Fill in the blanks with an appropriate verb form. This grammar exercise tests your understanding of conditional verb forms.
1. If I were you, I …………………………… this.
When the verb in the if-clause is in the simple past tense, we use would + infinitive in the main clause.
2. If you ………………………. red and green, you will get yellow.
In the first conditional we use a simple present tense in the if clause and will + infinitive in the main clause.
3. Unless you ……………………….. smoking, you will get cancer.
Unless means if not.
4. If you …………………………. your ways, you will land in serious trouble.
In the first conditional, we use a simple present tense in the if-clause and will + infinitive in the main clause.
5. If you had called me, I ………………………. come immediately.
In the third conditional, we use a past perfect tense in the if-clause and would have + past participle in the main clause.
6. If you start now, you ………………………. there on time.
In the first conditional, we use a simple present tense in the if-clause and will + infinitive in the main clause.
7. If I learned electronics at college, I ………………………… an engineer.
In the second conditional, we use a simple past tense in the if-clause and would / could + infinitive in the main clause.
8. Unless you stop drinking, you ……………………….. liver trouble.
Unless means if not. This sentence can also be written as: If you do not stop drinking, you will develop liver trouble.
9. If you see him, ………………………… him to visit me?
In the first conditional, we use a simple present tense in the if-clause and will + infinitive in the main clause.
10. If you ………………………. into James, tell him that I am getting married.
We can use should in the first conditional to suggest that something is very unlikely.
11. If he ……………………… late, we will have to leave without him.
Should is possible in the first conditional.
12. What would you do if you …………………….. to lose your job?
In the second conditional, we use a simple past tense in the if-clause and would / could + infinitive in the main clause.
Answers
1. If I were you, I wouldn’t do this.
2. If you mix red and green, you will get yellow.
3. Unless you quit smoking, you will get cancer.
4. If you don’t mend your ways, you will land in serious trouble.
5. If you had called me, I would have come immediately.
6. If you start now, you will reach there on time.
7. If I learned electronics at college, I could become an engineer.
8. Unless you stop drinking, you will develop liver trouble.
9. If you see him, will you ask him to visit me?
10. If you run / should run into James, tell him that I am getting married.
11. If he is / should be late, we will have to leave without him.
12. What would you do if you were to lose your job?
