411 REFERENCE · Wikibooks
English for B2 Students/Unit 4
Reference material by Wikibooks contributors. This retains its source identity and is not 411 news reporting.
__NOTOC__
If I had €1,000,000, I would live in Spain
Aim of this lesson: Recognize and use the different conditionals in English and revise means of transport.
Speaking Questions
Talk about these questions with a partner. Try to expand your answers and give reasons rather than short answers.
Where did you go on your last holiday? How did you travel? Whom did you go with?
What is your perfect holiday destination?
Do you prefer beach holidays, city breaks, resorts or adventure holidays?
Do you pack a lot of things or just the basics like clothes and money?
What are the 5 most important tourist places in your country?
Grammar Focus - 1st, 2nd and 3rd conditionals
Conditional sentences are used to talk about possible situations and the result of those situations.
thumb|250px|right|The Great Pyramid of Giza, Egypt
Conditional Form Usage Example 1st conditional if + present simple, will + infinitive used to talk about possible situations If it's sunny tomorrow, I'll go to the seaside. 2nd conditional if + past simple, would + infinitive used to talk about hypothetical situations If I became rich, I would buy an expensive villa in France. 3rd conditional if + past perfect, would + have + past participle used to talk about hypothetical situations in the past If I hadn't gone to Egypt, I wouldn't have seen the pyramids Conditionals are usually expressed with the if clause first and the future clause second but the order isn't important. Both of these sentences are equally correct: If it rains, I will stay home and I will stay home if it rains. Note that we don't use a comma if the if clause is used second. Never use a future tense twice in a conditional sentence (like is often done in other languages). This is not correct: If it will rain, I will stay home Conditionals are frequently contracted and this can make understanding difficult for non-native speakers. We often contract will as I'll, you'll, etc.. We often contract would as I'd, you'd, etc..
Vocabulary - Travel & Transport
Look at the table below. Do you know the correct definitions for these types of transport? Click on the text for the correct answers.
Speaking with conditional sentences
Work with a partner, if you can, and ask/answer these questions. If you're on your own you should think about these questions and write your answers instead.
How long would it have taken you to get here if you had walked?
How will you get to work if it rains tomorrow?
If you were going to take a vacation, where would you go?
If you could drive any car you wanted, what would it be?
If you had gone to London on holiday last year, what would you have done?
Exercises
Try these questions to see if you can use 1st, 2nd and 3rd conditionals correctly. The answers can be found here.
Complete the following sentences using the correct conditional form:
If I were very rich, I _______________ in 5 star hotels (stay).
If I _______________ (go out) on Saturday, I will drink red wine.
If I hadn't woken up this morning, I _______________ about conditionals (not learn).
If I could choose any wife, I _______________ Shakira (choose).
I _______________ (buy) a new DVD if I get paid this week.
Grammar Reference
For further information about conditional sentences see ../Tenses and Forms/.