Grammar Archives - PolygloTopia

The 3rd Conditional

Polyglotopia Team — Sun, 18 Feb 2024 20:23:06 +0000

How would you have looked for grammar information if computers hadn’t been invented? That’s an example of the third conditional in English. In this article you can find more examples, information about its structure and meaning, as well as practice exercises to help you use the 3^rd conditional in context.

3rd Conditional in English

Table of contents

3rd Conditional Explained: Meaning

3rd Conditional Explained: Structure

Example Sentences

3rd Conditional Exercises

3rd Conditional Explained: Meaning

To begin with, we firstly need to understand what it means and when we can use it. Let’s have a look at an example sentence.

If you had told me you would visit your mum, I would have given you a present for her.

This is a situation that happened in the past, so it is not possible to change it. We can only make a hypothesis about the result of the if clause. The 3^rd conditional is often also associated with past regrets. For instance:

I would have arrived at work on time if I hadn’t overslept.

The speaker in this sentence regrets not having woken up earlier.

3rd Conditional Explained: Structure

We are going to reuse the previous examples in order to analyze the 3^rd conditional structure. To make it easier to remember and visualize, the information is presented in the tables below.

3^rd Conditional

Example Sentence 1

If you had told me you would visit your mum,

I would have given you a present for her.

Structure

If clause, (comma after the if clause)

Result clause

Analysis

If + subject + past perfect,

Subject + would have + past participle.

3^rd Conditional

Example Sentence 2

I would have arrived at work on time

if I hadn’t overslept.

Structure

Result clause (no comma)

If clause

Analysis

Subject + would have + past participle

if + subject + past perfect.

Example Sentences

If I had seen you, I would have said “hi”.
She would have bought the car if she had saved more money.
They would have visited us if we had invited them.
If I had discovered the recipe earlier, I would have been a Michelin-star chef by now.
This wouldn’t have happened if you had listened to me.

3rd Conditional Exercises

To strengthen your grasp of the 3rd conditional, practise constructing sentences with the following exercises. Start with a multiple-choice quiz and continue with a gap-fill activity.

3rd Conditional Quiz

You can find a 10-question multiple choice quiz below. Can you get 10 out of 10?

Score : /

Question : /

3rd Conditional Gap Fill

Time for a more challenging, fill-the-gap task. Change the verbs in parentheses to the correct form in order to form 3rd conditional sentences. (Make sure you spot which is the if clause and which is the result clause before completing the gaps!)

Fill the Gap Exercise

If she (study) harder, she (pass) the exam.
We (travel) to Paris if we (know) about the opportunity.
If they (invest) in that company, they (make) a profit.
I (buy) a house if I (save) more money.
She (not miss) the bus if she (leave) on time.
If we (know) it was going to rain, we (bring) an umbrella.
He (not lose) the job if he (complete) the project on time.
If they (tell) us earlier, we (help) them with the move.
We (attend) the party if we (receive) an invitation.
If I (know) it was a surprise, I (not tell) her about the celebration.

If she had studied harder, she would have passed the exam.
We would have traveled to Paris if we had known about the opportunity.
If they had invested in that company, they would have made a profit.
I would have bought a house if I had saved more money.
She would not have missed the bus if she had left on time.
If we had known it was going to rain, we would have brought an umbrella.
He would not have lost the job if he had completed the project on time.
If they had told us earlier, we would have helped them with the move.
We would have attended the party if we had received an invitation.
If I had known it was a surprise, I would not have told her about the celebration.

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The 1st Conditional

The 2nd Conditional

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The 2nd Conditional

Polyglotopia Team — Tue, 06 Jun 2023 22:39:58 +0000

The conditionals are often tricky for many students but, as soon as you learn their structure and meaning, you will score higher in your grammar tests and you will be able to use them fluently with the time! Here you can find the most essential information about the 2^nd conditional, as well as a quiz and a fill the blank exercise to supplement your practice. The second conditional can also be found in coursebooks as the type 2 conditional, the hypothetical conditional or the unreal conditional. Let´s see why.

2nd Conditional examples and meaning

If we lived closer, we would see each other more often.

(We don’t live close to each other, so this situation is impossible in the present)

I would buy a house if I won the lottery.

(It is very unlikely to happen in the future.)

We use the second conditional to refer to situations that are impossible or very unlikely to happen in the present or in the future.

How to form the 2nd Conditional

Let’s take our example and see how we’ve formed it.

If we lived closer, we would see each other more often.

If + Subject + Past Simple, Subject + would + infinitive

Of course, it can also be the other way round.

