses the past tense, which doesn’t fit a general manual instruction.

2 (A) is

• Why it is correct (The Key): Type 0 conditional for a factual machine operation. Present simple is required.
• Error Analysis: (B) will be (Common Mistake) overuses Type 1 (D) be (Structural Error) forgets to conjugate the “to be” verb. (C) was (Strong Distractor) shifts the manual into a past narrative instead of a present instruction.

3 (A) don’t use

• Why it is correct (The Key): Type 0 conditional. The present simple negative matches the factual consequence.
• Error Analysis: (B) won’t use (Common Mistake) puts the future tense inside the If-clause. (D) not use (Structural Error) is missing the auxiliary verb “do”. (C) wouldn’t use (Strong Distractor) is for Type 2 hypothetical situations, not standard machine behavior.

4 (B) will work

• Why it is correct (The Key): Type 1 conditional. It describes a specific, likely future event (“tomorrow morning”) based on a present action (“today”).
• Error Analysis: (A) works (Common Mistake) confuses Type 1 with Type 0, ignoring the specific time marker “tomorrow”. (D) work (Structural Error) subject-verb disagreement. (C) would work (Strong Distractor) applies Type 2 rules to a highly probable Type 1 scenario.

5 (A) is blocked

• Why it is correct (The Key): Type 0 conditional using the present simple passive voice (the filter receives the action of being blocked).
• Error Analysis: (C) will be blocked (Common Mistake). (B) blocks (Structural Error) uses active voice incorrectly (the filter doesn’t block itself). (D) blocked (Strong Distractor) looks like an adjective but lacks the “to be” verb needed for the passive structure.

6 (B) will damage

• Why it is correct (The Key): Type 1 conditional functioning as a strong warning about a specific future consequence.
• Error Analysis: (C) damage (Common Mistake) weakens the warning by making it sound like a general routine rather than a specific impending consequence. (A) damaged (Structural Error) uses past tense. (D) would damage (Strong Distractor) makes the warning sound too hypothetical and less urgent.

7 (B) poured

• Why it is correct (The Key): Type 2 conditional. This describes an imaginary, highly discouraged action (you shouldn’t pour water into a grinder). Structure: If + Past Simple, would + V.
• Error Analysis: (A) pour (Common Mistake) mixes a Type 1 condition with a Type 2 result. (D) pouring (Structural Error). (C) will pour (Strong Distractor) incorrectly places a future modal inside the If-clause.

8 (D) is

• Why it is correct (The Key): “Unless” means “If…not”. “Unless the top lid is securely closed” means “If the lid is not securely closed”. Type 0 factual statement.
• Error Analysis: (A) isn’t (Common Mistake) creates a double negative (“if not… is not”). (B) isn’t being (Structural Error). (C) will be (Strong Distractor) puts future tense after “unless”, which is grammatically incorrect.

9 (A) would be

• Why it is correct (The Key): Type 2 conditional indicating an unreal present/future situation (“were broken”). The main clause requires “would + V”.
• Error Analysis: (B) will be (Common Mistake) belongs to Type 1 (D) would to be (Structural Error) incorrectly adds “to” after a modal verb. (C) is (Strong Distractor) belongs to Type 0 but clashes with the past tense “were” in the If-clause.

10 (A) will send

• Why it is correct (The Key): Type 1 conditional promising a specific future outcome based on a condition.
• Error Analysis: (B) send (Common Mistake) uses Type 0, but this is a specific promise, not a mechanical fact. (D) sends (Structural Error) subject-verb disagreement (“technicians” is plural). (C) would send (Strong Distractor) makes the company’s promise sound hypothetical and uncertain.

11 (B) use

• Why it is correct (The Key): “Unless” already contains the negative meaning. It is followed by an affirmative verb in the present simple (Type 1/0).
• Error Analysis: (D) don’t use (Common Mistake) creates a double negative. (C) will use (Structural Error) uses future tense after “unless”. (A) didn’t use (Strong Distractor) uses past tense, shifting the sentence into a Type 2 framework, which doesn’t match the main clause “will not produce”.

12 (B) needs

• Why it is correct (The Key): Type 0 conditional. General mechanical rule. The singular subject “it” takes “needs”.
• Error Analysis: (A) will need (Common Mistake) over-complicates a basic fact with a future tense. (C) need (Structural Error) subject-verb agreement error. (D) needed (Strong Distractor) shifts the instruction to the past.

