Variations of the basic form

a) In the if-clause, we can use the past continuous:

 

e.g. I’m going by bus. If I were going by car, I’d offer you a lift.

 

b) In the main clause we can use “might” or “could” to express a possible result or ability: e.g. If you wrote to him, he might answer.

 

c) We can also use two past tenses for automatic or habitual results in the past:

e.g. If anyone tried to break in, the alarm went off.

 

 

1. “Which Service would you call? The Fire Brigade, the Ambulance or the Police?”

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1. An old man falls in the street. He can’t get up. He is seriously hurt. – I would call …

 

2. A lorry drives into a shop window. Nobody is hurt.

3. A little boy has been playing with matches. The whole house is on fire.

4. There has been a robbery in the bank. The robbers are just driving away.

 

5. There has been an accident outside the school. Two pupils are lying in the street.

6. The bank is burning. Everybody is running out into the street.

 

7. You came home late at night. You see somebody smashing a window at the back of your house.

 

8. You wake up in the middle of the night. You think you hear somebody in the house. You are afraid.

 

9. You come into the house. It is dark. You can smell smoke. The rest of the family is sleeping.

 

10. Smoke is coming from the motor of your car. You stop at a garage. When you come out of the garage your car isn’t there. Perhaps it is stolen!

 

2. Combine each pair of basic sentences into one complex as shown in the example.

 

e.g. Sam has a cold. He won’t come to class tomorrow.

*If Sam didn’t have a cold, he would come to class tomorrow.

 

1. Margaret is busy. She won’t be able to visit her friends.

2. Barbara likes sweets too much. She won’t get slim.

3. James feels exhausted. He won’t be able to sit up late.

4. Paul doesn’t feel hungry. He won’t go to the cafeteria.

5. Stan is reading for his examinations. He won’t go boating.

 

6. Mrs Pierce doesn’t like pop music. She won’t go to the concert.

7. Tom is getting married next month. He won’t go to the mountains.

8. I don’t like horror stories. I won’t buy this book.

9. We want to catch an early train. We won’t watch this program tonight.

10. Mrs Smith feels hurt. She won’t do this for us.

 

3. Report these statements using indirect speech. Make the necessary changes as shown in the example.

 

e.g. “I’ll take a nap, if I feel tired”. Aunt Agatha said _____

* Aunt Agatha said that she would take a nap, if she felt tired.

1. “We’ll have a picnic, if it doesn’t rain”. Pamela said _____________________

 

2. “If our car breaks down, we’ll miss the train?” Mrs Palmer said ____________

3. “I’ll go to the movies, if I don’t have to study”. John told us _______________

4. “I’ll visit the Nelsons if they invite me”. Janet said _______________________

5. “Stephen will be on time; if he takes a taxi”. Maggie told them _____________

6. “I’ll go to New York, if it doesn’t cost too much”. Sarah said _______________

 

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7. “I won’t like the film, if it’s a detective story”. Helen told Joe _______________

 

8. “He won’t answer the phone, if he’s busy”. Anne told me____________________

9. “Harry will lend you his camera, if he doesn’t need it on Saturday”. Bill told us

______________

 

10. “Barbara won’t be happy, if you don’t come”. Jane told me _________________

11. “I’ll miss my bus, if I stay longer”. Sheila said ___________________________

 

12. “The secretary will call him up, if he doesn’t come to the office”. Mr Jones told us __________________

 

4. Put the verbs in brackets into the correct tenses.

 

1. If he worked more slowly he (not make) so many mistakes.

2. I shouldn’t drink that wine if I (be) you.

 

3. More tourists would come to this country if it (have) a better climate.

4. I (buy) shares in that company if I had some money.

5. If you drove your car into the river you (be able) to get out?

6. What you (do) if you found a burglar in your house?

7. If he knew that it was dangerous he (not come).

8. I (be) ruined if I bought her everything she asked for.

9. If you slept under a mosquito net you (not be) bitten so often.

 

10. I could get a job easily if I (have) a degree.

11. If she (do) her hair differently she might look quite nice.

12. I (keep) a horse if I could afford it.

13. I’d go and see him more often if he (live) on a bus route.

14. I (offer) to help if I thought I’d be any use.

15. If you (change) your job would it affect your pension?