I would buy a house if I won the lottery.

Subject + would + infinitive + if + Subject + Past Simple

(Notice that in the second case we don´t use a comma)

Was/Were and the second conditional

You might find that was is not accepted in some 2^nd conditional grammar tests, and were is used instead. Currently, there are English speakers who use was, especially in informal situations, but keep this in mind for your formal writings and your English exams.

Finally, when giving advice in English, you can use this 2^nd conditional structure:

If I were you, I would see a doctor.

Practice time

Do you feel ready to practise? You can start with a quiz and move on to a slightly more difficult fill the gap activity. Good luck!

2nd conditional quiz

Difficulty: Easy

Multiple choice : choose the correct option to make 2^ND contitional sentences.

Score : /

Question : /

Fill the blank, using the 2nd conditional

Difficulty: Medium

Fill the Gap Exercise

If I (have) more money, I (stop) working and start travelling.
Amelia (join) a rock band, if she (can) play the electric guitar.
What (you/do) if you (live) for 300 years?
If they (win) the lottery, they (buy) a house.
If my friends (need) my help, I (not ignore) them.
We (meet) up more often, if we (live) closer.
If I (can) give myself any skill, it (be) the ability to communicate fluently in every language.
If people (think) more compassionately, the world (be) a better place.
He (not buy) a new car if he (win) the lottery.
Pablo (run), if he (see) a cockroach.

If I had more money, I would stop working and start travelling.
Amelia would join a rock band, if she could play the electric guitar.
What would you do if you lived for 300 years?
If they won the lottery, they would buy a house.
If my friends needed my help, I wouldn't ignore them.
We would meet up more often if we lived closer.
If I could give myself any skill, it would be the ability to communicate fluently in every language.
If people thought more compassionately, the world would be a better place.
He wouldn't buy a new car if he won the lottery.
Pablo would run if he saw a cockroach.

Well done! You might want to have a look at the other conditionals:

1st Conditional

3rd Conditional

For more Grammar practice, explore our Grammar pages.

Grammar

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Used to, be used to, get used to

Polyglotopia Team — Sat, 13 May 2023 15:50:57 +0000

Learning to use English verbs correctly can be challenging, especially when it comes to structures like used to, be used to, and get used to. These phrases have distinct meanings and are commonly used in both written and spoken English. As a B2-level learner, it’s important to master their use to effectively communicate and express yourself in English, as well as improve your scores in your grammar exams. In this article, we will explore the differences between used to, be used to, and get used to and provide examples of their usage. We’ve also included a quiz at the end of the article to test your knowledge and reinforce your understanding of these structures.

Grammar explanation:

Structure	Use	Followed by
Used to	For past habits or states	infinitive
Be used to	Refers to being familiar with, or accustomed to a situation.	gerund
Get used to	Refers to the process of becoming familiar with, or accustomed to a situation	gerund

Here's a further explanation of each structure:

Used to:

Meaning: It expresses past habits or states that were true in the past but are no longer true in the present.

Example: “I used to live in Valencia.” indicates that in the past, the person lived in Valencia, but now, they don’t.

“I used to be lazy.” It expresses the fact that this person was lazy in the past but not anymore.

Be used to:

Meaning: It describes the state of being familiar with something or being accustomed to a particular situation.

Example: “I am used to waking up early.” This person is accustomed to waking up early.

Get used to:

Meaning: It refers to the process of becoming accustomed to something that was previously unfamiliar or uncomfortable.

Example: “I had to get used to waking up early as I got a morning job.” This person was unfamiliar with waking up early in the morning but had to change this and become accustomed to waking up early because of their morning job.

You can find be used to and get used to in different tenses, the only part that changes is “be” and “get”, depending on the tense. For example:

I got used to speaking French after living in Paris for two years.

(Get here is used in the past tense.)

Have a look at the post which summarizes the grammar explanation and when you feel ready to check your knowledge, do the quiz!

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Quiz

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If you need a more extended explanation and practice on the structure used to :

Used to Quiz

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Relative Pronouns Explained

Polyglotopia Team — Fri, 05 May 2023 09:38:09 +0000

Welcome to our article on relative pronouns and defining relative clauses! Relative pronouns are a crucial part of English grammar as they are used to connect two clauses together in a sentence. These pronouns can help you expand your sentences as well as score higher in grammar tests. For learners who are preparing for the B1 exam, they can be especially useful in some parts of the Reading Paper, such as part 5 and Part 6.

Test your knowledge of relative pronouns and defining relative clauses by taking our quiz below. If you need some help, read our short grammar explanation before practising. When you feel ready, try the quiz and see how well you have understood the concepts. Good luck!

