Conditionals - how to use them outside classroom!
In fact, conditionals are really useful means of expression, even if it's perfectly possible to survive a foreign holiday without them :)
To help you understand how you can use conditionals in real life conversations, I have written the short text below. Try to notice the logical differences between the three conditionals and don't hesitate to ask me questions if you still have any!
For the analizers, some warm-up questions before; for the hard-workers - some vocabulary practice. Key for the lazy ones also included :) Everybody's happy? Good! Now, let's get to work!
PDF version
Before
reading the text, discuss these questions:
1.
Is
it difficult for you to make decisions? Do you often look for the opinions of
other people before you decide on something?
2.
Are
you the kind of person that looks for excuses when it comes to doing things
that need a lot of effort? (ex. giving up smoking, exercising regularly,
learning a foreign language on a daily basis etc.)
3.
Do
you regret not doing something in the past because you know that if you had
done it, your present life would be better?
4.
How
do you understand the quote by Sun Tzu :
Can you
imagine what I would do if I could do all I can?
THE IF GENERATION
Nowadays, many
people have issues with appreciating what they have; it is always the matter
of ‘If I were richer…’, ‘If I were younger…’, ‘If I were him…’ etc. I don’t
have a problem with the fact that we want more from our lives; what annoys
me is the fact that we keep saying what we would do ‘IF’ …
When
I was younger, I thought that if my parents had been richer I could have been
more fortunate
with my life. I was losing my time on thinking that if I had been born in the
family of my cousin, I would have enjoyed private tennis lessons, skiing
holidays in Austria or expensive, fashionable clothes. What I didn’t take into
consideration back then was the fact that I didn’t really like sport, I
absolutely hated skiing and expensive clothes often covered the lack of
personality. In other words, I was jealous of the things that I didn’t want in
reality.
Nowadays
I keep
finding myself the new ‘ifs’ that can successfully keep me away from being
happy. I think that if I had more time, I would start going to the gym; if I
had more money, I would eat healthy etc. Result? An overweight 30-year-old woman,
always complaining
about how difficult life is.
ANSWER
THE QUESTIONS CONNECTED WITH THE TEXT
Answer
Yes or No:
1.
Is
the author annoyed with the fact that nowadays people don’t appreciate their
lives? Yes/No
2.
Does
the author regret not being able to train tennis? Yes/No
3.
Does
the author think that expensive clothes may compensate for an uninteresting
character? Yes/No
4.
Is
the author physically fit? Yes/No
5. Is the author happy with
her life? Yes/No
6.
Does
the author think that people often say things which they don’t mean? Yes/No
Answer
the questions in your own words:
1.
What
is the author’s opinion about the way we live today?
2.
What
does the author criticize in people’s characters?
3.
What
does the author mean when she says that we must be socially correct?
What
do you think?
1.
Do
you agree with the author’s opinion that we are the ‘IF’ generation?
2.
Do
you find any similarities between your and the author’s way of thinking?
3.
Are
you socially correct in the way it is described in the text?
THE
IF GENERATION – VOCABULARY
Match
the English words with their French equivalents:
1. Nowadays a. to make someone angry
2. Issue b. to put or spread
something over something
3. Appreciate
(v) c. to say that something is wrong or
not satisfactory
to be given back
6.
To be fortunate f. to continue or repeat an activity over and over again
7. Fashionable g. at the present time, in comparison to the past
8. Cover
(v) h. not clear,
difficult to understand
9. Keep
doing sth (v) i. to be lucky
12. Overuse
(v) l. to use something too often or too much
13. Lend
(v) m. fat
14.
Equal (v) n. a situation or subject that is being dealt with or considered
15. Confusing o. popular at a particular time
Fill
the gaps with the vocabulary items given above. Change the verb forms if
necessary:
a.
I
……………………..eating too much and that is why I am ……………………………..
b.
Some
clothes are ……………………………….., but definitely not comfortable.
c.
I
often ……………………………… money to my brother, but he never gives it back.
d.
