FACULTY OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING AND COMPUTING

GRAMMAR REVISION AND EXERCISES 4 & 5

INDIRECT SPEECH & CONDITIONALS

MARIJA KRZNARIĆ

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INDIRECT SPEECH

- is used when we report somebody else’s words and introduce them by a reporting verb in the past tense; the original tense should change, i.e.:

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------present perfect present future

↓ ↓ ↓ ---------------------------------------------------------------------

------

past perfect past future-in-the-past

 

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It may also be necessary to change adverbs of time or place as well as some other expressions, e.g.: here = there now = then yesterday = the day before ago = before this = that next week = the following week

Let’s remind us of the first changes in Indirect Speech, i.e. positive and negative commands:

 

TELLSME

TO INFINITIVE

HE TOLD or

WILL TELL NOT TO INFINITIVE

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STATEMENTS

1. Peter told Jane: “I’ll meet you here at the same time tomorrow.” He TOLD Jane he would meet her there at the same time the following day.

2. Kevin complained: “I’m feeling hungry.” He COMPLAINED he was feeling hungry.

3. Jennifer said: ”I think John is ill.” She SAID (that) she thought he was ill.

4. Mary said: “I don’t know where Peter has gone.” She SAID she didn’t know where Peter had gone.

5. Pit promised: “I’m going to do it as soon as I get back.” He PROMISED he was going to do it as soon as he got back.

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6. His parents complained: “He always does what his wife tells him to do.” They COMPLAINED that he always did what his wife told him to do.

Verbs used for introducing statements:

E CRO E CRO

admit agree

assure believe

complain explain

insist point out

promise protest

say tell

think understand

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EXCEPTION When the subordinate clause mentions an eternal

truth (namely, a statement that is forever true), it should be in simple present tense even the main clause is in past tense.

Examples:

• The teacher said that the Sun rises in the east.• Columbus proved that the Earth is round.• Newton discovered that it is the gravitational force that keeps the planets moving round the Sun.

PUT THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS INTO THE INDIRECT SPEECH INTRODUCING THEM WITH A VERB IN THE PAST TENSE:

1. "I am writing my presentation.” (say)

Peter said (that) he was writing his presentation.

2. "It is not my problem," said John. (say)

John said it was not his problem.

3. "There are too many slides in this presentation," said Helen. (point out)

Helen pointed out that there were too many slides in that presentation.

4. "Your English teacher will like your presentation," my friend was sure. (be sure)

My friend was sure that my English teacher would like my presentation.

5. "We are considering all possible options in order to improve your presentation," my

colleagues said. (explain)

They explained they were considering all possible options to improve my

presentation.

6. Mary: "I have just finished my presentation." (tell)

She told us (that) she had just finished her presentation.7

7. “I never put too much text on my slides.”Mary ……….. she never put too much text on her…….

8. Mary: “I didn’t know how to make my presentation.”Mary complained she hadn’t known how to make her ……….

9. Mary said to her brother: “I will help you make your presentation as soon as I get home.” She promised him she would help him make his presentation as soon as

she got …10. Mary: “I surf the Internet to find useful phrases for my presentation.”

She said she surfed the Internet to find useful phrases for her …….11. Max: Before you start your presentation, you have to introduce yourself first.

He warned me that I had to introduce myself before I started my ….12. Stephen to Claire: "You were talking too much during your presentation.” 13. Charles: "I didn't have time to make my presentation.” He remarked that he hadn’t had time to make his …………. 14.My English teacher said: “Peter’s presentation is the best presentation I have ever

seen.”He/she said that Peter’s ….. was the best he/she had ever seen.

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He told her that she had been talking too much during her…

PUT THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES INTO THE INDIRECT SPEECH INTRODUCING THEM WITH THE PAST TENSE: 1. Mary said: I’m going to Tom’s birthday party with my sister.