Relative pronouns grammar explanation:

Relative pronoun:	Used for:
who	people
which	things or animals
that	people, things or animals
whose	possession
when	time/period
where	place

Relative Clauses: examples

Relative Pronoun:	Relative Clause example:
who	This is the boy *who* sings really well.
which	That’s the box which we need to throw away.
that	The cat that broke the vase was Simon’s.
whose	This is the teacher whose Instagram account has millions of followers.
when	Do you remember when we first met?
where	This is the bookshop where I buy comics from.

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Relative Clauses Quiz

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Grammar

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Will vs going to for predictions

Polyglotopia Team — Fri, 05 May 2023 07:09:45 +0000

Making predictions about the future is a common topic of conversation, so you are going to need the necessary tools to do it in English. Two common ways of expressing predictions about future events are with will and going to. But what are the differences between the two? In this article and quiz, we’ll explore the distinctions between “will” and “going to” and how to use them correctly.

Whether you’re a beginner or a more advanced learner of English, understanding the nuances of these two forms will help you express your ideas and opinions about future events with greater clarity and accuracy. So, let’s dive in and test your knowledge!

Grammar explanation

Use

Will and going to are both used to make predictions about the future. But what are their differences? The basic difference is that going to is used when there is evidence related to the prediction. For example: I can see the clouds. It is going to rain.

On the other hand, will is used to make predictions based on beliefs. For example: I think you will become good friends. (This is what I believe, but there is no evidence). Expressions that usually go together with will for predictions are: I think, I believe, I doubt, I bet.

Don’t worry too much as English speakers many times use them interchangeably, but keep these general guidelines in mind for your grammar exams.

Let’s now move on to how they are formed.

Form

Do you know the famous verb to be? If you do, that’s good news!

Let’s look again at the example:

It is going to rain.

Subject + verb to be + going to + infinitive

Remember to change the verb to be depending on the subject.

Affirmative

I am going to pass the exam.

He/She/It is going to pass the exam.

You/We/they are going to pass the exam.

Negative:

I am not going to pass the exam.

He/She/It is not going to pass the exam.

You/We/They are not going to pass the exam.

Interrogative:

Am I going to pass the exam?

Is he/she/it going to pass the exam?

Are you/we/they going to pass the exam?

Are you wondering how to form a prediction with will? That’s even easier. Let’s see the example:

You will become good friends.

Subject +will + infinitive

Remember to use an infinitive after will. For example: She will be very happy.

Not: she will is very happy or she will very happy.

Affirmative

Subject +will + infinitive

Negative

Subject +will not (won’t) + infinitive

Interrogative

Will + subject + infinitive?

If you see this ‘ll, instead of will, don’t get confused. It’s the same, but it’s a contraction, used in spoken English as well as when writing informal e-mails/articles.

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Sit comfortably and do the quiz. Good luck!

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Question : /

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Present Simple VS Present Continuous Quiz

Polyglotopia Team — Wed, 19 Apr 2023 21:05:46 +0000

Score : / 10

Question : / 10

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Used to Quiz

Polyglotopia Team — Wed, 19 Apr 2023 20:01:34 +0000

Check your knowledge on the use of used to in English with this 10-question multiple choice quiz. If you need a quick revision before doing the test, have a look at the grammar explanation first.

Grammar explanation

Meaning/Use

We normally use used to to refer to past habits or states.

For example:

I used to be shy when I was a teenager, but now, I’m very confident and out-going.

(Past state)

I used to exercise a lot in the past but now I’m a couch potato.

(Past habit)

You can use the structure used to to talk about past habits and states.

Form

This is how you form it:

Affirmative	Negative	Interrogative
I used to …	I did not use to…	Did I use to…?
You used to…	You did not use to…	Did you use to…?
He/She/It used to…	He/She/It did not use to…	Did he/she/it use to…?
We used to…	We did not use to…	Did we use to…?
You used to…	You did not use to…	Did you use to…?
They used to…	They did not use to…	Did they use to…?

As you can see it’s like any other regular verb in the past tense. So, remember to change it from used to to use in the negative and interrogative forms!

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Question : / 10

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Past Simple Quiz

Polyglotopia Team — Wed, 19 Apr 2023 18:05:01 +0000

Score : / 10

Question : / 10

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1st Conditional Quiz

Polyglotopia Team — Tue, 18 Apr 2023 23:58:09 +0000

Check your knowledge on the use of the First Conditional in English with this 10-question multiple-choice quiz. If you need a quick revision before doing the test, have a look at the grammar explanation first. You can find information about the form and the use of 1st Conditional, as well as examples.

