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Year 9 English — Conditionals: zero, first and second

Choose the right verb forms for a zero, first or second conditional sentence.

Name: ________________________

  1. 1.Match each if-clause to the main clause that completes it.

    • If you leave milk in the sun,
    • If you add salt to water,
    • If you switch the fan on,
    • If the train is delayed,
    • If we lived nearer the school,
    • If I found a wallet in the street,
    • its boiling point rises.
    • I would hand it in at the police station.
    • we will wait on the platform.
    • the room cools down.
    • it turns sour.
    • we would walk there every morning.

  2. 2.Complete this first conditional using the verb "get". Write two words. If you practise every day, you ____ better quickly.

  3. 3.Complete this second conditional with the past form of "know". Write one word. If she ____ the answer, she would put her hand up.

  4. 4.Sort each sentence by the kind of condition it sets up. The verb forms will tell you.

    Groups: Zero — always true · First — a real possibility · Second — imagined, not the case

    • If she catches the early bus, she will reach on time.
    • If you mix blue and yellow, you get green.
    • If I lived beside the sea, I would swim every morning.
    • If we owned a bigger house, we would invite everyone.
    • If you heat ice, it melts.
    • If it rains tomorrow, we will stay indoors.

  5. 5.Each card is the result half of a conditional sentence. Sort by which kind of conditional it belongs to.

    Groups: First conditional · Second conditional

    • we will miss the train
    • she would tell you the truth
    • we would miss the train
    • she will tell you the truth
    • the plants would die
    • the plants will die

  6. 6.Sort each sentence by whether it treats the situation as a real possibility or as something imagined. The verb forms will tell you.

    Groups: A real possibility · Imagined — not the case

    • If the shop has bread, I will buy a loaf.
    • If we lived on the moon, we would need a spacesuit.
    • If I had wings, I would fly to school.
    • If elephants could talk, they would tell us a great deal.
    • If she runs fast enough, she will win the race.
    • If I finish my homework early, I will watch the match.

  7. 7.Put the cards in order to make one correct first-conditional sentence.

    • we will
    • If
    • cycle to the lake.
    • the weather
    • stays dry,

  8. 8.Second conditional — imagining something that is not the case. If we ____ a garden, we would grow our own vegetables.

    • a) will have
    • b) would have
    • c) had
    • d) have

Answer key — Year 9 English — Conditionals: zero, first and second

  1. 1. If you leave milk in the sun, → it turns sour.; If you add salt to water, → its boiling point rises.; If you switch the fan on, → the room cools down.; If the train is delayed, → we will wait on the platform.; If we lived nearer the school, → we would walk there every morning.; If I found a wallet in the street, → I would hand it in at the police station.
  2. 2. will get
  3. 3. knew
  4. 4. If you heat ice, it melts. → Zero — always true; If it rains tomorrow, we will stay indoors. → First — a real possibility; If I lived beside the sea, I would swim every morning. → Second — imagined, not the case; If you mix blue and yellow, you get green. → Zero — always true; If she catches the early bus, she will reach on time. → First — a real possibility; If we owned a bigger house, we would invite everyone. → Second — imagined, not the case
  5. 5. we will miss the train → First conditional; we would miss the train → Second conditional; she will tell you the truth → First conditional; she would tell you the truth → Second conditional; the plants will die → First conditional; the plants would die → Second conditional
  6. 6. If I finish my homework early, I will watch the match. → A real possibility; If I had wings, I would fly to school. → Imagined — not the case; If the shop has bread, I will buy a loaf. → A real possibility; If elephants could talk, they would tell us a great deal. → Imagined — not the case; If she runs fast enough, she will win the race. → A real possibility; If we lived on the moon, we would need a spacesuit. → Imagined — not the case
  7. 7. 1. If 2. the weather 3. stays dry, 4. we will 5. cycle to the lake.
  8. 8. c) had