She said she was going to Tom’s party with her sister.  2. Mother: Bob, ask your sister to show you how my remote control works.  She told him to ask his sister how her remote control worked. 3. Bob: I really don’t know where my sister has gone.  He admitted that he didn’t know where his sister had gone. 4. Mother: Helen, don’t buy clothes you are not going to wear.  Mother warned her not to buy clothes she was not going to wear. 5. The spokesman: The buses will not run on Sundays because the drivers refuse to work overtime.  He said the buses would not run on Sunday because the drivers refused 

6. The husband: The meal you have prepared for today is an excellent one.  He told her that the meal she had prepared for that day was an excellent..  7. Nick: Don’t be late, please, your boy-friend won’t wait, Sue.

He asked her not to be late because her boy-friend wouldn’t wait.9

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8. Jack: Susan, ask the Tailors where their son works.  He told her to ask the Taylors where their son worked. 9. Mary: I don’t think my parents will come back before I tell them what has happened.  She didn’t think her parents would come back before she told them what had happened. 10. The treasurer: We don’t have enough money to carry out your plan, Peter.  He informed Peter that they didn’t have enough money to carry out his plan. 11. Henry: Don’t switch the TV off before I hear the football match results, father.  He asked father not to switch the TV off before he heard the football match results. 12. Father: John, explain why you were not at home last night.

He asked him to explain why he had not been at home the night before.

13. Mr Jones: I don’t understand why you waste your time polishing the car every day.  He told me he didn’t understand why I wasted my time polishing the car every day.

14. John: Peter, drive as fast as you can, I don’t want to be late.John told him to drive as fast as he could because he didn’t want to be …

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WH-QUESTIONS When reporting questions the original question “becomes” a statement, i.e. the verb form is no longer interrogative, nor is a question mark used at the end of the reporting sentence. The word order of a reported question is Subject, Predicate, and Object. For the original tense changes, see STATEMENTS. 1. Peter: “Where are you taking my book, Mary? 

He ASKED her WHERE she was taking his book. S P O2. Peter: “How do you like this cake? He ASKED me HOW I liked that cake.

S P O3. Mr. Brown: “What does Mary do in the evening? He ASKED me WHAT Mary did in the evening. S P4. John: “What does it cost you to run this BMW, Mr Brown?” John ASKED Mr Brown WHAT it cost him to run that BMW. S P O

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5. Mother: “Why did you come home so late last night, Mary” 

She ASKED her WHY she had come home so late the previous night. S P6. Peter: “When will you apply for your visa, Mary?” He ASKED her WHEN she would apply for her visa. S P O 7. Peter: “How old are you, John?” He ASKED him HOW old he was.

S P 8. Mary: “Who has given you this beautiful ring, Jenny?” Mary ASKED Jenny WHO had given her that beautiful ring.

S P O O 9. Mother: Where were you when the rain started?” She ASKED me WHERE I had been when the rain (had) started. S P 10. Bill: “What were you doing when I called, Mary?” 

Bill asked Mary WHAT she had been doing when he called. S P

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PUT THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS INTO THE INDIRECT SPEECH. INTRODUCE THEM WITH THE VERB IN THE PAST TENSE:

1. How do you get on with your mother-in-law? Paul asked.Paul asked me how I got on with my mother-in-law.

2. Peter: Where did you meet my mother, John?Peter wanted to know where John had met his mother.

3. Mary: When will my dress be finished?Mary wondered when her dress would be finished.

4. Mary: Why did you go out last night, Peter?She asked him why he had gone out the night before.

5. Bob: How many cakes can you get into your mouth at once, John?Bob asked John how many cakes he could get into his mouth at once.

6. A tourist: How far is it to the National Theatre?A tourist inquired/enquired how far it was to the National Theatre.

7. The teacher: What do you think you are doing, Peter?The teacher asked Peter what he thought he was doing.

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8. The English guide: How long have you been learning English, Mary?He/She asked Mary how long she had been learning English.

9. Mother: What have you done to your hair, Peter?She wanted to know what he had done to his hair.

10. My sister: What are you going to do in the evening?She asked me what I was going to do in the evening.

11. What did you miss most when you were in prison? asked Mary the ex-convict.She asked him what he had missed most when he was in prison.

12. How much do you think it will cost? my brother asked me.He asked me how much I thought it would cost.

13. John: What time will the dinner be served, mother? He asked mother what time the dinner would be served.

14. Mary: Where are you taking me to dinner tonight?Mary was curious where I was taking her to dinner that night.

15. Where must you take the parcel my father has given you, Peter? asked Bob.He asked Bob where he had to take the parcel his father had given him.

