Complete the 12 sentences below. Choose the best answer for each one.
1If the report had been clearer, the board ............... approved the proposal at last week's meeting.
Wrong!
"Might have" shows a possible past result of an unreal past condition.
2If you need to leave early tomorrow, you ............... let me know tonight so I can adjust the schedule.
Wrong!
"Should" gives advice in a real future condition.
3If they had checked the weather forecast, they ............... postponed the outdoor concert.
Wrong!
"Could have" expresses a past possibility that was not used.
4If the software crashes again, we ............... need to call technical support immediately.
Select 2 answers.
Wrong!
"May" and "might" express a possible future result of a real condition.
5If she were more confident in meetings, she ............... challenge his assumptions more often.
Wrong!
"Would" gives the result of an unreal present condition.
6If I had known the client was arriving early, I ............... have arranged a taxi from the airport.
Wrong!
"Would" forms the result clause in this third conditional sentence.
7If the evidence were stronger, the police ............... be able to reopen the case.
Wrong!
"Might" expresses possibility in an unreal present condition.
8If you had asked for clarification during the lecture, the professor ............... have explained the theory more simply.
Wrong!
"Could" shows past possibility in the result of an unreal past condition.
9If the negotiations fail this afternoon, the company ............... issue a public statement.
Wrong!
"May have to" shows a possible future necessity after a real condition.
10If he had taken the medication properly, he ............... be feeling this ill today.
Wrong!
"Wouldn't" shows the present result of an unreal past condition.
11If the museum offered free entry on weekdays, more students ............... visit it regularly.
Wrong!
"Would" gives the result in this second conditional sentence.
12If we had left before rush hour, we ............... have been stuck in traffic for two hours.
Wrong!
"Wouldn't" gives the negative result in this third conditional sentence.
Answers
- If the report had been clearer, the board might have approved the proposal at last week’s meeting.
- If you need to leave early tomorrow, you should let me know tonight so I can adjust the schedule.
- If they had checked the weather forecast, they could have postponed the outdoor concert.
- If the software crashes again, we may / might need to call technical support immediately.
- If she were more confident in meetings, she would challenge his assumptions more often.
- If I had known the client was arriving early, I would have arranged a taxi from the airport.
- If the evidence were stronger, the police might be able to reopen the case.
- If you had asked for clarification during the lecture, the professor could have explained the theory more simply.
- If the negotiations fail this afternoon, the company may have to issue a public statement.
- If he had taken the medication properly, he wouldn’t be feeling this ill today.
- If the museum offered free entry on weekdays, more students would visit it regularly.
- If we had left before rush hour, we wouldn’t have been stuck in traffic for two hours.
