Question

Choose the option that completes the sentence correctly:
The shopkeeper ________ _ you the way, if you ____ him.
(A) shows, ask
(B) will show, will ask
(C) will show, ask
(D) show, will ask

Answer 1

Hint: Read the sentence once or twice to get an idea. Here we can see the presence of “if”. The sentences containing the word “if” are called “conditional sentences” because they usually used to express a condition. The above sentence can be divided into two parts: the sentence before the comma (,) is called main-clause and the sentence after comma (,) is called if-clause. There are different types of if-clause. The given sentence is type-1 conditional because in type-1 conditional only sentences are used to talk about possible situations and their probable results.

Complete answer:
In these sentences, we use the simple present in the If-clause and the simple future in the result clause. Therefore, in the given sentence If-clause is the sentence that carries a condition and main-clause is its probable result.
We have already found the tenses used in the main and If clause. Let's check on each option.
Consider option (A) shows, ask: this is incorrect because both are in simple present. The given sentence needs future tense in the if-clause then only it gives the correct meaning.
Consider option (B) will show, will ask: this is also incorrect, as both are in the future tense. We need the If-clause to be a simple present.
Consider option (C) will show, ask: this is correct because the verb “will show” is in future and “ask” is in the present tense. It satisfies the type-1 conditional rules. so, this option is the best fit for the sentence.
Consider option (D) show, will ask: this is incorrect, as “show” is in the present tense and “will ask” is in the future tense. This is in the complete opposite form of type-1.

The correct option is option (C) will show, ask. Therefore the complete sentence is: The shopkeeper will show you the way if you ask him.

Note: A sentence that begins with 'if' is a conditional. These sentences are used in hypothetical situations, that is, 'what could happen' and 'what we wish would have happened.
Example: If the teacher teaches well, the students will praise him.
There are four types of (or conditional) sentences in English.
1) The zero conditional: are used to talk about real and possible situations.
Example: If you give respect, you get respect.
2) The type 1 conditional: If the conditional clause is in the present tense then the main clause will be either in the present tense or the future tense according to sense. Thus we can say that type 1 conditional is used to refer to a possible condition and its probable result. We often use such sentences to give warnings.
Example: What will you do if you miss the interview?
3) The type 2 conditional: If the conditional clause is in the present tense, it may be followed by an imperative. So type 2 conditional is used to talk about an unlikely condition and its probable result.
Example: If you invited them, they would come.
4) The type 3 conditional: If the conditional clause is in the past tense then the main clause is also in the past tense. Hence, these sentences are truly hypothetical and unreal.
Example: If you made such a remark, you were very foolish.