Conditional Sentences (Frases condicionales)

Conditional Sentences (Frases condicionales)
El uso del condicional significa que una acción depende de otra. Los condicionales se utilizan para hablar
sobre situaciones reales o irreales. En general, las frases condicionales llevan la palabra "if" (si).
Ten en cuenta que no existe un tiempo verbal para el condicional en inglés como existe en español. A la
vez, se usa el verbo auxiliar "would" para formar el condicional en inglés.
Hay cuatro tipos de frases condicionales y el uso de uno u otro refleja la probabilidad de la acción.
Conditional Types (Tipos de los condicionales)
Zero Conditional (Tipo 0)
Se usa este tipo de condicional cuando la condición y el resultado siempre es verdad, como por ejemplo los
hechos científicos.

IF
Condition
Result
If
Present simple
Present simple
Ejemplos:
If you heat water to 100° C, it boils. / Water boils if you heat it to 100° C. (Si calientas agua a 100 ° C
hierve.)
If I don't practice the piano every day I play badly. / I play the piano badly if I don't practice every day. (Si
no practico el piano cada día toco mal.)
Does your mum get angry if you don't call her? / If you don't call your mum, does she get angry? (¿Si no
llamas a tu madre, se enoja?)
Nota: Podemos cambiar el orden de las frases sin cambiar el significado. También, en general con este tipo
de condicional, podemos sustituir "if" por "when" sin alterar el significado.
First Conditional (Tipo 1)
Este tipo de condicional se utiliza para el futuro y en los casos en que es muy probable que la condición
pasará.

IF
Condition
Result
If
Present simple
Future simple ("will")
Ejemplos:
If Bill studies, he will pass the exam. / Bill will pass the exam if he studies. (Si Bill estudia, aprobará el
examen.)
If it doesn't rain, we will go to the beach. / We will go to the beach if it doesn't rain. (Si no llueve, iremos a
la playa.)
Will you catch the train if you miss the bus? / If you miss the bus, will you catch the train?(¿Cogerás el tren
si pierdes el bus?)
Nota: Se pueden usar algunos verbos modales en vez de "will" para cambiar la probabilidad o expresar una
opinión. Para más información, ver la lección sobre los verbos modales.

Ejemplos:
If it doesn't rain, we may go to the beach. [*Con el uso de "may", el significado de esta frase cambia.
Ahora, el hablante reconoce que puede ir a la playa pero no esta tan seguro de si irá.]
If it doesn't rain we should go to the beach. [*En este caso, el uso de "should" expresa la opinión del
hablante.]
If it doesn't rain we can go to the beach.["Can" significa que es posible ir a la playa, pero no indica la
probabilidad.]
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Second Conditional (Tipo 2)
Se utiliza el tipo 2 para expresar una posibilidad irreal en el presente, como un deseo o un sueño, o para
una acción en el futuro no tan probable.

IF
Condition
Result
If
Past simple
"Would" + infinitivo
Ejemplos:
If I won the lottery, I would travel around the world. / I would travel around the world if Iwon the
lottery. (Si ganara la lotería, viajaría alrededor del mundo.)
If Rachel had more time, she would learn to play the guitar. / Rachel would learn to play the
guitar if she had more time. (Si Rachel tuviera más tiempo, aprendería a tocar la guitarra.)
Would you be happy if you got married? / If you got married, would you be happy? (¿Estarías feliz si te
casaras?)
Nota: Como en el tipo 1, se pueden usar otros verbos modales en vez de "would" para cambiar el
significado y la posibilidad.
Third Conditional (Tipo 3)
A diferencia a los tipos 1 y 2, se utiliza el tercer tipo de condicional cuando hablamos de una condición en el
pasado que no ha sucedido.

IF
Condition
Result
If
Past perfect
"Would have" + past
participle
Ejemplos:
If I had known then what I know now, I would have done things differently. / I would have done things
differently if I had known then what I know now. (Si hubiera sabido en el pasado lo que sé ahora, hubiera
hecho las cosas de manera diferente.)
Suzanne wouldn't have had the heart attack if she had gone on a diet as her doctor recommended.
/ If Suzanne had gone on a diet as her doctor recommended she wouldn't have had the heart
attack. (Suzanne no hubiera tenido el infarto si hubiera hecho dieta como su médico le recomendó.)
Would you have liked to go to university if you had been able to afford it? / If you had been able to afford
it, would you have liked to go to university? (¿Te hubiera gustado ir a la universidad si te lo hubieras
permitido pagar?)
Nota: Como en los tipos 1 y 2, se pueden usar otros verbos modales en vez de "would" para cambiar el
significado y la probabilidad.
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EXERCISES
A) Choose the correct option
1. If I ________ you, I would apologize to her right away. (to be)
was
were
have been
2. If I run into her, I ________ her that you're looking for her. (to tell)
would tell
tell
will tell
3. If you ________ that again, I will call the police. (to do)
to do
do
will do
4. He would never have asked her out on a date if she ________ him first. (to kiss)
hadn't kissed
didn't kiss
will not kiss
5. If you were her, what ________? (to do)
would you do
did you do
do you do
6. If she hadn't gone to England, she ________ Orlando Bloom. (to meet)
would not meet
did not meet
would not have met
7. If it doesn't start snowing, we ________ this evening. (to go skiing)
won't go skiing
wouldn't go skiing
don't go skiing
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8. If you had saved some money earlier, you ________ broke right now. (to be)
would not have been
will not be
are not
9. If I ________ at the airport so late, I would not have missed my flight. (to arrive)
didn't arrive
hadn't arrived
would not arrive
10. If you buy one t-shirt, you ________ the second one free.
will have got
would get
get
B) Put the verbs into the correct tense (conditional sentences)
1 He almost fell from the balcony. I'm sure that if he had fallen, he (break) .………………………..
his leg or something.
2 If I leave now, I (be)……………………… home in two hours.
3 If you (like)……………………… , I'll lend you my car for two days.
4 If we increased the price, nobody (buy)……………………….. our products.
5 If you (ask)…………………….. your boss, I'm sure he would have considered your
suggestion.
6 The radio is broken. When you turn it on, it (make)…………………… a strange noise.
7 I'd set them the task if they (be)…………………. more reliable. However, I don't think they're
capable of doing it.
8 If I had known how long the journey was, I (take) ……………………..something else to read
with me.
9 If you (not/manage)……………………. to finish the catalogue on time, we'll have to
postpone the printing until next month.
10 The accident (might/not/be)………………………………. so bad if you'd been driving more
slowly.
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