English Advanced Grammar Exercises – Conditional clauses

A. Match the sentence beginnings to the correct endings.

a   we’re going to miss the train!

b   she’d better start studying very soon.

c   unless you want to freeze to death.

d   if you have time?

e   they must be exhausted by now.

f   I find it difficult to get to sleep.

g   if Paula’s still working here six months from now.

h   unless she learns to drive more carefully.

i   if we worked hard during the lesson.

j   you won’t be allowed to have any ice cream.

B. Underline the correct option.

1   If it wasn’t / wouldn’t be so windy outside at the moment, it would be nice to go for a walk.

2   If you helped round the house a bit more, I allow / might allow you to have a bit more pocket money.

3   I won’t / wouldn’t mind about Lisa coming home late if she just phoned to let me know she was OK.

4   If / Unless the company were to reduce its costs, profits would increase.

5   My brother stays / would stay in bed all day if he didn’t have to go to school.

6   If I know / had known you were such a gossip, I wouldn’t have trusted you with such personal information.

7   Sandra would have given up her course by now, if it hadn’t been / wouldn’t have been for her teacher’s encouragement.

8   If we found someone else to go with us, it had been / would be cheaper to rent a car.

9   If it hadn’t been for losing our suitcases on the way home, it will / would have been a perfect holiday!

10   We could have invited more people to the party if we lived / would live in a bigger house.

C. Complete the sentences with the expressions from the box. Sometimes more than one answer is possible.

1   If the weather is good we can have a barbecue, but ……………………. we’ll have to eat indoors instead.

2   Make sure you know what time your lessons start in the morning. ……………………., ask your teacher.

3   The train tickets might be too expensive, ……………………. we’ll need to go by bus.

4   Ideally, everyone will be here on time, but ……………………. we can wait a little bit longer.

5   I’d like to change this shirt for a larger size, ……………………. .

6   Are you going to see Nicky today? ……………………., can you give her a message, please?

7   Felipe might not be able to help us move house, and ……………………. we’ll have to do everything ourselves.

8   ……………………. to recommend one thing for a visitor to your town to see, what would you choose?

9   Please include the full name of your last employer, ……………………. .

10   Write your full address, including your postcode (…………………….).

D. Complete each sentence b so that it means the same as sentence a, using the words in brackets.

1   a   If we assume the traffic isn’t too heavy, it should take us about four hours to get there. (assuming)

      b   ……………………………………, it should take us about four hours to get there.

2   a   If the main door is locked, please use the side exit. (which)

      b   The main door might be locked, ……………………………………, please use the side exit.

3   a   If you tell anyone about this, I’ll never speak to you again! (and)

      b   …………………………………… I’ll never speak to you again!

4   a   Please do not hesitate to contact me if you require any assistance. (should)

      b   Please do not hesitate to contact me …………………………………… .

5   a   Having a salary of a million dollars still wouldn’t make me want to do your job! (even if)

      b   …………………………………… I still wouldn’t want to do your job!

6   a   Take a sandwich with you because you might feel hungry later. (case)

      b   Take a sandwich with you …………………………………… .

7   a   If you don’t buy your ticket for the concert today, there won’t be any left. (or)

      b   …………………………………… there won’t be any left.

8   a   If I hadn’t been here to help you, what would you have done? (supposing)

      b   …………………………………… what would you have done?

9   a   You may leave unless you need a certificate, in which case please come to my desk. (otherwise)

      b   Please come to my desk if you need a certificate. …………………………………… .

10 a   Given good weather, a boat trip on the river is a great way to spend an afternoon. (long)

      b   …………………………………… good, a boat trip on the river is a great way to spend an afternoon.

E. Complete the news story with one word in each space.

A PRISONER IN HIS OWN OFFICE

Primary school headteacher Tom Ellis might 1…………. taken more care with the keys to his office last Wednesday. 2…………. he known what his students were planning. The nine-year-olds, angry at the bad quality of the school food, locked him in his office and said they would only let him out on 3…………. that he agreed to order takeaway pizzas for them, ‘If I 4…………. said OK, I don’t know what they 5…………. have done. They might have left me in there, in which 6…………. I would have had to phone for help,’ said Mr Ellis, ‘I admit the school food is terrible, so I can understand why they complained. I 7…………. want to eat it 8…………. if I was starving!’ Mr Ellis has promised to try to improve the quality of the food, ‘I told them that if it hasn’t improved in a month’s time, I 9…………. personally pay for another pizza for everyone. I really hope we can do something to improve the food by then. If 10…………., it’s going to cost me a fortune!’

F. Complete the sentences so that they are true for you.

1   If I have made some mistakes with these exercises, ……………………………………………. .

2   Had I been better prepared, ……………………………………………. .

3   If I have enough time later today, ……………………………………………. .

4   If it hadn’t been for ……………………………………………. .

5   Unless I ……………………………………………. .

6   Even if ……………………………………………., I wouldn’t ……………………………………………. .

7   If I had ……………………………………………. .

8   If one of my friends were to …………………………………………….. .

9   As long as ……………………………………………. .

10   I might ……………………………………………., in which case ……………………………………………. .

G. Circle the correct option.

1   If you’re still sitting reading the newspaper when I come back in five minutes, I ………. very angry.

      a am     b ’ll be     c ‘d be

2   We’d all be much happier if we ………. about money all the time.

      a aren’t worrying

      b wouldn’t worry

      c weren’t worrying

3   If ………. here earlier, you would have met my friend Andrea.

      a you’d been

      b you’d be

      c you’re

4   You should install a smoke detector in your house ………. there’s another fire.

      a in case

      b in case of

      c in which case

5   I might see you tonight, but ………. I’ll give you a ring tomorrow instead.

      a if no     b if not     c if it’s not