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YES - & NO - QUESTIONS YES- and NO-questions begin with a verbal form (full verb or an auxiliary) and the only possible answers are YES or NO. In order to link the introductory clause and the question, since WH-question word is missing, IF or WHETHER should be introduced. The word order of the indirect YES- and NO-questions is also S P O. For original tense changes, see STATEMENTS.  1. Mother: “Are you hungry, Mary?” 

Mother ASKED Mary IF she was hungry. S P 2. Mary: “Do you like beer, Jane?” 

Mary ASKED Jane IF she liked beer. S P

3. The police officer: “Bob, did you check his driving licence?”

The police officer ASKED him IF he had checked his driving licence. S P

4. The policeman: “Did any of you actually see the accident?” 

The policeman ASKED IF any of us had actually seen the accident. S P

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5. The secretary: “Have you asked Mr Brown when he will be back?”  The secretary INQUIRED IF / WHETHER I had asked Mr Brown when he would be back. S P 6. Peter: “John, are you going to sell this old car?” 

Peter WANTED TO KNOW IF John was going to sell that old car. S P

       

HE ASKED      

    

WH -     

IF

 S U B J E C T

 PRESENT SIMPLE SIMPLE PAST

 PRESENT CONTINUOUS PAST CONTINUOUS

 PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE PAST PERFECT SIMPLE

 SIMPLE PAST PAST PERFECT SIMPLE

 PRESENT PERFECT CONT. PAST PERFECT CONT.

 PAST CONTINUOUS PAST PERFECT CONT. CONTINUOUS

 FUTURE SIMPLE FUTURE IN THE PAST S.

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PUT THE FOLLOWING INTO THE INDIRECT SPEECH. INTRODUCE THE QUESTIONS WITH THE VERBS wonder, want to know, ask IN THE SIMPLE PAST: 1. A worker: Will the company be in profit this year, Mr Chairman?  He asked him if the company would be in profit that year. 2. Mary: Has Peter taken his degree, Paul?

She asked him if he had taken his degree.  3. A student: Can I submit a late application?

A student wanted to know if he could submit a late application.  4. A student: Have I passed my written examination, Ms Smith?

A student asked her if she had passed her written examination.  5. The secretary: Is the meeting on Tuesday or Wednesday?  She wondered if the meeting was on Tuesday or Wednesday.

6. Bob: Is there any food in the house? He wanted to know if there was any food in the house.

7. Peter: Mother, did Mary phone back?He asked her if Mary had phoned back.  

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8. Have you seen my car keys anywhere? said Peter to his wife.He asked her if she had seen his car keys anywhere. 

 9. Will you carry my briefcase for me please, James? said Peter.  He asked James if he would carry his briefcase for him. 10. Is this the knife the man you are looking for stabbed his wife with? the detective asked his fellow officers.   The detective wanted to know if that was the knife the man they were looking for had stabbed his wife with. 11. Are you going to the art exhibition which has been opened in town? my mother asked.

She wondered if I was going to the art exhibition which had been opened … 12. Will you tell me what is going on here? our teacher asked.

The teacher asked us to tell him/her what was going on. 13. Do you wash your car every week, Peter? asked Bill.

Bill asked Peter if he washed his car every week.

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REPORT THE FOLLOWING: JOB INTERVIEW QUESTIONS  When you come home after a job interview, or meet your colleagues or your ex-English teacher, you will probably share your traumatic experience of a job interview with them. Of course, you will have to use the Indirect Speech, i.e. wh- and Yes/No- questions. Here are some of them:

1 - 1st interviewer: What is your name? He asked me what my name was.

2 – 2nd interviewer: How old are you? He asked me how old I was. 

3 - 1st : Where did you go to high school?He asked me where I had gone to school.  

4 - 2nd : Did you continue your education after high school? He asked me if I had continued my education after high school. 

5 - 1st : Where did you study? He asked me where I had studied.

6 - 2nd : What did you study? He wanted to know what I had studied.

7 - 1st : Do you have a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering?  He asked if I had a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering. 8 - 2nd : Which programme did you graduate?

