Advanced Level >> Themes & Topics >> Tying in with the 'world debt' theme, this is a third conditional worksheet.
Second and Third Conditional Practice
Advanced
Look at the following sentences concerning the problem of debt relief and decide if the sentences should be second or third conditional. It is possible that the sentence is a mix of the two.
1. If these countries __WEREN'T__ (not be) so poor, they __WOULDN'T NEED__ (not need) to borrow money.
2. Many of these financial institutions __WOULDN'T HAVE LENT__ (not lend) all this money if they __HAD KNOWN__ (know) there would be all these problems now.
3. If some of the poorer countries __HAD HAD__ (have) less corrupt governments in the Sixties and Seventies, they __WOULDN'T FACE__ (not face) these difficulties now.
4. The money __COULD'VE BEEN__ (can) be spent better if they __HADN'T BUILT__ (not build) so many unnecessary things such as super-dams and highways.
5. There __WOULDN'T BE__ (not be) such a debt problem if the world _WAS/WERE__ (be) a fairer place!
6. If the western states __CHARGED__ (charge) less interest, the amount owed by the poorer states __WOULD BE__ (be) a lot less.
7. Some people say that if the colonial powers __HAD TAKEN__ (take) less in the last couple of centuries, these poor nations __WOULD BE__ (be) far richer now.
8. If the debt __WAS/WERE__ (be) written off, it __MIGHT NOT__ (may not be) the end of the problem.
9. What __WOULD'VE__ (happen) if we __HADN'T LENT__ (not loan) all this money in the beginning?
