International Negotiations

Language notes below).

Language notes

•  The first sentence in a is a so-called ‘first conditional’ (if + present simple, will), which is 

commonly used to talk about a realistic future possibility. Note that we do not normally 

use will in the if-clause, but see the Language note after exercise 3 above. The second 

sentence is a so-called ‘second conditional’ (if + past simple, would), which is commonly 

used to talk about an unlikely or impossible future possibility. The choice between first 

and second conditionals does not affect the basic meaning – both refer to something 

which may happen in the future. The difference is that the first sentence describes 

something that is more likely (and therefore that he/she would like it to happen) and 

the second sentence describes something that is less likely (and therefore that he/she 

may not want to happen).

•  The same rules for conditionals work with other conjunctions, e.g. unless (= if not), 

provided (that), assuming (that), as long as and given (that). In each case, we do not 

normally use will/would in the clause introduced by the conjunction.