1. If metal gets hot, it ____. (expand: general rule)
Answer & explanation
expands
If metal gets hot, it expands. (expand: general rule)
Choose the time and likelihood: general truth, real future possibility, imagined present, or unreal past.
THE IDEA, SIMPLY
The rule, with an example
For a likely future situation, use if + present, then will + base verb. For an imagined present situation, use if + past, then would + base verb. For an unreal past, use if + past perfect, then would have + past participle.
SEE IT IN CONTEXTIf I finish early, I will help. If I had more time, I would help. If I had finished earlier, I would have helped.
Skills to work on in this practice
- Connect a condition with its result
- Distinguish real and imagined situations
- Choose a tense pattern for your meaning
Match the condition to the time and likelihood
| Use | Example | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| Possible future | If I finish early, I will call. | The if-clause uses present simple for a future possibility. |
| Imagined present | If I had more time, I would join. | The past form signals distance from reality here. |
| Unreal past | If I had checked, I would have noticed. | Both condition and result refer to a different past. |
Common mistake
Check: If I will finish early, I will call
Use: If I finish early, I will call
For the ordinary first conditional, put will in the result clause, not the if-clause.
How should I practise this?
Read the example and explain the choice before answering. After the exercise, write a new sentence using the same pattern. Revisit any answer you could not explain, even if you guessed correctly.
MORE PRACTICE · SAME TOPIC
Your four practice sets
4 sets · 40 exercises · about 50–70 minutes with writing and review.
10 scored questions, 20 sentence exercises and 10 writing challenges. Time depends on your pace. Start with the quiz or choose the practice you need.
Your scored quiz and self-reviewed exercises are tracked separately on this device.
Questions 1–5 build confidence; 6–10 check transfer and detail. Use Practice for feedback after each answer, or Test yourself to check at the end.
Practise, then understand your answers
10 questions · 10 XP per correct answer · explanations included
Answer every question to see your score.0 / 10 answered
Question 1
If it rains tomorrow, we ___ inside.
- will stay
- would stay
- would have stayed
Answer & explanation
will stay. A possible future condition uses present tense after if and will in the result.
Question 2
If I had a quieter room now, I ___ better.
- will study
- would study
- would have studied
Answer & explanation
would study. This imagines a different present situation.
Question 3
If she had left earlier yesterday, she ___ the bus.
- catches
- would catch
- would have caught
Answer & explanation
would have caught. The condition imagines changing a completed past event.
Question 4
If you heat ice enough, it ___.
- melts
- would melt
- had melted
Answer & explanation
melts. A general relationship can use present tense in both clauses.
Question 5
I would join the club if I ___ more free time.
- have
- had
- will have
Answer & explanation
had. Would join signals an imagined present condition.
Question 6
If water reaches 100°C at standard atmospheric pressure, it ___.
- had boiled
- boils
- would boil
Answer & explanation
boils. The zero conditional uses present forms to state a general relationship under the stated conditions.
Question 7
If it rains tomorrow, we ___ indoors.
- will stay
- would have stayed
- had stayed
Answer & explanation
will stay. The first conditional describes a real future possibility: if plus present, then will plus base verb.
Question 8
If I had more free time, I ___ a language.
- will learned
- had learned
- would learn
Answer & explanation
would learn. The second conditional uses past form plus would for an imagined present situation.
Question 9
If she had left earlier, she ___ the bus.
- would catch yesterday
- would have caught
- will catch
Answer & explanation
would have caught. The third conditional imagines a different past using had plus participle and would have plus participle.
Question 10
Choose the standard first conditional.
- If you study, you will improve.
- If you will study, you improve yesterday.
- If you studied, you will have improve.
Answer & explanation
If you study, you will improve.. For this future condition, use present simple after if and will plus the base verb in the result.
SET 2 OF 4 · 10–15 minutes
Build the pattern
Complete the missing words, then compare the expected form. More than one natural answer may be possible; use the cue and explanation.
