What would you do if y
had a lot of money?
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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.
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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?
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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 __________________.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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More Practice . . .
3. If you ____________ (get) more exercise,
I’m sure you ________________ (feel)
healthier and happier.
4. Jack ______________ (do) better
in school if he _____________
(sleep) more each night.
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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.
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You will probably hear many native
speakers of English use WAS in these
cases, and this is often accepted in
spoken, less formal situations.
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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?
• you could be invisible for a day?
• you met a famous person on the street?
• you saw a ghost?
Share Your Responses with the class . . .
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