Effective Techniques
to Teach
Conditionals
ETRC Summer School,
June 25, 2015
The conditionals are the language
of possibility and probability.
Conditionals are made up of 2 clauses:
The If Clause and the Main Clause.
e.g. If I could, I’d retire tomorrow.
! Rule: When you start a sentence with if, you
must separate the clauses with a comma (,).
But: I’d retire tomorrow if I could. (no comma)
Conditionals also have
different pragmatic functions,
such as to give advice or warnings:
• “If I were you, I wouldn’t do that.”
(2nd conditional)
Functions
• Conditionals can also be used
as politeness markers:
• “Would you be so kind as to shut the
door?’
• “I would appreciate it if you didn’t
smoke.”
Functions
• Finally, they are used to
express regret:
• “If I had finished work earlier,
I would have gone to the movie.”
• (3rd conditional)
The First conditional or
“real”
is used for situations that seem
real, at least in the writer’s or
speaker’s mind:
• “If it rains, I will stay home.”
• We’ll go to the zoo when the
weather is fine.
The 1st conditional
If+Present Simple, Will+verb
*1* Continue the IF STORY:
If I study hard at school, I’ll have success
at the exams;
If I have success at the exam, I’ll continue
my studies;
If I continue my studies, I will ......................
........................................................................
........................................................................
*2* Continue the sentences. Try to
guess the right variant/prediction.
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If you eat some chocolate, you ...........................
you’ll get happier.
If you read newspapers, .......................................
you’ll know all the news.
If you watch movies in English, ............................
your English will be better.
Your lessons will be a success If you ...................
If you use authentic interactive techniques.
*3* Continue the
common superstitions:
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1. If you break a mirror,
seven years of bad luck will follow.
2. If you drop a fork,
a man will come to visit you.
3. If you drop a spoon,
a woman will come to visit you.
Continue the
common superstitions:
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4. If you sweep under someone’s feet,
that person will never marry.
5. If the first butterfly you see
in the year is white,
You will have good luck all year.
6. If the bottom of your feet itches,
you will make a trip.
Continue the
common superstitions:
7. If a friend gives you a knife, you
should give him a coin, or
• your friendship will soon be broken.
• 8. If a black cat walks towards you, it
brings good fortune, but if it walks
away,
• it takes the good luck with it.
The 2nd Conditional shows
a less real possibility
• I wouldn't run away if I saw a
spider.
• If I were you, I would be more
serious.
The 2nd Conditional
If+ Past Simple, Would+ Verb
Open the brackets
1. If I (have) ............... more time, I (learn)
....... to play the guitar.
2.If she (study) ........... harder, she (get)
......... better marks.
3. If we (know)............more about history,
we (be / not) ...............afraid of the test.
4. f I (have) ..............a million dollars, I
(buy) ........................ a big house.
The
st
1
and
nd
2
Conditional
Write the correct form of the verbs in brackets:
1. If you need the car in the afternoon, I
...... shopping in the morning. (go)
2. If I ....... a hat, I would look like an old
woman.
(wear)
3. I'll buy this bag if they ......... it in blue.
(have)
4.If I didn't have you, I................. what to
do. (not/know)
*4*Talking Cards
• If you could ask God one question what
would it be?
• If you could choose to live on a
different planet which one would you
choose?
• If you could meet any famous person,
dead or alive, who would it be? Why?
• If you could speak any other language
which language would you like to speak?
Talking Cards
• If you could choose between love and no
money, or money and no love for the rest
of your life, which would you choose?
• If you were a candy, what candy would
you be?
• If you were a colour what colour would
you be?
• If you could do any job, what would you
like to do?
Talking Cards
• If you could change one thing in
the world what would it be?
• If you could only listen to one
song for the rest of your life,
which song would it be?
• If you could have only one food
for the rest of your life, which
food would you choose?
*5* Grammar BINGO:
Conditionals (1st, 2nd)
• Write short answers to the following questions in a random
order in the squares below.
Third or past conditional
• portrays an unreal situation
related to the past:
• “If I had known you were coming,
I would have cleaned the house.”
The 3rd Conditional
If+Past Perfect, Would+ Present Perfect
• If he had spent more time studying, he
would have passed the exam.
• If someone had heard the S.O.S., their lives
might have been saved.
• Choose the correct variant:
• If I hadn't seen that movie last week, I
_______ to see it with you yesterday.
a) would go b) would have gone
*6* “Just Imagine”
(3rd Conditional)
• Just imagine and finish the sentence using the 3rd
conditional
• If I hadn’t come here today,
I would have/I wouldn’t have ........
*7*
Decide whether the following
Conditional Sentences are Type 1, 2, or 3.
1. If he had dropped the vase, it would have
broken.
1 2 3
2.If you have to do the washing up, I will help you.
1 2 3
3. If I had a hammer, I'd hammer in the morning
...(song)
1 2 3
4. I wouldn't run away if I saw a spider.
1 2 3
5. We'd have given you a lift if you hadn't had
your bike with you.
1 2 3
Decide whether the following
Conditional Sentences are Type 1, 2, or 3.
6. If you had listened to me, the accident wouldn't
have happened.
1 2 3
7. If we don't get tickets for the concert, we'll stay at
home.
1 2 3
8. She'll hear us if you don't stop laughing.
1 2 3
9. He wouldn't have taken the bread if he hadn't
been hungry.
1 2 3
Complete the conditional sentences( I,II,or III):
1.I (earn)____________________ a lot of money, if I
get that job.
2. If he tried harder, he (reach)______________his
goal.
3. I( buy)__________ this shoes if they fitted.
4. If we had listened to the radio, we (hear)
__________________ the news.
5.If you go out with your friends tonight, I
(watch)_________________ the football match on TV.
6 If you (switch) __________on the lights, you
wouldn't have fallen over that chair.
7 If she (hurry\not)_______________ , we will miss
the bus.
*8*Teaching Conditionals
through songs.
• Katie Melua – “If you were a sail boat”
• Beyonce – “If I were a boy”
• Taylor Swift – “Should have said no”
• Cher – “If I could turn back time”
• Listen to the songs and answer the question:
• What conditionals are used in these songs?
Useful links to teach
conditionals and not only.
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www.eslflow.com/conditionals
www.teach-this.com/resources/conditionals
www.esl-galaxy.com/board.htm
www.busyteacherscafe.com/
www.webenglishonline.com
Thank you for your
attention!