Conditional Sentences – Complete ESL Lesson | Lingua Corner
📚 B1 English · Complete Grammar Unit

Conditional
Sentences

Zero, First, Second, Third + Mixed · I wish · If only · Inversion · Unless

🟢 Zero Conditional 🔵 First Conditional 🟣 Second Conditional 🔴 Third Conditional ⭐ I wish / If only 🔁 Inversion

Conditional Sentences & Wishes

A1–B1 Mixed Progression · Grammar · Reading · Exercises · Speaking

🌍
Warm-Up — Everyday Situations
Look at each card. Can you finish the if-sentence?
🌧️
It rains → I get wet.
If it rains, I get wet.
🔑
I forget my keys → I can’t enter.
If I forget my keys, I can’t enter.
📚
You study hard → You pass the exam.
If you study hard, you will pass.
💰
I had more money → I’d travel the world.
If I had more money, I would travel.
⏰
I’m late → My boss gets angry.
If I am late, my boss gets angry.
🔥
You heat water to 100°C → It boils.
If you heat water, it boils.
🎓
I had studied → I would have passed.
If I had studied, I would have passed.
✈️
I miss the flight → I’ll take the next one.
If I miss the flight, I’ll take the next.
📖
Reading — What Happens When Things Go Wrong?
Read the text. Notice the highlighted conditional sentences.
Zero Conditional
First Conditional
Second Conditional
Third Conditional
I wish / If only

Monday mornings are always the same for Maria. If she doesn’t set her alarm, she is always late. That’s just how mornings work. If she misses the bus today, she will take a taxi. Simple enough.

But this Monday is different. She overslept. She wishes she had gone to bed earlier. Now she’s running. If she hurries, she will catch the 8:15 train.

Her colleague Tom never worries. If he were Maria, he would call the office and explain. Easy for him to say! If Maria had left five minutes earlier, she would have caught the bus.

If only she had listened to her mother: “Never leave things to the last minute!” But sometimes we learn the hard way. If you make a mistake, you learn from it. That’s life.

✅
Reading Comprehension
Choose the correct answer — instant feedback!
Your score0 / 6
1. What happens if Maria doesn’t set her alarm?
2. What will Maria do if she misses the bus?
3. What does Maria wish?
4. What would Tom do if he were Maria?
5. What would have happened if Maria had left five minutes earlier?
6. What does the zero conditional at the end say?
📐
Grammar — All Conditionals Overview
Colour-coded reference guide

🟢 Zero Conditional

If + Present Simple → Present Simple
“If you heat water to 100°C, it boils.”
Use for: facts, scientific truths, habits

🔵 First Conditional

If + Present Simple → will + verb
“If it rains, I will stay home.”
Use for: real, possible future situations

🟣 Second Conditional

If + Past Simple → would + verb
“If I were you, I would go to the doctor.”
Use for: unreal present / hypothetical situations
⚠️ “were” not “was” in formal English

🔴 Third Conditional

If + Past Perfect → would have + past participle
“If I had studied, I would have passed.”
Use for: impossible past — things that didn’t happen.
Also use: might have / could have

⭐ I wish / If only

wish + Past Simple (present wish)
wish + Past Perfect (past wish)
wish + would (someone’s behaviour)
“I wish I knew more.” / “I wish I had studied.” / “If only I had studied harder!”
If only is stronger / more emotional than I wish

🟠 Mixed Conditionals

If + Past Perfect → would + verb
(past cause → present result)
“If she hadn’t gone to hospital, she wouldn’t be alive today.”
The past action affects the present situation
💡 Unless = if … not.  |  “Unless you hurry, you’ll be late” = “If you don’t hurry, you’ll be late.”

💡 Inversion (formal): Remove if and invert the subject/auxiliary:
If I had known → Had I known…  |  If she were here → Were she here…  |  If you should see Tom → Should you see Tom…
✏️
Exercise A — Choose the Correct Form
Click “Check Answers” when finished
1. If you metal, it expands. (Zero)
2. If it tomorrow, we will cancel the trip. (First)
3. If I you, I would speak to the manager. (Second)
4. She would have passed if she . (Third)
5. Unless you , you’ll miss the bus.
6. I wish I . (wish about present)
7. If only she to the advice! (wish about past)
8. known about the problem, I would have helped. (inversion)
🔀
Exercise B — Sentence Transformations
Rewrite each sentence. The meaning must stay the same.
1. Rewrite using UNLESS:
“If you don’t hurry, you’ll be late.”
→ Unless you …
2. Rewrite using INVERSION (Had…):
“If I had known about the problem, I would have helped.”
→ Had I …
3. Rewrite using INVERSION (Were she…):
“If she were here, she would know what to do.”
→ Were she …
4. Rewrite using INVERSION (Should you…):
“If you see Tom, tell him to call me.”
→ Should you …
5. Rewrite as a MIXED CONDITIONAL (Had they… → present result):
“They missed the bus, so they are not here now.”
→ Had they …
6. Rewrite using UNLESS:
“If you don’t water the plants, they will die.”
→ Unless you …
7. Rewrite as a THIRD CONDITIONAL:
“She didn’t study, so she didn’t pass the exam.”
→ If she had …
8. Rewrite as SECOND CONDITIONAL:
“I don’t have a car. I can’t give you a lift.”
→ If I had …
9. Rewrite using I WISH (past):
“I didn’t listen to your advice. That was a mistake.”
→ I wish I …
10. Rewrite using IF ONLY (past):
“I didn’t study harder.”
→ If only I …
11. Rewrite using I WISH + would (someone’s behaviour):
“They are making too much noise.”
→ I wish they …
12. Mixed conditional — rewrite:
“He didn’t go to hospital. He isn’t alive today.”
→ If he had gone …
🔥
Extra Practice — Mixed Transformations
Based on teacher worksheets: I wish / If only · Unless · Inversion

