Mastering English Conditionals and Verb Tenses: A Comprehensive Guide with Exercises and Answers

Conditional

Second Conditional

Structure: If + past simple, would + base verb
Use: Imagines a situation in the present or future that is unlikely or hypothetical.

Example 1:

Sentence: If I had more time, I would travel around the world.
Explanation: The speaker doesn't have more time now, but they're imagining what they would do if they did.
Possible Answer: I don't have much time now, so I can't travel.

Example 2:

Sentence: If she were here, she would help us.
Explanation: She is not here, but if she were, she would offer help.
Possible Answer: She is not here, so she can't help us.

Third Conditional

Structure: If + past perfect, would have + past participle
Use: Imagines a situation in the past that didn’t happen and its possible result.

Example 1:

Sentence: If I had known about the meeting, I would have attended.
Explanation: The speaker didn’t know about the meeting in the past, so they didn’t attend.
Possible Answer: I didn’t attend the meeting because I didn’t know about it.

Example 2:

Sentence: If they had studied harder, they would have passed the exam.
Explanation: They didn’t study hard, so they failed the exam.
Possible Answer: They failed the exam because they didn’t study enough.

Mixed Conditional

Structure: Combines the second and third conditionals to describe a past situation with a present consequence.
Use: Imagines a past situation affecting the present.

Example 1:

Sentence: If I had taken the job, I would be living in New York now.
Explanation: The speaker didn’t take the job in the past, so they aren’t living in New York now.
Possible Answer: I’m not living in New York now because I didn’t take the job.

Example 2:

Sentence: If she had gone to college, she would have a degree now.
Explanation: She didn’t go to college in the past, so she doesn’t have a degree now.
Possible Answer: She doesn’t have a degree now because she didn’t attend college.

Activity 1: Second Conditional

Instructions: Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verb.

If I __________ (win) the lottery, I __________ (buy) a new house.
If she __________ (speak) Spanish, she __________ (get) the job.
If they __________ (be) more careful, they __________ (not make) so many mistakes.

Answers:

If I won the lottery, I would buy a new house.
If she spoke Spanish, she would get the job.
If they were more careful, they would not make so many mistakes.

Activity 2: Third Conditional

Instructions: Rewrite the sentences using the third conditional.

She didn't go to the party, so she didn't meet John.
- If she __________ (go) to the party, she __________ (meet) John.
They didn't study hard, so they failed the exam.
- If they __________ (study) hard, they __________ (pass) the exam.
I missed the bus, so I was late for work.
- If I __________ (catch) the bus, I __________ (not be) late for work.

Answers:

If she had gone to the party, she would have met John.
If they had studied hard, they would have passed the exam.
If I had caught the bus, I would not have been late for work.

Activity 3: Mixed Conditional

Instructions: Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verbs.

If I __________ (study) harder at school, I __________ (have) a better job now.
If they __________ (not miss) their flight, they __________ (be) here by now.
If she __________ (save) more money, she __________ (buy) that car now.

Answers:

If I had studied harder at school, I would have a better job now.
If they had not missed their flight, they would be here by now.
If she had saved more money, she would be able to buy that car now.

Activity 4: Second, Third, and Mixed Conditional Review

Instructions: Identify whether each sentence is a second, third, or mixed conditional. Then complete the sentence.

If I __________ (be) you, I __________ (not make) that decision.
If they __________ (start) the project earlier, they __________ (finish) it by now.
If he __________ (not lose) his keys, he __________ (be) home by now.

Answers:

If I were you, I would not make that decision. (Second Conditional)
If they had started the project earlier, they would have finished it by now. (Mixed Conditional)
If he had not lost his keys, he would be home by now. (Mixed Conditional)

Activity 1: Past vs. Past Perfect

Instructions: Choose the correct form of the verb in parentheses.

By the time we __________ (arrive/arrived/had arrived) at the theater, the movie __________ (start/started/had started).
She __________ (finish/finished/had finished) her homework before she __________ (go/went/had gone) to bed.
When I __________ (see/saw/had seen) the news, I __________ (know/knew/had known) things were getting worse.

Answers:

By the time we arrived at the theater, the movie had started.
She had finished her homework before she went to bed.
When I saw the news, I knew things were getting worse.

Activity 2: Future Simple vs. Present Continuous

Instructions: Choose the correct form of the verb in parentheses.

We __________ (will leave/are leaving/leave) for Paris tomorrow morning.
She __________ (will have/is having/has) dinner with her parents tonight.
They __________ (will go/are going/go) to the concert next week.

Answers:

We are leaving for Paris tomorrow morning.
She is having dinner with her parents tonight.
They are going to the concert next week.

Activity 3: Present Continuous vs. Past Continuous

Instructions: Choose the correct form of the verb in parentheses.

I __________ (was watching/am watching/watched) TV when the phone __________ (rang/ring/is ringing).
Right now, she __________ (is studying/was studying/studies) for her exams.
While they __________ (are walking/walked/were walking) to the park, it __________ (started/start/was starting) to rain.

Answers:

I was watching TV when the phone rang.
Right now, she is studying for her exams.
While they were walking to the park, it started to rain.

Activity 4: Mixed Tenses

Instructions: Choose the correct form of the verb in parentheses.

By next year, I __________ (will complete/complete/will have completed) my degree.
She __________ (is working/was working/works) on a new project at the moment.
They __________ (had already left/already left/leave) by the time we arrived at the station.
If it __________ (rains/rain/will rain) tomorrow, we __________ (will stay/stay/stayed) indoors.