A2 · Elementary Chapter 16

Conditionals and Passive Voice

3 Total Rules
13 examples
1 min
Rules in This Chapter Quick Practice

Chapter in 30 Seconds

Master the art of hypothetical thinking and focus on the action rather than the actor.

  • Predict likely outcomes using the first conditional.
  • Imagine impossible or unlikely situations with the second conditional.
  • Describe events objectively using the passive voice.
Unlock potential and focus on the action.

What You'll Learn

Learn first and second conditionals for real and imaginary situations, and discover the passive voice to say what happens or happened without saying who does it.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:

  1. 1
    By the end you will be able to: Create a short story using conditionals and passive sentences.

Key Examples (6)

1

If you study hard, you will pass the exam.

First Conditional: If It Rains, I Will Stay Home
2

I won't go to the party if I feel tired.

First Conditional: If It Rains, I Will Stay Home
3

If I lived near the beach, I would swim every day.

Second Conditional: If I Had Wings, I Would Fly
4

What would you do if you lost your job?

Second Conditional: If I Had Wings, I Would Fly
5

English is spoken in over 50 countries.

Passive Voice: English Is Spoken Here / The Window Was Broken
6

My car was stolen last night.

Passive Voice: English Is Spoken Here / The Window Was Broken

Tips & Tricks (3)

💡

Comma Rule

Use a comma if the 'if' clause comes first. If it comes second, no comma is needed.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: First Conditional: If It Rains, I Will Stay Home
💡

The 'Were' Rule

Always use 'were' instead of 'was' in formal writing for 'If I/he/she/it were'.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Second Conditional: If I Had Wings, I Would Fly
💡

Focus on the object

Always look for the object first when changing to passive.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Passive Voice: English Is Spoken Here / The Window Was Broken

Key Vocabulary (6)

imaginary not real possibility something that might happen passive focused on the object outcome the result of an event unlikely not probable action something being done

Real-World Preview

package

The Mysterious Package

Review Summary

  • If + Present Simple, will + verb
  • If + Past Simple, would + verb
  • be + past participle

Common Mistakes

Never use 'will' in the 'if' clause. The 'if' part stays in the present.

Wrong: If I will go, I will see him.
Correct: If I go, I will see him.

In second conditionals, use 'were' for all subjects, including 'I', 'he', and 'she'.

Wrong: If I was you, I would study.
Correct: If I were you, I would study.

Passive voice always requires the past participle (eaten), not the base verb.

Wrong: The cake was eat.
Correct: The cake was eaten.

Next Steps

You have done an amazing job this chapter. Keep practicing these structures in your daily writing. See you in the next chapter!

Write 5 sentences about your dream house using second conditional.

Continue to: Reported Speech and Relative Clauses

Quick Practice (10)

Fix the error.

Find and fix the mistake:

If you will study, you pass.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: If you study, you will pass.
Correct tense and modal.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: First Conditional: If It Rains, I Will Stay Home

Fix the error.

Find and fix the mistake:

The house builded.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: The house is built.
Irregular participle.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Passive Voice: English Is Spoken Here / The Window Was Broken

Fill in the blank.

If you ___ (not/hurry), you will miss the bus.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: don't hurry
Negative present simple.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: First Conditional: If It Rains, I Will Stay Home

Choose the correct sentence.

Which is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: If I go, I will see him.
Correct structure.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: First Conditional: If It Rains, I Will Stay Home

Choose the correct sentence.

Which is passive?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: The cake was eaten.
Be + V3.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Passive Voice: English Is Spoken Here / The Window Was Broken

Find the mistake.

Find and fix the mistake:

If I would win, I would buy a house.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: If I won, I would buy a house.
No 'would' in the 'if' clause.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Second Conditional: If I Had Wings, I Would Fly

Choose the correct sentence.

Which is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: If I were you, I would go.
Correct structure: If + Past, would + Verb.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Second Conditional: If I Had Wings, I Would Fly

Fill in the blank.

The cake ___ eaten.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: is
Subject is singular.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Passive Voice: English Is Spoken Here / The Window Was Broken

Fill in the correct form of the verb.

If I ___ (have) more time, I would study.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: had
Past simple is required in the 'if' clause.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Second Conditional: If I Had Wings, I Would Fly

Fill in the blank.

If it ___ (rain), I will stay home.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: rains
Present simple for if-clause.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: First Conditional: If It Rains, I Will Stay Home

Score: /10

Common Questions (6)

No, never. It is grammatically incorrect in standard English.
First is for real possibilities; Second is for imaginary ones.
In casual speech, yes. In formal writing, 'were' is preferred.
The 'if' clause sets the condition, and 'would' is for the result. Using it twice is redundant.
Use it when the action is more important than the person doing it.
Yes, you can use it in almost all tenses.
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Verb Patterns: Infinitives, Gerunds and Purpose
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Reported Speech and Relative Clauses
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