First Conditional: Grammar explanation

Meaning/Use

We normally use the First Conditional to refer to a situation that is possible in the future and its results.

For example:

If I study hard, I will pass this exam.

(Possible situation in the future)

I will go for a walk if the weather is fine tomorrow.

(Possible situation in the future)

Form

This is how you form the 1st conditional:

If I study hard, I will pass this exam.

If clause (Condition), Main clause (Result)

If +Present Simple, Future simple (Subject+ will +base form of the verb)

Of course, it can be the other way round:

I will go for a walk if the weather is fine tomorrow.

Main clause (Result) if clause (Condition)

Future simple (Subject+ will +base form of the verb) if +Present Simple

As you can notice, there is no comma between the sentences in the second case.

1st Conditional tip

A trick to form the 1st conditional easily is to spot the if-clause. Once you have that, you know that you need to use the Present Simple for the if- clause and the Future Simple for the result clause.

Ready for the quiz?

First Conditional Exercises: Quiz

Score : / 10

Question : / 10

First Conditional Exercises: Fill the gap

If you found the multiple-choice quiz easy, you might want to try this 1st Conditional fill the gap exercise:

Fill the Gap Exercise

If she (study) for the test, she (get) a good grade.
We (have) a picnic in the park if it (be) sunny this weekend.
If they (finish) their project on time, they (earn) praise from the boss.
I (leave) for work on time if I (find) my keys.
He (have) trouble sleeping if he (eat) too much before bedtime.
You (feel) more energetic if you (exercise) regularly.
If the team (win) the championship, they (celebrate) all night.
We (go) for a hike if the weather (be) nice next weekend.
If she (miss) the bus, she (be) late for the meeting.
You (be) more alert later if you (take) a nap in the afternoon.

If she studies for the test, she will get a good grade.
We will have a picnic in the park if it is sunny this weekend.
If they finish their project on time, they will earn praise from the boss.
I will leave for work on time if I find my keys.
He will have trouble sleeping if he eats too much before bedtime.
You will feel more energetic if you exercise regularly.
If the team wins the championship, they will celebrate all night.
We will go for a hike if the weather is nice next weekend.
If she misses the bus, she will be late for the meeting.
You will be more alert later if you take a nap in the afternoon.

Form variations

For those interested in the details, have a look at these variations. Sometimes instead of if, we can have unless, which means if not.

For example:

I won't work unless I get paid.

(If I don't get paid, I won't work)

Finally, instead of Future Simple, we can have different modal verbs in the result clause (can, might etc).

For instance:

I cannot help you if you don't explain what happened.

If you want to study the 2nd and the 3rd Conditionals now, click here:

2nd Conditional

3rd Conditional

For more Grammar practice, explore our Grammar pages.

Grammar

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Grammar Archives - PolygloTopia

The 3rd Conditional

3rd Conditional in English

3rd Conditional Explained: Meaning

3rd Conditional Explained: Structure

Example Sentences

3rd Conditional Exercises

3rd Conditional Quiz

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Question : /

Please Pick An Option

3rd Conditional Gap Fill

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The 2nd Conditional

2nd Conditional examples and meaning

How to form the 2nd Conditional

Was/Were and the second conditional

Practice time

2nd conditional quiz

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Score : /

Question : /

Please Pick An Option

Fill the blank, using the 2nd conditional

Well done! You might want to have a look at the other conditionals:

For more Grammar practice, explore our Grammar pages.

Used to, be used to, get used to

Grammar explanation:

Here's a further explanation of each structure:

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Quiz

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Question : / 10

Please Pick An Option

If you need a more extended explanation and practice on the structure used to :

Relative Pronouns Explained

Relative pronouns grammar explanation:

Relative Clauses: examples

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Relative Clauses Quiz

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Please Pick An Option

Are you looking for more Grammar Quizzes? Find them here:

Will vs going to for predictions

Grammar explanation

Use

Form

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Ready to test your knowledge?

Congratulations, Quiz Completed.

Score : /

Question : /

Please Pick An Option

Present Simple VS Present Continuous Quiz

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Question : / 10

Please Pick An Option

Used to Quiz

Grammar explanation

Meaning/Use

Form

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Score : / 10

Question : / 10

Please Pick An Option

Past Simple Quiz

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Score : / 10

Question : / 10

Please Pick An Option

1st Conditional Quiz

First Conditional: Grammar explanation

Meaning/Use

Form