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Conditionals & Hypothetical Structures

Conditionals on the TOEIC

TOEIC tests conditionals in business contexts: what happens if conditions are met, what would happen in hypothetical situations, and what would have happened differently. French speakers mix up conditional forms because French uses the conditionnel in both the "if" clause and the result — English never does.

The three conditionals TOEIC tests

First conditional: If + present → will + base verb
"If we reach our target, the board will approve the expansion."
Real future possibility. French: "Si nous atteignons... le conseil approuvera" — same pattern. This one is easy.

Second conditional: If + past simple → would + base verb
"If we had a bigger budget, we would hire more staff."
Hypothetical present. French: "Si nous avions... nous embaucherions" — careful: French uses "conditionnel" in the result, English uses "would" — never "would" in the "if" clause.

Third conditional: If + past perfect → would have + past participle
"If we had launched earlier, we would have captured more market share."
Hypothetical past (regret). French: "Si nous avions lancé... nous aurions capturé." Same structure — but don't mix up "would have" with "would had."

"Wish" and "suggest" — subjunctive traps

TOEIC also tests: "I wish I had more time" (past form for present wish) and "The manager suggested that she attend the meeting" (subjunctive — no "s" on "attend," no "should"). French speakers find this unnatural because French uses the subjonctif form, which looks different.

Common mistake

French speakers often say "~~If I would have more time, I would study harder~~" — say "If I had more time" instead. Never use "would" in the "if" clause. French puts the conditionnel everywhere; English keeps it out of "if."

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