He wanted to know which programme I had graduated.

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9 - 1st : Will you continue to get a Master’s degree? He asked me if I would continue to get a Master’s degree.

10 - 2nd : Are you applying for other jobs? …… if I was applying for other jobs.

11 - 1st : What languages do you speak? …… what languages I spoke.

12 - 2nd : Do you know anyone who works for us?   ….. if I knew anyone who worked for them.13 - 1st : Do you have any experience?

…… if I had any experience.14 - 2nd : What experience do you have in this field?

…… what experience I had in that field.15 - 1st : Are you employed now?   …… if I was employed (then).16 - 2nd : Why do you want to leave your present job?

…… why I wanted to leave my present job. 17 - 1st : Are you a team player?

…… if I was a team player.18 - 2nd : What kind of salary do you need/expect?

…… what kind of salary I needed / expected.19 - 1st : Are you married?

…… if I was married.20 - 2nd : Are you willing to travel abroad?   …… if I was willing to travel abroad.

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21 - 1st : What do you think about working overtime? …… what I thought about working overtime.

22 - 2nd : When will you be available for further contacts?…… when I would be available for further contacts.

PUT THE SENTENCES INTO THE INDIRECT SPEECH AND LINK THEM TOGETHER:

example: “Don’t worry about a few mistakes, said Peter. I make mistakes all the time.” Peter told me not to worry about a few mistakes and added (adding/and said/saying) he made mistakes all the time.

 1. It is cold in here. Is the window open?  He said it was cold in there and asked if the window was open. 2. Do you think it will rain? It is very cloudy.  He asked me if I thought it would rain adding it was very cloudy. 3. I must write some letters. What date is it?

He said (that) he had to write some letters and asked me what date it was. 4. How do you like my girlfriend’s new dress? I bought it on a sale.

He asked me how I liked his girlfriend’s new dress and added that he had bought it on a sale.

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5. Don't spend all your money on food and drink. You will need some for the rent.Father warned me not to spend all the money on food and drink and reminded me I would need some for the rent.

6. Tell me the time, please. My watch has stopped and I don’t know what time it is.He asked me to tell him the time saying that his watch had stopped and he didn’t know what time it was.

7. This is a very interesting book. Have you read it?  She said it was a very interesting book and asked me if I had ever read it.8. Do you ever wash your car? It is so dirty.

He asked me if I ever washed my car and added it was so dirty.9. Don’t switch on the TV, please. I’m reading.

She asked me not to switch on the TV and said that she was reading.10. Give me some bread, please. I’m very hungry.  A boy asked mother to give him some bread adding that he was very

hungry.11. Do you like baseball? I played baseball when I was living in India.  He asked me if I liked baseball and said that he had played baseball when

he was living in India.

 

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CONDITIONALS

TYPE 0 & TYPE 1 CHOOSE THE CORRECT FORM OF THE VERBS AND TRANSLATE:  1. If you give up/’ll give up smoking, you’ll feel much better.  2. We’ll have to go without John if he doesn’t arrive/won’t arrive soon.   3. How much will you earn a month if you will get/get that job?  4. If I make some coffee, do you bring/will you bring the milk from the kitchen?  5. Will you work/do you work harder if I promise to take you to the cinema on Saturday?  6. Don’t sign anything if your lawyer hasn’t seen/won’t see the document. 7. If you heat/will heat ice it turns to water.  8. Is there any point in your coming with us if you don’t like/will not like climbing?

9. Make a note of the telephone number if you don’t want/didn’t want to forget it.

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10. If anything has occurred to make you change your mind, just let me know/you will let me know. 11. I can’t possibly advise you properly unless you tell/don’t tell me the whole truth. 12. If you happen/will happen to pass a baker’s, pick me a loaf of brown bread. 13. If I lend/will lend you this book, will you promise me to take good care of it?

MAKE IF SENTENCES:  example: You are hungry. Why don’t you make yourself a sandwich?