2. If I finish early tomorrow, I ____ you. (call: real future)
Answer & explanation
will call
If I finish early tomorrow, I will call you. (call: real future)
Choose the time and likelihood: general truth, real future possibility, imagined present, or unreal past.
3. If I had a car now, I ____ there. (drive: imagined present)
Answer & explanation
would drive
If I had a car now, I would drive there. (drive: imagined present)
Choose the time and likelihood: general truth, real future possibility, imagined present, or unreal past.
4. If we had booked sooner, we ____ less. (pay: unreal past)
Answer & explanation
would have paid
If we had booked sooner, we would have paid less. (pay: unreal past)
Choose the time and likelihood: general truth, real future possibility, imagined present, or unreal past.
5. If you ____ ice, it melts. (heat: general rule)
Answer & explanation
heat
If you heat ice, it melts. (heat: general rule)
Choose the time and likelihood: general truth, real future possibility, imagined present, or unreal past.
6. If it ____ tonight, we will cancel the walk. (rain: real future)
Answer & explanation
rains
If it rains tonight, we will cancel the walk. (rain: real future)
Choose the time and likelihood: general truth, real future possibility, imagined present, or unreal past.
7. If she ____ the answer, she would tell us. (know: imagined present)
Answer & explanation
knew
If she knew the answer, she would tell us. (know: imagined present)
Choose the time and likelihood: general truth, real future possibility, imagined present, or unreal past.
8. If he ____ the address, he would not have got lost. (check: unreal past)
Answer & explanation
had checked
If he had checked the address, he would not have got lost. (check: unreal past)
Choose the time and likelihood: general truth, real future possibility, imagined present, or unreal past.
9. Unless you hurry, you ____ the bus. (miss: warning)
Answer & explanation
will miss
Unless you hurry, you will miss the bus. (miss: warning)
Choose the time and likelihood: general truth, real future possibility, imagined present, or unreal past.
10. If I were you, I ____ for help. (ask: advice)
Answer & explanation
would ask
If I were you, I would ask for help. (ask: advice)
Choose the time and likelihood: general truth, real future possibility, imagined present, or unreal past.
SET 3 OF 4 · 10–15 minutes
Check the details
Complete the missing words, then compare the expected form. More than one natural answer may be possible; use the cue and explanation.
1. If people do not drink, they ____ thirsty. (become: general rule)
Answer & explanation
become
If people do not drink, they become thirsty. (become: general rule)
Choose the time and likelihood: general truth, real future possibility, imagined present, or unreal past.
2. If you ____ the file today, I will read it tomorrow. (send)
Answer & explanation
send
If you send the file today, I will read it tomorrow. (send)
Choose the time and likelihood: general truth, real future possibility, imagined present, or unreal past.
3. If we lived closer, we ____ more often. (visit: imagined present)
Answer & explanation
would visit
If we lived closer, we would visit more often. (visit: imagined present)
Choose the time and likelihood: general truth, real future possibility, imagined present, or unreal past.
4. If they had practised, they ____ better. (perform: unreal past)
Answer & explanation
would have performed
If they had practised, they would have performed better. (perform: unreal past)
Choose the time and likelihood: general truth, real future possibility, imagined present, or unreal past.
5. You will improve if you ____ regularly. (practise: real future)
Answer & explanation
practise
You will improve if you practise regularly. (practise: real future)
Choose the time and likelihood: general truth, real future possibility, imagined present, or unreal past.
6. If I ____ more space, I would buy a desk. (have: imagined present)
Answer & explanation
had
If I had more space, I would buy a desk. (have: imagined present)
Choose the time and likelihood: general truth, real future possibility, imagined present, or unreal past.
7. If she had set an alarm, she ____. (not oversleep)
Answer & explanation
would not have overslept
If she had set an alarm, she would not have overslept. (not oversleep)
Choose the time and likelihood: general truth, real future possibility, imagined present, or unreal past.