13 (D) were

• Why it is correct (The Key): “If I were you” is the standard Type 2 fixed phrase for giving advice.
• Error Analysis: (B) was (Common Mistake) is often used in informal speech, but “were” is the grammatically correct form for all subjects in B1-level formal conditional testing. (C) would be (Structural Error) puts ‘would’ in the If-clause. (A) am (Strong Distractor) mixes with Type 1

14 (C) restart

• Why it is correct (The Key): “Provided that” acts as “If” (Type 1). The conditional clause takes the present simple.
• Error Analysis: (D) will restart (Common Mistake) puts the future tense in the conditional clause. (B) restarting (Structural Error). (A) restarted (Strong Distractor) shifts the sentence into Type 2, clashing with “will disappear”.

15 (B) Were

• Why it is correct (The Key): Inversion of Type 2 conditional. “If the machine were to overheat…” becomes “Were the machine to overheat…”.
• Error Analysis: (A) If (Common Mistake) is missing the subject and verb (If the machine were…). (C) Was (Structural Error) is never used in Type 2 conditional inversions. (D) Had (Strong Distractor) is used for Type 3 inversions, not Type 2

16 (A) forgot

• Why it is correct (The Key): Type 2 conditional indicating an imaginary negative habit. “Would quickly build up” dictates the past simple “forgot” in the If-clause.
• Error Analysis: (B) forget (Common Mistake) mixes Type 1 and Type 2 (D) forgetting (Structural Error). (C) didn’t forget (Strong Distractor) breaks the logical meaning; if you didn’t forget (meaning you remembered to clean it), bacteria wouldn’t build up.

17 (A) made

• Why it is correct (The Key): “Supposing” replaces “If” in this Type 2 hypothetical question. It requires the past simple tense.
• Error Analysis: (C) makes (Common Mistake) uses present tense. (B) to make (Structural Error). (D) make (Strong Distractor) looks like a bare infinitive but doesn’t fit the grammatical slot.

18 (D) were

• Why it is correct (The Key): “Even if” introduces a Type 2 concession. “Were” is the correct subjunctive ‘to be’ form.
• Error Analysis: (A) is (Common Mistake) mixes Type 0/1 with Type 2 (C) was being (Structural Error). (B) would be (Strong Distractor) puts “would” inside the condition clause.

19 (B) runs

• Why it is correct (The Key): Type 0/1 factual rule about the warranty. “A customer” is singular, requiring “runs”.
• Error Analysis: (C) will run (Common Mistake). (A) running (Structural Error). (D) ran (Strong Distractor) shifts the statement into the past/hypothetical, which invalidates the present consequence (“remains valid”).

20 (A) consult

• Why it is correct (The Key): This is an Imperative Conditional. The main clause is a direct command, which requires the base form of the verb.
• Error Analysis: (D) will consult (Common Mistake) sounds like a prediction rather than an instruction. (C) to consult (Structural Error) adds an unnecessary preposition. (B) consulted (Strong Distractor) uses past tense.

1. Type 0 (Factual Conditionals): Highly common in user manuals and troubleshooting guides. Used to describe how a machine works (If A happens, B happens).
• Structure: If + Present Simple, Present Simple. (See Q1, Q2, Q3)
2. Type 1 (Future Possibility): Used for specific warnings or troubleshooting steps that have a likely outcome.
• Structure: If + Present Simple, will + Base Verb. (See Q4, Q6, Q10)
3. Type 2 (Hypothetical/Unreal): Used to describe scenarios that are unlikely, highly discouraged (like damaging the machine), or for giving advice.
• Structure: If + Past Simple, would/could/might + Base Verb. (See Q7, Q9, Q13)
4. Imperative Conditionals: Very common in manuals. The main clause gives a direct command.
• Structure: If + Present Simple, Base Verb!. (See Q20)
5. Important Connectors:
• Unless = If not. Never use a negative verb right after “unless”. (See Q8, Q11)
• Provided that = On the condition that (usually takes Type 1). (See Q14)
• Supposing = Imagine if (used for hypothetical scenarios). (See Q17)
6. Inversion in Type 2: You can make manuals sound more formal by dropping “If” and starting with “Were”.
• Example: Were the machine to overheat… = If the machine were to overheat… (See Q15)