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Unit 11.1 · B1 Grammar

If + past tense + would

if + past tense for unlikely or imagined situations; would/wouldn't + bare infinitive for results; second-conditional questions and negatives; was or were with singular subjects; clause order and punctuation.

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  1. 1. If I _____ more free time, I would learn to play the drums.

    Multiple Choice20s
    Ahad✓
    Bwould have
    Chave will
    Dhaving

    💡 An imagined present or future condition uses a past form after if.

  2. 2. In a second conditional, the past tense in the if-clause can describe an imagined future rather than past time.

    True / False20s
    True ✓
    False

    💡 The past form creates distance from reality and marks an unlikely or imagined situation.

  3. 3. If our flat were larger, we _____ a piano. (buy)

    Fill the Gap20s
    Accepted
    would buy

    💡 The imagined result uses would + bare infinitive.

  4. 4. Which second-conditional sentence is fully correct?

    Multiple Choice20s
    AIf I were the manager, I'd change the schedule.✓
    BIf I would be the manager, I'd changed the schedule.
    CIf I were the manager, I would to change the schedule.
    DIf I am the manager, I would changed the schedule.

    💡 Use a past form in the if-clause and would + bare infinitive in the result.

  5. 5. Match each imagined condition to its logical second-conditional result.

    Matching30s
    If the city had more trees,→the air would be cleaner.
    If Leo knew the answer,→he would tell us.
    If the camera didn't cost so much,→I would buy it.
    If we lived nearer the office,→we would walk to work.

    💡 Each past-form condition leads to a logical imagined result with would + bare infinitive.

  6. 6. If the weather _____ warmer, we would eat outside. (Use were.)

    Fill the Gap20s
    Accepted
    were

    💡 Were can be used with a singular subject in a second-conditional if-clause.

  7. 7. Put the chunks in order to make an imagined action based on knowing an address.

    Put in Order30s
    1. 1.If
    2. 2.I knew
    3. 3.her address,
    4. 4.I would send
    5. 5.a card.

    💡 The if-clause takes past simple and the result takes would + bare infinitive.

  8. 8. Choose the correct second-conditional question.

    Multiple Choice20s
    AWould you travel more if flights were cheaper?✓
    BDid you would travel more if flights are cheaper?
    CWould you travelled more if flights were cheaper?
    DWould you travel more if flights would be cheaper?

    💡 The result question uses would + subject + bare infinitive, and the condition uses a past form.

  9. 9. The standard second-conditional form is 'If she would have a car, she would drive to work.'

    True / False20s
    True
    False ✓

    💡 Would normally belongs in the result clause, not the if-clause.

  10. 10. If the office had better lighting, we _____ so many desk lamps. (not/need)

    Fill the Gap20s
    Accepted
    wouldn't need · would not need

    💡 A negative imagined result uses wouldn't + bare infinitive.

  11. 11. Which sentence imagines an unlikely improvement to the environment?

    Multiple Choice20s
    AIf people used less plastic, the oceans would be cleaner.✓
    BIf people would use less plastic, the oceans were cleaner.
    CIf people use less plastic yesterday, the oceans would cleaned.
    DIf people used less plastic, the oceans will be cleaner yesterday.

    💡 The second conditional uses past simple for the imagined condition and would + bare infinitive for the result.

  12. 12. Match each second-conditional result to its only sensible if-clause.

    Matching30s
    I would sleep better→if the street were quieter.
    We wouldn't be late→if the bus came more often.
    Would you accept the job→if the salary was higher?
    The garden would look brighter→if we planted more flowers.

    💡 A result clause can come before its past-tense if-clause without a comma.

  13. 13. If the village _____ a faster internet connection, more people would work from home. (have)

    Fill the Gap20s
    Accepted
    had

    💡 The imagined condition uses the past form had.

  14. 14. Would and wouldn't have the same form with every subject.

    True / False20s
    True ✓
    False

    💡 Would is a modal verb and does not change for person or number.

  15. 15. Which version correctly places the if-clause second?

    Multiple Choice20s
    AThe park would be safer if it had better lighting.✓
    BThe park would be safer, if it would have better lighting.
    CThe park were safer if it would had better lighting.
    DThe park would safer if it has better lighting.

    💡 With the if-clause second, no comma is normally needed; the condition uses past simple.

  16. 16. Reorder the chunks to put an imagined result before its condition.

    Put in Order30s
    1. 1.She
    2. 2.would feel
    3. 3.less stressed
    4. 4.if
    5. 5.she worked fewer hours.

    💡 The result uses would feel and the following condition uses past simple.

  17. 17. How much money _____ if we grew our own vegetables? (we/save)

    Fill the Gap20s
    Accepted
    would we save

    💡 A result question uses would + subject + bare infinitive.

  18. 18. Which form or forms can complete this second conditional? 'If the office _____ quieter, I would concentrate better.'

    Multiple Choice20s
    Awas or were✓
    Bwould be only
    Cis only
    Dhas been only

    💡 With be in a second-conditional if-clause, both was and were are possible for a singular subject.

  19. 19. Would must be followed by to + infinitive, as in 'would to live'.

    True / False20s
    True
    False ✓

    💡 Modal would takes the base verb without to.

  20. 20. I _____ volunteer at the shelter if I did not work at weekends.

    Fill the Gap20s
    Accepted
    would

    💡 Would + bare infinitive gives the imagined result of the condition.