Assignment 4: Language

Write conditionals about your school

Look at these sentences written by a teacher in Taiwan. Notice how each sentence has a ‘condition’ and a
‘result’.

Generally always true (zero conditional)

If I have time, I do my preparation at least one day before I have to teach.
Possible future (first conditional)
I’ll do a fun review lesson with some language games if my students do well in their test next week.
Unlikely future or hypothetical (second conditional)
If we had longer holidays, I would feel more relaxed.
Hypothetical past (third conditional)
My student wouldn’t have won the spelling competition if he hadn’t studied every day.
Think about your own working life at your school. Make some notes in the table.

Generally always true

Make notes – think about the condition and the result

1      If I have extra time, I do some preparation at least one day before the lesson start.

2      If I have lots of ideas, I teach my pupils in many strategies and joyful ways.

3      If I have lots of money, I take my pupils for vacation every year.

Possible future

Make notes – think about the condition and the result

     I’ll produce extra photo state exercise sheets if my students do well in the monthly test next
4
week.

     I’ll display my pupils’ folio on the display board along the ASEAN Path if they manage to do well
5
and satisfied the Headmistress.

     I’ll select the pupils from A class to be the school team if they can show their potential in
6
handball game.

Unlikely future or hypothetical

Make notes – think about the condition and the result

7      If I had extra energy, I would take my students for a hike during holidays.

8      If I trained them hard, I would get a better result in the coming examination.

© The British Council, 2011

The United Kingdom’s international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural relations. We are registered in England as a charity.
 9      If I chose my daughter to be the monitor, I would get opposition from all her classmates.

Hypothetical past

Make notes – think about the condition and the result

     My colleague wouldn’t have to arrive early to school if he hadn’t finish written the lesson plan
10 the day before.

11      My school handball team wouldn’t have won the game if they hadn’t practised hard every day.

     My students wouldn’t have time to finish their homework if they couldn’t manage their time
12
wisely.

Use the notes you made above to write 12 true sentences about you using conditionals.

Add your sentences to the box below:

Zero conditional
1.      If I have extra time, I do some preparation at least one day before the lesson start.
2.      If I have lots of ideas, I teach my pupils in many strategies and joyful ways.
3.      If I have lots of money, I take my pupils for vacation every year.

1st conditional
1.      I’ll produce extra photo state exercise sheets if my students do well in the monthly test next week.
2.      I’ll display my pupils’ folio on the display board along the ASEAN Path if they manage to do well
and satisfied the Headmistress.
3.      I’ll select the pupils from A class to be the school team if they can show their potential in handball
game.

2nd conditional
1.      If I had extra energy, I would take my students for a hike during holidays.
2.      If I trained them hard, I would get a better result in the coming examination.
3.      If I chose my daughter to be the monitor, I would get opposition from all her classmates.

3rd conditional
1.      My colleague wouldn’t have to arrive early to school if he hadn’t finish written the lesson plan the
day before.
2 .     My school handball team wouldn’t have won the game if they hadn’t practised hard every day.

3.      My students wouldn’t have time to finish their homework if they couldn’t manage their time wisely.

© The British Council, 2011

The United Kingdom’s international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural relations. We are registered in England as a charity.
 © The British Council, 2011

The United Kingdom’s international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural relations. We are registered in England as a charity.