Conditionals & Wish/If Only


1 Fill in the gaps with the correct form of the verbs in brackets.

Tutor: Tell me what you intend to write in your evaluation of your research.

Student: Well, firstly, if I ___________ (1 have) a larger number of questionnaires returned, I
___________ (2 get) more useful data.

Tutor: Is there anything you could have done to improve that?

Student: Well, I suppose I ___________ (3 receive) more completed questionnaires if I ___________
(4 make) the questions easier to answer, for example, ‘yes/no’ questions.

Tutor: Yes, I think you are right. People are too busy to answer complicated questions. Any other
things you might change?

Student: Yes. I think I ___________ (5 be) more successful with my interviews as well if I
___________ (6 plan) the questions more thoroughly beforehand, although I’m not sure about that. If
I ___________ (7 prepare) the questions in more detail, it ___________ (8 restrict) the
interviewees too much. Oh, and another thing: if I ___________ (9 start) collecting data sooner, it
___________ (10 not be) such a rush in the end.

Tutor: Good. I must admit that if you ___________ (11 not/leave) it all so late, I ___________ (12
be able to) support you more. If you ___________ (13 come) to see me before you sent out your
questionnaires, I ___________ (14 help) you. It is a shame that your data was so disappointing
because your research questions were very interesting.



2 Complete the sentences so that all conditionals are mixed.

1 If they _____________________ (save) more wisely, they _____________________ (be) rich!

2 If she _____________________ (not try) those drugs, she _____________________ (not be) in prison.

3 She _____________________ (be) jealous if I _____________________ (go out) with her brother.

4 Jack _____________________ (talk) to me if I _____________________ (treat) him better.

5 If you _____________________ (love) me, you _____________________ (ask) me to marry you.

6 We _____________________ (can) pay the bill if you _____________________ (not spend) all our
money.



3 Fill in the gaps using the words in brackets in the correct form.

1 I wish ____________________________ (I/have) more time to work on this assignment. I’m worried I
won’t finish it by the deadline.

2 I really wish ____________________________ (you/ask) me before borrowing the car yesterday. I
needed to use it.

3 I’m not enjoying my degree course at all. I (I/not/choose) physics. I wish
____________________________ (choose) maths instead because I used to love it at school.

4 If only ____________________________ (I/study) languages at school because now I travel regularly
for work to Berlin and Paris.

5 That man is really annoying me. I wish ____________________________ (he/stop) whistling.

6 If only ____________________________ (it/stop) raining. I want to go for a walk.