TOEFL Build a Sentence: Conditionals (Will or Would)

Almost always one choice: will, or would

Every conditional item comes down to whether the "if" clause is realistic or hypothetical — here's the rule, with a real example for each step.

Pattern 1 — real or likely

"if" + present tense, paired with "will."

Chunks

if · it rains tomorrow · we · will cancel · the picnic · would cancel

"If it rains tomorrow, we will cancel the picnic."

Rain tomorrow is a realistic possibility — "will," not "would."

Pattern 2 — hypothetical

"if" + past tense, paired with "would" — situations that aren't true right now.

Chunks

if · I had more money · I · would travel · more often · will travel

"If I had more money, I would travel more often."

The "were" trap

Hypothetical "if" clauses use "were" even with I / she / he — not "was."

Chunks

if · she were a doctor · she · would work · at the hospital downtown · will work

"If she were a doctor, she would work at the hospital downtown."

The distractor pattern

Always "will" / "would" swapped to match the wrong type — never an unrelated word.

Chunks

if · you miss the deadline · you · will lose · points · would lose

"If you miss the deadline, you will lose points."

Missing a deadline is a real, likely scenario — "will," not "would."

Real/likely → hypothetical → the "were" trap → distractor pattern, revealed in order

DEB

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4 things to know about conditionals

What are the two conditional patterns this task tests?Real/likely (if+present, will) vs. hypothetical (if+past, would).
How do I tell which pattern a sentence needs?Is the "if" clause realistic, or imagined?
What does "were" instead of "was" signal?A hypothetical condition — even with I/she/he.
What's the distractor pattern here?"will" / "would" swapped to match the wrong type.

Build a Sentence: conditionals