8. If the shop ____ open, I will buy bread. (be: real future)
Answer & explanation
is
If the shop is open, I will buy bread. (be: real future)
Choose the time and likelihood: general truth, real future possibility, imagined present, or unreal past.
9. If I won the prize, I ____ it. (share: imagined outcome)
Answer & explanation
would share
If I won the prize, I would share it. (share: imagined outcome)
Choose the time and likelihood: general truth, real future possibility, imagined present, or unreal past.
10. If we had left earlier, we ____ on time. (arrive: unreal past)
Answer & explanation
would have arrived
If we had left earlier, we would have arrived on time. (arrive: unreal past)
Choose the time and likelihood: general truth, real future possibility, imagined present, or unreal past.
SET 4 OF 4 · 20–30 minutes
Use it yourself
Write an original answer for each task. Review the guidance to check your work. These are self-review tasks, not automatic grammar grading.
1. State a general cause-and-effect relationship.
What to check
Your wording can vary.
Use present forms in both clauses for a zero conditional.
Check both the form and the meaning. If you are unsure, compare the lesson explanation before marking this exercise reviewed.
2. Make a realistic plan depending on tomorrow’s weather.
What to check
Your wording can vary.
Use if plus present and will plus base verb.
Check both the form and the meaning. If you are unsure, compare the lesson explanation before marking this exercise reviewed.
3. Imagine having more free time now.
What to check
Your wording can vary.
Use if plus a past form and would plus base verb.
Check both the form and the meaning. If you are unsure, compare the lesson explanation before marking this exercise reviewed.
4. Imagine changing a past mistake.
What to check
Your wording can vary.
Use if plus had plus participle and would have plus participle.
Check both the form and the meaning. If you are unsure, compare the lesson explanation before marking this exercise reviewed.
5. Give advice beginning If I were you.
What to check
Your wording can vary.
Follow with would plus the advised action.
Check both the form and the meaning. If you are unsure, compare the lesson explanation before marking this exercise reviewed.
6. Write a warning using unless.
What to check
Your wording can vary.
Unless means if not; avoid adding an unnecessary second negative.
Check both the form and the meaning. If you are unsure, compare the lesson explanation before marking this exercise reviewed.
7. Put the result clause before the if clause.
What to check
Your wording can vary.
Keep the tense relationship; a comma is normally unnecessary in this order.
Check both the form and the meaning. If you are unsure, compare the lesson explanation before marking this exercise reviewed.
8. Contrast a possible future event with an imagined present situation.
What to check
Your wording can vary.
Use first and second conditional forms and explain the difference.
Check both the form and the meaning. If you are unsure, compare the lesson explanation before marking this exercise reviewed.
9. Describe a past result that did not happen.
What to check
Your wording can vary.
Use a third conditional to imagine the alternative.
Check both the form and the meaning. If you are unsure, compare the lesson explanation before marking this exercise reviewed.
10. Explain why If it will rain is unsuitable in a standard future condition.
What to check
Your wording can vary.
Use present simple after if in the usual first conditional.
Check both the form and the meaning. If you are unsure, compare the lesson explanation before marking this exercise reviewed.
Printable practice
Print this lesson’s original questions with a separate answer key. Use the worksheet for another round without looking at the explanations.
BEYOND MULTIPLE CHOICE
Can you use it yourself?
Try these two tasks before opening the answers. They practise explanation and writing; they do not change your quiz score.
1. Explain or repair
Repair the intended past regret: If I checked yesterday, I would have noticed.
Check the reasoning
If I had checked yesterday, I would have noticed. The unreal past condition uses had + past participle.
2. Make the meaning
Imagine you have more free time now. Say what you would do.
Compare a possible answer
If I had more free time, I would join a reading group. This imagines a different present situation, not a past event.
Other wording may be correct. Compare the meaning and verb pattern, not just the words.
RELATED PRACTICE
Modal verbs in real situations
Express advice, permission, obligation and uncertainty.