If you are hungry, make yourself a sandwich.  1. Your printer malfunctions. Check the interface cable.  ______________________________________________________________________ 2. A burglar tries to force the alarm open. Sensors trigger the alarm.______________________________________________________________________

3. Click on the icon. The file opens.______________________________________________________________________ 

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4. Save the information to disk. You risk losing it.____________________________________________________________________ 5. People shouldn’t cross the frozen river. The ice will break.____________________________________________________________________ 6. The main supply fails. The batteries take over.____________________________________________________________________

 IF - CLAUSE

 MAIN CLAUSE

 PRESENT SIMPLE

 PRESENT SIMPLE

 IF CLAUSE

 MAIN CLAUSE

PRESENT SIMPLE 

PRESENT CONTINUOUS 

PRESENT PERFECT

 FUTURE

 IMPERATIVE

 PRESENT (CAN, MUST...)

 

TYPE 0

TYPE 1

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 IF - CLAUSE

 MAIN CLAUSE

 SIMPLE PAST

 PRESENT CONDITIONAL

CONDITIONALS - TYPE 2 & TYPE 3

TYPE 2

- is used to express an unreal present or future situation:

If I had a lot of money, I would travel all round the world.Da imam puno novaca, putovao bih po svijetu.

If I were[1] you, I’d apply for that job.Da sam na tvom mjestu, predao bih molbu za taj posao.

If he were older, he would have more sense.Da je stariji, bio bi pametniji.

[1] were is used for all persons (when asked to give advice, more formal style) = Da sam na tvom mjestu…

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INSERT TYPE 2 AND TRANSLATE: 1. You (catch) the train if you (leave) earlier.  Stigao bi na vlak da kreneš ranije. 2. He (wait) for her if she (be) late.  Čekao bi je da kasni/ako bi kasnila. 3. He (open) the door if you (ring) the bell.

On bi otvorio vrata da pozvoniš.

4. If I (be) an orange I (be) sweet and juicy.  Da sam naranča, bio bih sladak i sočan.5. Is it raining? No, it's not. How do you know? If it (rain) , the streets (be) wet.  Da pada, ulice bi bile mokre.6. Don't drink this water. If you (drink) it, you (be) sick.  Da je piješ, bilo bi ti zlo.7. Do you know that Peter is staying at the Savoy hotel in London? Is he very rich?Don’t worry, if he (be) a poor man, he (not, stay) there.

Da je siromašan, ne bi tamo odsjedao.

would catch left

would wait were

would open rang

were would be

rained/was raining would be

drank would be

were wouldn’t stay/wouldn’t be staying

TYPE 3

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 IF - CLAUSE

 MAIN CLAUSE

 PAST PERFECT

 PAST CONDITIONAL

(would have + past participle)

- is used to express an unreal past situation:

If you had taken your coat with you, you would not have caught flu.Da si uzeo kaput, ne bi se prehladio.

If we had seen Mary, we would have asked her to come with us.Da smo vidjeli Mary, pozvali bismo je da ide s nama.

If you had been a good boy, I would have bought you an ice-cream.Da si bio dobar, kupila bih ti sladoled.

- is used with type 2: 

If you had planned things at the start, we wouldn’t be in this mess now.Da si planirao unaprijed, sad ne bismo imali ovu zbrku.

If I were not so busy now, I would have gone sailing with my friends yesterday.Da nemam toliko posla, otišao bih jučer s prijateljima na jedrenje.

If I had tidied up my room before I went out, my mother wouldn’t be mad at me now.Da si pospremio sobu prije nego što si izašao, mama se sad ne bi na tebe ljutila.

INSERT ALL THREE TYPES AND TRANSLATE THEM:

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Compare the above changes with the rules for the shift of the tenses in Indirect Speech!

You will find some similarity. 

1. If he (get) GETS the message, he (ring) WILL RING you up.

AKO PRIMI poruku, NAZVAT ĆE te.

2. GOT WOULD RING

DA PRIMI NAZVAO BI

3. HAD GOT WOULD HAVE RUNG

DA JE (BIO) PRIMIO NAZVAO BI

INSERT ALL THREE TYPES AND TRANSLATE

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1st If he (wake) up at 7.30, he (not, be) late for school.Ako se probudi u 7.30, neće zakasniti u školu.

2nd If he (wake) up at 7.30, he (not, be) late for school.Da se probudi u 7.30, ne bi zakasnio u školu.

3rd If he (wake) up at 7.30, he (not, be) late for school.

