Conditional Sentences — GK Questions with Answers

1. Choose the correct option making the following a conditional sentence: You can’t get in. You don’t have the tickets.
   1. You can’t get in whether you have the tickets.
   2. You don’t have the tickets you can’t get in.
   3. You can’t get in if you don’t have the tickets.
   4. You can’t get in, you don’t have tickets.
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   Answer: (C) You can’t get in if you don’t have the tickets.

   A first conditional: if + present in the if-clause.

2. Put the verb into the correct form: If I ______ his number, I would phone him.
   1. know
   2. knew
   3. will have know
   4. had know
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   Answer: (B) knew

   A second conditional — unreal present — takes the simple past in the if-clause.

3. Choose the correct option: If I had known you were in hospital, I ______ to visit you.
   1. would have gone
   2. go
   3. will had gone
   4. could gone
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   Answer: (A) would have gone

   A third conditional: had + V3 in the if-clause, would have + V3 in the result.

4. Fill in the blanks: If you ______ (tell) we had run out of bread, I ______ (buy) some.
   1. have told ; would have brought
   2. told ; would have bought
   3. had told ; would have bought
   4. had told ; would buy
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   Answer: (C) had told ; would have bought

   Both halves are past and unreal — the third conditional.

5. Fill in the blanks: If I ______ (dye) my hair blue, everyone ______ (laugh) at me.
   1. dyed ; would laugh
   2. had dyed ; would laugh
   3. dyed ; would have laughed
   4. dye ; will be laughed
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   Answer: (A) dyed ; would laugh

   An unlikely present or future situation — the second conditional.

6. Choose the correct option: If you ______ in my position, what would you do?
   1. is
   2. were
   3. had
   4. have
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   Answer: (B) were

   The second conditional always takes were with every subject.

7. You ______ succeeded if you ______ harder.
   1. will have, could have tried
   2. shall had, shall tried
   3. could, had tried
   4. would have, had tried
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   Answer: (D) would have, had tried

   The classic third conditional pair.

8. If he had called me, I ______ helped him.
   1. would have
   2. have
   3. will had
   4. had
   Show answer

   Answer: (A) would have

   Had + V3 in the if-clause demands would have + V3 in the result.

9. Fill in the blank with the appropriate conditional clause: He must be lying ______.
   1. if he was told you that
   2. if he will tell you that
   3. if he told you that
   4. if he telling you that
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   Answer: (C) if he told you that

   A past condition with a present deduction takes the simple past.

10. Fill in the blank with an appropriate main clause: If they doubled the price of petrol, there ______
    1. won’t be so much traffic on the road.
    2. can’t be so much traffic on the road.
    3. shan’t be so much traffic on the road.
    4. wouldn’t be so much traffic on the road.
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    Answer: (D) wouldn’t be so much traffic on the road.

    A past form in the if-clause makes this a second conditional, so the result takes would.

11. We ______ go provided the weather ______ fine.
    1. shall, is
    2. ought to, has to be
    3. might, is being
    4. have to, was to being
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    Answer: (A) shall, is

    After provided, use the simple present; the main clause carries the future.

12. "Had I known the truth, I would have told you." This is the same as —
    1. If I know the truth, I will tell you.
    2. If I had known the truth, I would have told you.
    3. If I knew the truth, I would tell you.
    4. I knew the truth and told you.
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    Answer: (B) If I had known the truth, I would have told you.

    Inversion of the auxiliary replaces if without changing the meaning.

13. I wish I ______ his address.
    1. know
    2. knew
    3. have known
    4. will know
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    Answer: (B) knew

    Wish for a present regret takes the simple past.

14. It is high time you ______ working.
    1. start
    2. started
    3. will start
    4. have started
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    Answer: (B) started

    It is high time always takes a past tense with a present meaning.

15. Which sentence is correct?
    1. Unless you do not work hard, you will fail.
    2. If you will work hard, you will pass.
    3. Unless you work hard, you will fail.
    4. If I would know, I would tell you.
    Show answer

    Answer: (C) Unless you work hard, you will fail.

    Unless already means if not, and the if-clause never takes will or would.

16. How many moods does an English verb have?
    1. two
    2. three
    3. four
    4. five
    Show answer

    Answer: (B) three

    Indicative, imperative and subjunctive.

17. "Shut the door" is in which mood?
    1. indicative
    2. imperative
    3. subjunctive
    4. infinitive
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    Answer: (B) imperative

    A command — the imperative, with you understood.

18. Which is correct?
    1. If I was you, I would accept.
    2. If I were you, I would accept.
    3. If I am you, I would accept.
    4. If I had been you, I would accept.
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    Answer: (B) If I were you, I would accept.

    An unreal condition takes the past subjunctive were.

19. Which is correct?
    1. I suggest that he goes at once.
    2. I suggest that he go at once.
    3. I suggest that he will go at once.
    4. I suggest that he going at once.
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    Answer: (B) I suggest that he go at once.

    After suggest, the plain form of the verb.

20. Which is correct?
    1. It is necessary that he is present.
    2. It is necessary that he be present.
    3. It is necessary that he will be present.
    4. It is necessary that he is being present.
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    Answer: (B) It is necessary that he be present.

    The present subjunctive uses be.

21. "He talks as if he ___ the owner." Choose the right form.
    1. is
    2. was
    3. were
    4. has been
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    Answer: (C) were

    As if with an unreal idea takes were.

22. "God save the King" is an example of —
    1. the indicative mood
    2. the imperative mood
    3. the subjunctive mood
    4. the infinitive
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    Answer: (C) the subjunctive mood

    A set subjunctive phrase expressing a wish.

23. In which sentence is "was" correct after "if"?
    1. If I was a bird, I would fly.
    2. If he was there, he must have seen it.
    3. If I was you, I would go.
    4. I wish I was taller.
    Show answer

    Answer: (B) If he was there, he must have seen it.

    An open condition that may well be true takes the indicative.

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