Exercise 3: Rewriting Conditionals

How can you express these ideas using conditional constructions?

Write your answers in the boxes and click 'submit' to see a possible answer for each question. There are many possible answers.

You may use I or you in your sentence, and choose the tense you prefer. Would any of these conditional sentences work, and mean the same, with a word other than if? Possible answers are given after each question, together with a reference to a number from the conditionals chart which gives more detail about the type of conditional used.

Example 1 I don't know whether I'm going to Australia. Let's suppose I go. What can I do there?
Answer: If you go to Australia, you can stroke a kangaroo.
or If I went to Australia, I could see the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
or Supposing you go/went to Australia, you can/could visit a wildlife park.
Example 2 I wish the weather was good. I want to go to the beach.
Answer: If the weather was good, I would go to the beach.
or Supposing the weather was good, I would go to the beach.
or Providing that the weather is good, I will go to the beach.
or As long as the weather is good, I will go to the beach.
1. I have a degree but I didn’t do any work.
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Possible answers using conditional type 3 (all times; implication):

If you've got a degree, you must have worked hard for it.

Unless you bought your degree off the Internet, you probably did some work for it!

2. How can I get experience in speaking English?
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Possible answers using conditional type 6 (advice):

If you make friends with native speakers you can get experience in speaking English.

Supposing you make friends with native speakers, you can get experience in speaking English.

3. I know I have to enrol in a course. What happens when I have enrolled?
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Possible answers using conditional type 5 (future time; prediction):

If you enrol in a course you will be able to study that subject for a semester.

When you enrol in a course you will be able to study that subject for a semester.

Supposing you enrol in a course, you will be able to study that subject for a semester.

4. I wanted to learn Japanese when I was younger, but I did not have the opportunity. Years later, I was offered a university scholarship in Tokyo, and I wanted to go. I didn't go, though, because I couldn't speak Japanese.
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Possible answers using mainly conditional type 9 (past time):

If I had learned Japanese, I would have gone to university in Tokyo.

Even though I wanted to learn Japanese, I could not.

It's a pity I didn’t learn Japanese when I was younger, otherwise I would have gone to Tokyo.

I would have gone to Tokyo provided/providing that I could speak Japanese.

He/She would not go to Tokyo unless he/she spoke Japanese.

I would only have gone to Tokyo if I had spoken Japanese.

5. I hope I won't fail my end of semester exams. How can I make sure I pass?
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Possible answers using conditional type 6 (future time; advice):

If you want to pass, you should do lots of practice.

Supposing you want to pass, you should do lots of practice.

You will pass, provided/providing that you do lots of practice.

You will fail unless you practise.

Practice will determine whether or not you pass.

You should practise, otherwise you may fail.

You will only pass if you practise.

You will pass, as long as you practise.

6. My friend may arrive before I get home. In that case, please ask her to ring me.
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Possible answers using conditional type 5 (future time; command):

If my friend comes, please ask her to ring me.

Supposing my friend comes, could you ask her to ring me?

7. I've always wanted to study in Australia, and they tell me I can go if I win a scholarship. Do you think that's true?
Write your answer in the box, then click 'Submit' to view the answers:
Possible answers using conditional type 5 (future time; prediction):

If you win a scholarship you’ll be able to study in Australia.

Supposing you win a scholarship, you’ll be able to study in Australia.

Provided (that) you win a scholarship, you’ll be able to study in Australia.

Providing (that) you win a scholarship, you’ll be able to study in Australia.

8. You went to the lecture. I'm sure you saw him. You can't have avoided seeing him.
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Possible answers using conditional type 4 (past time; inference):

If you went to the lecture, you must have seen him.

As long as you went to the lecture, you must have seen him.

Provided/Providing that you went to the lecture, you must have seen him.

You must have seen him when you went to the lecture.

9. I always feel much happier when the sun is shining.
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Possible answers using conditional type 2 (present time; habit):

If the sun is shining, I feel happy.

Whenever the sun is shining, I feel happy.

As long as the sun is shining, I feel happy.

10. I'm not sure whether I’ll ever meet a billionaire. Perhaps they give money to people who ask them for it. Maybe I could ask them for $10,000.
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Possible answers using conditional type 7 (future time; future dream):

If I met a billionaire, I could ask them for $10,000.

If I were to meet a billionaire, I could ask them for $10,000, provided/providing that they give money to people who ask them for it.

11. I wish the library was open right now. I want to borrow a book.
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Possible answers using conditional type 8 (present time):

If the library was/were open right now I would borrow a book.

Supposing the library was/were open right now, I would borrow a book.

12. Every time we finished an online quiz, we celebrated by having a coffee.
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Possible answers using conditional type 2 (past time):

If we finished an online quiz, we celebrated by having a coffee.

Whenever we finished an online quiz, we celebrated by having a coffee.

13. It is true that oil floats when you put it in water.
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Possible answers using conditional type 1 (outside time; scientific fact):

Oil floats if you put it in water.

Supposing you put oil in water, it floats.

Whenever you put oil in water, it floats.

14. I can't play the violin, but the ability to play it would make me very happy at the moment.
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Possible answers using conditional type 7 (present time; present dream):

If I could play the violin, I would be very happy.

Supposing I could play the violin, I would be very happy.