Da se probudio u 7.30, ne bi zakasnio u školu.

INSERT TYPE 3 AND TRANSLATE: 

1. If I (study) hard, I (pass) the exam.

2. If you (not, miss) the bus, you (not, be)

late for school.

3. Mary (go) to university if she (have) the opportunity.

4. If Peter (be) more careful, he (not, have) an

accident.

wakes won’t be

woke wouldn’t be

had waked wouldn’t have been

had studied would have passed

hadn’t missed wouldn’t have been

would have gone had had

had been wouldn’t have had

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5. If Peter (have) a steady job, he (be) able to get a loan. 6. If Peter’s high school grades (be) better, he (get) a scholarship.  7. If I (promote) , my salary (increase)  8. What (you, do) if you (lose) your job? 9. If I (not, arrive) , you (not, know) which way to go. 

10. If the thermal power plant project (accept) , the whole area

(pollute)

11. If Jerry (attend) the classes, he (pass) the

exam.

12. Nobody (laugh) at you if you (not, make) that

stupid remark, .

13. If you (not, understand) the task, the others in the group

(explain) it to you if only you (ask) .

had had would have been

had been would have got

had been promoted would have been increased.

would you have done had lost

hadn’t arrived wouldn’t have known

had been accepted

would have been polluted.

had attended

would have passed

would have laughed hadn’t made

hadn’t understood

would have explained had asked

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INSERT PROPER VERBAL FORMS (all three types):

1. You never listen to me! If you (take) my advice, everything (be) better, but now it is too late.

2. Stop eating ! Unless you (change) your eating habits, you (be) fat as a pig.3. Jane has been crying since she heard about the accident. If she (not, calm)

down soon, we (have) (call) a doctor.4. Listen to her! If she (go) on playing like this, she (soon, have)

a recital in Carnegie Hall.5. John, if this bottle (be) empty, (go) to the cellar and (bring) a new one. If you (need) a torch, you (find) one on top of the stairs.6. Why is Peter so sad? Well, he has not passed his exam. If he (pass) it, his parents (buy)

him a new car. 7. I am sure my sister (accept) your invitation to the disco if you (ask)

her nicely. 8. If you (buy) this car, you (spend) a lot of money on gas. It (be) better if you (take) the one with a diesel engine.

had taken would have been

change will be

doesn’t calm will have to callgoes

will soon haveis go bring

need will find

had passedwould have bought

will acceptask

buy will spend

would be took

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 9. If I (have) her phone number, I (ring) her up immediately, but unfortunately I have forgotten my mobile phone at home.  10. If you (finish) your lunch, please (put) your plate into the sink, but if you are hungry, (not, hesitate) to take some more.  11. If I (have) a few hours to spare, I (be) very glad to join you. You just go! 12. I (promote) if I (stay) in my last job.  13. If I (live) near my office, I (never, be) late for work. 14. If Bill (not, stop) the car, his little son (seriously, injure)

. 15. If I (be) you, I (plant) some flowers and trees round the house.

had would ring

have finished putdon’t hesitate

had would be

would have been promoted had stayed

lived would never be

hadn’t stoppedwould have been seriously injured

were would plant

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16. Why (people, always, wear) dark clothes at night? If pedestrians (wear) light coloured clothes, drivers (see) them much easier. 17. When Peter (leave) school in 1998, he (become) a fisherman. His family (not, like) it at all. They (be) much happier if he (become) a greengrocer like his father. 18. (Be) careful about the time! If you (spend) too long on the first question, you (not, have) enough time (do) the others properly. 19. The only thing I haven’t got (be) a balcony. If I (have) a balcony, I (grow) plants in pots. Then my flat (be) perfect!

20. My unmarried friends are always telling me how (bring) up my children. I sometimes (think) that if they (have) children of their own, they (make) just as many mistakes as I do.

21. If someone (try) (blackmail) me, I (tell) the police. Fortunately nobody ever did.

22. If you (want) (lose) weight, (eat) less bread and sweets. And no beer!

do people always wearwore would see

left becamedidn’t like would have been

had become

Be spendwill not have to do

is had

would grow would be

to bringthink had

would make

had tried to blackmail would have told

want to lose eat