Conditionals

Grammar Reference

Conditionals — Exercises

Identify the conditional type

Tap the correct type.

1. If automation replaces workers, inequality increases. (general truth)
   (zero / first / second / third) 
2. If governments invest in retraining, the workforce will adapt to automation.
   (first / zero / second / third) 
3. If carbon emissions were reduced by 50%, the climate crisis would slow significantly.
   (second / first / zero / third) 
4. If the company had invested in cybersecurity earlier, it would not have been hacked.
   (third / second / first / zero) 
5. If more people worked remotely, there would be fewer carbon emissions from commuting.
   (second / first / zero / third) 
6. If the government hadn't ignored the data, they would have acted on inequality sooner.
   (third / second / first / zero) 
7. Unless companies address data privacy, public trust will continue to fall.
   (first / second / zero / third) 
8. If you increase carbon taxes, companies reduce fossil fuel use.
   (zero / first / second / third) 

Complete the conditional sentences

Use the correct form of the verb in brackets.

1. If automation continues at this rate, many workers (face) redundancy within a decade.
   
2. If the government (implement) a wealth tax, inequality would decrease significantly.
   
3. Carbon emissions (not / rise) so fast if fossil fuels had been regulated earlier.
   
4. If a company (invest) in cybersecurity, it protects its data from breaches.
   
5. If she (be) more experienced in the sector, she would apply for the senior role.
   
6. The workforce (adapt) more quickly if retraining programmes had been available.
   
7. If biodiversity (continue) to decline, many ecosystems will collapse.
   
8. Unless companies (tackle) their carbon footprint now, they will face heavy penalties.
   
9. If she (not / take) that redundancy, she would still be working in finance.
   
10. If AI (be) better regulated, the risks to data privacy would be much lower.
    
11. If the entrepreneur hadn't taken that risk, her start-up (not / become) a market leader.
    
12. If companies share user data without consent, they (break) data privacy laws.
    

Key word transformation — FCE Part 4

1. We didn't invest in renewable energy, so we still rely on fossil fuels. INVESTEDIf we ______ in renewable energy, we wouldn't still rely on fossil fuels.
   
2. She won't get the promotion unless she improves her work ethic. UNLESS______ her work ethic, she won't get the promotion.
   
3. I regret that the company didn't act on the data privacy breach sooner. ACTEDIf the company ______ on the breach sooner, the damage would have been limited.
   
4. Companies that don't reduce emissions will face heavy penalties. REDUCEIf companies ______ their emissions, they will face heavy penalties.
   
5. More workers would choose freelance careers if there were more stability. WEREIf ______ more stability, more workers would choose freelance careers.
   

Error correction

1. If automation will continue, many jobs will disappear.
   
2. If we would reduce carbon emissions, the climate would stabilise.
   
3. If the government had acted earlier, fewer workers will have lost their jobs.
   

Conditionals — Answer Key

Identify the conditional type

1. zero
2. first
3. second
4. third
5. second
6. third
7. first
8. zero

Complete the conditional sentences

1. will face
2. implemented
3. would not have risen
4. invests
5. were
6. would have adapted
7. continues
8. tackle
9. hadn't taken
10. were
11. would not have become
12. break

Key word transformation — FCE Part 4

1. had invested
2. Unless she improves
3. had acted
4. don't reduce
5. there were

Error correction

1. continues
2. reduced
3. would have lost