High School

Complete the sentences with the words in brackets.

1. Jim doesn't study hard. If he (study) harder, he (get) better grades.

2. The weather isn't nice. I (take) a walk if the weather (be) nice.

3. We want to buy a house, but houses are too expensive. We (buy) a house if we (have) enough money for a down payment.

4. If money (grow) on trees, all of us (be) rich.

5. Life (be) boring if everyone (have) the same opinions about everything.

Answer :

The sentences given are exercises on conditional sentences, also known as 'if-clauses.' These indicate situations and their possible outcomes and are typically categorized into three main types, each reflecting a different level of possibility. They are:

  1. First Conditional: Possible future situations (If + present simple, will + base tense)

  2. Second Conditional: Hypothetical situations that are unlikely (If + past simple, would + base tense)

  3. Third Conditional: Situations that did not happen in the past (If + past perfect, would have + past participle)

Now, let's complete each sentence using the correct form for the type of conditional they represent:

  1. Jim doesn't study hard. If he studied harder, he would get better grades.

    • This is a second conditional sentence, showing a hypothetical present situation.
  2. The weather isn't nice. I would take a walk if the weather were nice.

    • Also a second conditional, it describes a hypothetical situation that contrasts with the current reality.
  3. We want to buy a house, but houses are too expensive. We would buy a house if we had enough money for a down payment.

    • This is another second conditional, again indicating a hypothetical situation.
  4. If money grew on trees, all of us would be rich.

    • This is a hypothetical scenario using a second conditional sentence, suggesting an unrealistic situation.
  5. Life would be boring if everyone had the same opinions about everything.

    • This is a hypothetical present or future situation using the second conditional.

Understanding the difference between these conditionals is crucial for expressing different possibilities, hypotheses, and alternative realities in English. Conditional sentences are a common and important part of the English language, helping to convey the complexity of hypothetical and real-world relationships.