Old
people ……………………………..about the fact that teenagers don’t respect them.
e.
When
you write an essay, don’t …………………………..the words like ‘good’, ‘bad’ or ‘nice’.
They mean nothing.
f.
I
was really ……………………………..to be born in a rich family. I think my life was much
easier than some of my friends’.
g.
I
can sense that you have an ………………………….with me. Have I done something to make
you angry?
h.
Some
words in English are ………………………………because they resemble French words with
totally different meanings.
i.
It
…………………………………me when my neighbors play loud music after 10.00 p.m.
j.
In
the past, families spent a lot of time together; ……………………………, people are more
interested in watching T.V and surfing the internet.
k.
I
really …………………………………..what you have done for me; you are a great friend!
l.
2
+ 2 ……………………………..4
THE
IF GENERATION – VOCABULARY KEY
Match
the English words with their French equivalents:
1. Nowadays G a. to make someone angry
2. Issue K b. to put or spread
something over something
3. Appreciate
(v) D c. to say that something is wrong or
not satisfactory
to be given back
6.
To be fortunate I f. to continue or repeat an activity over and over again
7. Fashionable O g. at the present time, in comparison to the past
8. Cover
(v) B h. not clear,
difficult to understand
9. Keep
doing sth (v) F i. to be lucky
12. Overuse
(v) L l. to use something too often or too much
13. Lend
(v) E m. fat
14.
Equal (v)
J n. a situation or subject that is being dealt with or considered
15.Confusing H o. popular at a particular time
Fill the gaps with the vocabulary items given above. Change the verb forms if necessary:
A. I…KEEP………..eating too much and that is why I am ………FAT……………………..
B. Some clothes are …FASHIONABLE………………..,but definitely not comfortable.
C.
I
often ……LEND……………… money to my brother, but he never gives it back.
D.
Old
people ……COMPLAIN………………………..about the fact that teenagers don’t respect them.
E.
When
you write an essay, don’t …OVERUSE……………..the words like ‘good’, ‘bad’ or
‘nice’. They mean nothing.
F.
I
was really ……FORTUNATE……………..to be born in a rich family. I think my life was
much easier than some of my friends’.
G.
I
can sense that you have an ……ISSUE…………….with me. Have I done something to make
you angry?
H.
Some
words in English are …CONFUSING……………because they resemble French words with
totally different meanings.
I.
It
…ANNOYS…………………me when my neighbors play loud music after 10.00 p.m.
J.
In
the past, families spent a lot of time together; ……NOWADAYS…………, people are
more interested in watching T.V and surfing the internet.
K.
I
really ……APPRECIATE……………..what you have done for me; you are a great friend!
L.
2
+ 2 …EQUALS………………..4
ANSWER
THE QUESTIONS CONNECTED WITH THE TEXT - key
Answer
Yes or No:
1.
Is
the author annoyed with the fact that nowadays people don’t appreciate their
lives? No, she is annoyed with people who keep complaining but don’t try to
change something in their lives. Instead, they keep saying what they would do
if..
2. Does the author regret not
being able to train tennis? No, she says
that she was jealous of her cousin who could afford that, but when she thinks
about it now, she didn’t even like sports.
3.
Does
the author think that expensive clothes may compensate for an uninteresting
character? Yes, she says that it can cover the lack of personality.
4.
Is
the author physically fit? No, she says
that she is overweight.
5. Is the author happy with
her life? No.
6.
Does
the author think that people often say things which they don’t mean? Yes, because they try to be polite.
Answer
the questions in your own words:
1.
What
is the author’s opinion about the way we live today?
Example
answer: We keep complaining about our lives, but all we do to change them is
imagining impossible situations. We keep thinking about how our life could be ‘IF…’
2.
What
does the author criticize in people’s characters?
Example
answer: Lack of action, complaining about our lives without trying to change
them, comparing ourselves with others, jealousy, stagnation, etc..
3.
What
does the author mean when she says that we must be socially correct?
Example
answer: It means that we often say things that we don’t really mean just to
look polite.
