Module 6 Choices
Unit 10 Career choices
Zero and first conditionals with future time phrases
● We use the zero conditional (if + Present Simple/Present Simple) to describe something that always happens (the inevitable consequence) after a certain action or event.
If plants don’t get enough sunlight, they die.
Water turns into ice if the temperature falls below zero.
● We use the first conditional (if + Present Simple/will + Present Simple) to describe a future outcome of a certain future action or event.
If you get an interview for a job in pharmaceuticals, you will need to show real enthusiasm for the industry.
● We can use provided that, as long as, unless, when and even if in the same way as if, but they don’t all mean the same thing.
I’ll buy the book if/provided that/as long as it isn’t too expensive. (I won’t buy it if it is too expensive)
I’ll buy it unless it’s expensive. (I’ll buy it if it isn’t too expensive.)
I’ll buy it even if it’s expensive. (I will buy it. The price isn’t important.)
The third conditional
● We use the third conditional (if + Past Perfect/would have + past participle) to imagine past situations. These past situations
are impossible, and did not happen.
● The if-clause states one event that did not happen.
If I had stayed at home that day, I would have missed the celebration.(The person did not stay at home that day.)
● The main clause states the result, which also did not happen:
If I had stayed at home that day, I would have missed the celebration.(The person attended the celebration.)
I wouldn’t have gone to the library if my friend hadn’t invited me.(My friend invited me to the library, so I went.)
If I’d studied harder, I’d have passed the exam. (I didn’t study very hard, and I didn’t pass.)
The third conditional with could and might
● When we are talking about the imaginary past, we can use could have or might have + past participle in place of would have + past participle.
● We use these past modals when we are less sure of the result of the impossible past situation.
If I had prepared better for the competition, I might have won the first prize. (The speaker is not sure that this would have been true.)
If I had slept better the night before the exam, I could have concentrated better. (It is possible that the speaker would have been able to concentrate.)
If I’d gone to a different school, I might not have studied French. I could have taken English.
Our team could have won the match if they’d trained harder, and then they might have been champions now if they’d won.
The second conditional (revision)
● We use the second conditional (If + Past Simple, would/wouldn't + infinitive) to talk about imaginary or unlikely events.
If we were in London today, we would be able to go to the British Museum.
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Consider the following examples |
- If plants don't get enough sunlight, they die.
- If you study hard, you'll pass the exam.
- If it rains tomorrow, I'll stay at home.
- If my father doesn't buy me a bike for my birthday, I will be very unhappy.
- If it rains, I won't go to the park.
- If I have enough money, I'll buy some new shoes.
- If I see her, I'll tell her about the incident.
- She'll be late if the train is delayed.
- Their teachers will be sad if they don't pass their exams.
- If I were you, I would buy that car.
- If I were you, I'd find out about training courses.
- I wouldn't have gone to the library if my friends hadn't invited me.
- If I had prepared better for the competition, I might have won the first prize.
- If I had slept better the night before the exam, I could have concentrated better.
- If it had rained, you would have felt cold.
- You would have passed your exam if you had worked harder.
- I would have believed you if you hadn't lied to me before.
- If I hadn't eaten so much, I wouldn't have felt sick.
- If we had taken a taxi, we wouldn't have missed the plane.
- She would have become a teacher if she had gone to university.
- I would have got the job if I had had some experience.
- If you had done the course, you would have had enough experience to apply for the job.
- You will not succeed unless you study hard.
- Unless you water the plants, they will die.
- Unless you stop smoking, you will have serious health problems.