4. Transform the sentences into the second conditional making them hypothetical, and translate them into Russian.

E.g. If I can I’ll help you. – If I could I would help you.

1. If you fall, you will hurt yourself.

2. If you become a millionaire you will be unhappy.

3. If they offer me the job, I’ll turn it down.

4. If you try harder, you will succeed.

5. If John studies more, he will get better marks.

6. If it rains, we’ll play football indoors instead.

7. If she falls, she will land in the safety net.

8. If we work hard, we’ll finish the project on time.

9. If I win the money, I’ll buy a new car.

10. If we go for a walk, we will take the dog with us.

11. If she invites us to her party, we will go.

12. If Mark lends me some money, I’ll buy that jacket.

5. Put in the correct verb forms.

1. The kitchen (look) better If we (have) red curtains.

2. I (be) sorry if we (not see), her again.

3. It (be) a pity if Andy (not get) the job.

4. If I (know) his address, I (go) round and see him.

5. What (you do) if you (win) the lottery?

6. It (be) quicker if you (use) a computer.

7. If you (not be) so busy, I (show) you how to play.

8. If we (have) some eggs, I (make) you a cake.

9. If you really (love) me, you (buy) me those diamonds.

10. I'm sure Moira (help) you if you (ask) her.

11. If it (not be) so cold, I (tidy) up the garden.

12. If I (have) the keys, I (show) you the cellar.

13. If I (have) children like hers, I (send) them to boarding school.

14. Where (you go) if you (need) to buy a picture frame?

15. (you mind) if I (go) first?

16. If all of us (come), (you have) room in your car?

17. It (be) nice if you (spend) some time with the children,

18. I (not do) this if I (not have) to.

6. Complete the sentence with a suitable form of the verb in brackets.

The Earth after humans

If all the people on Earth 1) (disappear) tomorrow, nature 2)(begin) to reclaim the planet. For a start, if people no longer 3) (pollute) the atmosphere, the air 4) (soon become) clean again. If there 5) (be) no people to maintain buildings, they 6) (soon begin) to decay, but more solid parts 7) (take) thousands of years to disappear. In general, if the 6.5 billion humans no longer 8) (compete) with other species on Earth, most species 9) (benefit) For example, if humans no longer 10) (catch) fish, the numbers of fish worldwide 11) (eventually increase) However, if humans 12) (vanish) from the Earth, endangered species of animals 13) (not necessarily recover), as some are already too few in number. Some endangered species 14) (have) greater difficulty surviving if no humans 15) (take) the trouble to protect them from other species. Even if we no longer 16) (poison) the planet, several decades 17) (go by) before all dangerous chemicals 18) (disappear) And even if the burning of fossil fuels 19) (cease) tomorrow, the oceans 20) (not absorb) all the C0₂ in the atmosphere for thousands of years. In the end, though, if alien visitors 21) (land) on the Earth in 100,000 years time, they 22) (find) no signs that an advanced civilization had ever lived here.

7. NB As well as would, we can use could (= 'would be able to') and might ( = 'would perhaps').

e.g. I could lend you my car if you wanted.

He might change his mind if we talked to him.

Complete these sentences using could or might.

1. If it wasn't raining, we (play) tennis.

2. If she asked me politely, I (feel) like helping her.

3. If he wasn't so bad-tempered. I (go) out with him.

4. If I had more money, I (get) a small flat

5. If you spoke more slowly, I (understand.) you better.

6. If you cooked it to butter, it (taste) better.

7. If she wasn’t so shy, she (enjoy) parties.

8. If I had the right change, we (get)tickets from the machine.

9. If he worked overtime, he (earn) as much as I do.

10. If he paid his staff properly, they (work) better.

11. If I knew his address, I (write) to him.

12. If I had a map, I (direct) you.

13. If people didn’t drive so fast, there (be) fewer accidents.

14. If English people didn’t speak so quickly, I (understand) them.

15. If we had a ladder, we (get) over the wall.

8. NB. After if, we often use were instead of was. In a formal style, were is considered more correct. In colloquial English we still prefer were if I is the subject.

If I were rich, I would spend all my time travelling

Put the beginnings and ends together, using if... were.

Example:

If he were a better dancer, her feet wouldn't hurt

Beginnings	Ends
he / a better dancer I / a rabbit I / forty years younger I/Moroccan I /the manager it/not so cold it/Sunday my nose / shorter people / more sensible she / better-tempered	her feet wouldn't hurt. I wouldn't be working. I’d be quite pretty, I'd give everybody ten weeks' holiday. I'd go dancing all night, I'd go for a walk. I’d live in a hole. I'd speak Arabic. life in the office would be easier. there wouldn't be any wars.

9. NB We often use the structure I should(n't)... if I were you to give advice.

I shouldn't worry if I were you. If I were you, I’d get that car serviced.

Write some sentences beginning If I were you... to: other students / your teacher / your mother / your father / the President / the Pope/...

III. First & Second Conditional compared.

10. NB The difference between, for example, if I go... I will and if I went... I would or between if I speak... and if I spoke...., is NOT a difference of TIME. They can both refer to the present or future. The past tense (and would) usually suggests that the situation is less probable, or less definite, or impossible, or imaginary.

Compare:

If I become President, I’ll... (said by a candidate in an election)

If I became President, I’d... (said by a schoolgirl)

If I win this race. I'll... (said by the fastest runner) If I won this race, I'd... (said by the slowest runner)

Is it all right if I invite John to supper? (direct request) Would it be all right if I invited John to supper? (polite request)

Put each verb in brackets into a suitable verb form.

1. If I (have) my phone here with me, I (be able) to call a taxi now, but I left it at home.

2. If you (not help) me, I (not pass) the exam.

3. It’s a beautiful house, and I (buy) it if I (have) the money, but I can’t afford it.

4. I can’t imagine what I (do) with the money if I (win) the lottery.

5. If Mark (train) harder, he (be) a good runner.

6. I can’t understand what he sees in her! If anyone (treat) me like that, I (be) extremely angry.

7. If you (help) me with this exercise, I (do) the same for you one day.

8. According to the timetable, if the train (leave) on time, we (arrive) at 5.30.

9. If we (find) a taxi, we (get) there before the play starts.

10. I don’t like this flat. I think I (be) happier if I (live) in a house in the country.

11. I don’t know how to play baseball, but I’m sure that if I (do), I (play) a lot better than anyone in this awful team.

12. If I (phone) you tonight, you (be) at home?