🔥 Set 5 — I wish / If only

I don’t have more free time.
→ I wish …
I didn’t listen to your advice.
→ If only …
He isn’t more patient.
→ I wish …
We didn’t bring enough food.
→ If only …
She can’t come with us.
→ I wish …
I forgot to save the file.
→ If only …
They are making too much noise.
→ I wish …

🔥 Set 4 — Unless & Inversion

If you don’t hurry, you’ll be late.
→ Unless …
If I had known about the problem, I would have helped.
→ Had I …
If she were here, she would know what to do.
→ Were she …
If you see Tom, tell him to call me.
→ Should you …
If they hadn’t missed the bus, they would be here now.
→ Had they …
If you don’t water the plants, they will die.
→ Unless …
⭐
Exercise C — I wish / If only
Complete the wish sentence. Use Past Simple or Past Perfect.
💡 Remember: I wish + Past Simple (present wish)  |  I wish + Past Perfect (past wish)  |  I wish + would (behaviour)
1. “I can’t speak French.” Complete the wish:
→ I wish I …
2. “He didn’t apologise.” Complete the wish:
→ I wish he …
3. “She keeps interrupting me.” Complete with ‘I wish’:
→ I wish she …
4. “I don’t know more about European history.” Use ‘If only’:
→ If only I …
5. “I wasn’t present at the battle of Waterloo.” Complete the wish:
→ I wish I …
6. “Pete never phones.” Complete with ‘I wish’:
→ I wish Pete …
7. “I can’t swim really fast.” Complete the wish:
→ I wish I …
8. “I didn’t study harder.” Use ‘If only’:
→ If only I …
💬
Speaking — Discussion Cards
Discuss with your partner. Use conditional sentences!
Card 1
What will you do if it rains tomorrow?
“If it rains, I will…”
Card 2
What would you do if you had a million euros?
“If I had a million euros, I would…”
Card 3
What would you have studied if you had chosen differently?
“If I had studied…, I would have…”
Card 4
What do you wish you could change about your daily routine?
“I wish I could…” / “If only I…”
Card 5
What would you do if you were the Prime Minister?
“If I were PM, I would…”
Card 6
What regrets do you have? What do you wish had been different?
“I wish I had…” / “If only I had…”

💬 Useful Phrases — Przydatne zwroty

If I were you…Na twoim miejscu…
I wish I…Chciałbym… / Żałuję, że…
If only…Gdyby tylko…
It depends (on)…To zależy (od)…
Had I known…Gdybym wiedział…
Unless you…Jeśli nie…
In that case…W takim razie…
I agree / I disagree because…Zgadzam się / Nie zgadzam się, bo…
🧪
Final Test — 30 Questions
All conditional types · I wish / If only · Unless · Inversion
Test score0 / 30
1. If you ___ ice, it melts. (Zero Conditional)
2. Water ___ at 100°C. (Zero Conditional — result clause)
3. If plants don’t get water, they ___ . (Zero Conditional)
4. If it ___ tomorrow, we will cancel the picnic. (First)
5. She will call you if she ___ the answer. (First)
6. If he ___ the exam, he’ll get the job. (First)
7. Unless you hurry, you ___ the train. (First + unless)
8. If I ___ you, I would apologise immediately. (Second)
9. She would travel the world if she ___ enough money. (Second)
10. If he ___ harder, he might get promoted. (Second)
11. What would you do if you ___ the lottery? (Second)
12. If she ___ the map, she wouldn’t have got lost. (Third)
13. They would have arrived on time if they ___ earlier. (Third)
14. If I ___ about the party, I would have come. (Third)
15. He ___ the job if he had prepared better. (Third — result clause)
16. If she ___ to hospital, she wouldn’t be alive today. (Mixed — past→present)
17. If he had studied medicine, he ___ a doctor now. (Mixed)
18. I wish I ___ how to drive. (wish — present)
19. She wishes she ___ the concert last night. (wish — past)
20. If only I ___ more carefully! (wish — past regret)
21. I wish he ___ make so much noise! (wish + would — behaviour)
22. If only she ___ here right now. (wish — present unreal)
23. Unless you ___ now, the shop will be closed. (unless)
24. “If you don’t study, you’ll fail.” Which rewrite is correct?
25. “If I had seen him, I would have spoken.” → Inversion:
26. “If she were here, she’d know.” → Inversion:
27. “If you should have any questions, call me.” → Inversion:
28. Choose the correct sentence:
29. “I regret not taking the job.” Which expresses this best?
30. Complete: If he ___ the letter, everything ___ different now. (Mixed)