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Second conditional
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2. © Cambridge University Press 2016
Second conditional
She wouldn’t be in trouble __ she wasn’t talking. If they had more time, they ______ visit the science museum. If you _____ a scientist, what would you invent? if
would
were
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3. Second conditional meaning
If I was good at the violin, I would play in the orchestra. She wouldn’t be a scientist if she wasn’t interested in science. No
Is she good at the violin? No
Does she play in the school orchestra?
Is she a scientist?
Yes
Is she interested in science?
Yes
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4. Second conditional structure
If I lived in town, I’d go to the movies more often. If she was an astronaut, would she fly to the moon?
I’d go to the movies more often if I lived in a town.
Would she fly to the moon if she was an astronaut?
I wish
I wish you were here.
= You are not here and I am not happy about it.
I wish we could go out.
= We can not go out and I am not happy about it.
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GET IT RIGHT!
If I would have more time, I’d visit my grandma. I wish I can go to the party.
If I had more time, I’d visit my grandma.
I wish I could go to the party.
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Language in action
If you could travel around the world, what countries would you visit?
I’d go to Australia, Iceland, and Italy.
Why would you go to Italy?
I’d go to Italy because I love pizza. In fact, I wish I could eat a pizza now!
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7. Can you remember the rules?
We use the second conditional to talk about unreal or imagined situations in the present or the future.
The second conditional has two parts (or “clauses”). We usually make the second conditional like this:
If clause Main clause
If + simple past + comma would / wouldn’t + main verb
If I knew the answer, I’d (would) tell you.
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We can change the order of the two clauses if we want to. When we put the if clause first, we write a comma (,) after it. If we put the main clause first, there is no comma.
If I was sick, I’d stay in bed.
I’d stay in bed if I was sick.
When we want to talk about how we would like something in the present to be different, we can use I wish + past tense.
I wish it wasn’t raining today. = It is raining today and I am not happy about it.
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Speaking
Say a sentence ending. Can your partner guess the beginning?
If I was very rich, …
If I could be a character from any movie, …
If I could do any job, …
If I wasn’t in this class now, I’d …
If I was the person sitting next to me, …
If I had four arms, …
If I was a genius, …
If I was an animal, …
If I didn’t have to sleep, …
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Discuss the situations with your group/partner.
If you could travel to a past time, where would you go? Why?
How would you feel if there was no Internet? How would you communicate?
What would you do if you saw your friend stealing something?
If you were a superhero, what special power would you choose? Why?
What three things would you do if you were the president of your country?
What would you do if you lived to be 100 years old?
If you had only one meal to eat every day for a week, what meal would it be?
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11. © Cambridge University Press 2016
Acknowledgements
The publishers are grateful to the following illustrators:
Slide 2: David Semple
Slide 3: Graham Kennedy
© Cambridge University Press 2016