Unreal conditionals
SO…
What would YOU do if you
won the lottery!?
Maxine would buy a new house
for herself and her parents if
she won the lottery.
If Paul won the lottery, he’d
take a trip around the world.
John and his wife would buy a
piano if they became rich.
We use unreal conditionals in
English to talk about:
A situation that is not real, but that we imagine . . .
If I had a million dollars . . . I would …
If I lived in Italy . . . I would . . .
If I got a job as a chef . . . I would . . .
Are these real situations?
• Do I really have a million dollars?
• Do I really live in Italy?
• Do I really work as a chef?
How do we make this type of conditional
grammar? Look at these examples:
1. If my friend asked me for money,
I would lend it to her.
2. Tomas would be happier if he got a
less stressful job.
3. Speaking in English would be easier
if you practiced more frequently.
After the IF, use ______________________ tense.
In the other clause, use __________________.
Form & Meaning:
When you imagine a future happening like
this, you use a past tense form after IF;
However, the meaning is NOT past.
Ex. If I moved to a big city, I’d sell my
car.
The meaning here is NOT past tense . . .
I didn’t move away and I didn’t sell my car.
I’m imagining a
future possibility.
Notice that you can start these
sentences with the If-clause or with
the Would-clause:
If Marta moved abroad, she would
learn another language.
Marta would learn another language if
she moved abroad.
Try these examples:
1. If we ____________ (have) more time
and money, we ________________ (take)
a vacation to Hawaii.
2. The world ______________
(be) a better place if everyone
______________ (help) others.
More Practice . . .
3. If you ____________ (get) more exercise,
I’m sure you ________________ (feel)
healthier and happier.
4. Celia ______________ (do)
better in school if she
_____________ (sleep) more
each night.
Important Note!
Formal grammar requires that when making
these kinds of conditional sentences, we
use
WERE for the past tense of be for
all
subjects (including I, he, she).
Ex. -If I were you, I would buy that house.
-She would buy a mansion if she were
wealthy.
You will probably hear many native
speakers of English use WAS in these
cases, and this is often accepted in
spoken, less formal situations.
What would YOU do if . . .
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
you became rich?
you found a wallet on the street?
your house caught on fire?
your best friend moved far away?
your child failed a test?
there were an earthquake in California?
you saw a famous person on the street?
Share Your Responses with the class . . .
For additional practice . . .
Go to the following website address.
Write down the web address for more
practice.
http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/studyzone/
410/grammar/2cond.htm
The Use of Unreal Conditionals: Past
Used to talk about:
Past unreal or imagined situations
+
The unreal results
Unreal result:
he wouldn’t have had an accident.
(He did have an accident)
Form
If Clause: Past
Perfect
Result Clause: Would have +
Past Participle
If he had driven
carefully,
If she had seen the
movie,
he wouldn’t have had an accident.
If it had snowed,
we would have gone skiing
she would have laughed hard.
If Clause: Past
Perfect
Result Clause: Would have + Past
Participle
If he had driven
carefully,
If she had seen the
movie,
he wouldn’t have had an accident.
If it had snowed,
we would have gone skiing
she would have laughed hard.
Make a sentence about this photo:
If someone (check) the wheels, they (fall
off) .
Make a sentence about this
photo:
Complete the sentences
• 1) If you ______(not/be) late, we ______(not/miss) the
bus.
• 2) If she______ (study) she______ (pass) the exam.
• 3) If we______ (arrive) earlier, we______ (see) John.
• 4) If they______ (go) to bed early, they______
(not/wake) up late.
• 5) If he______ (become) a musician, he______
(record) a CD.
• 6) If she______ (go) to art school, she______
(become) a painter.
• 7) If I ______ (be) born in a different country, I ______
(learn) to speak a different language.
• 9) If we ______ (not/go) to the party, we ______
(not/meet) them.
Second or third conditional?
• We sometimes mix second and third
conditionals if a hypothetical situation
in the past has a present/future
consequence.
• Example:
He wouldn´t be so relaxed if he hadn´t
finished his exams.
Warm up – 2nd conditional
If Clause: Past
Perfect
Result Clause: Would have + Past
Participle
If he had driven
carefully,
If she had seen the
movie,
he wuldn’t have had an accident.
If it had snowed,
we would have gone skiing
she would have laughed hard.