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A Conditional Overview
Review conditionals to use when explaining conditions and results.

1. Discuss
Discuss the following with a partner.

1. How would you spend $100,000 in 12 hours?

2. If you could make one change to the world, what would it be?

3. Where would you live if you could live anywhere in the world?

2. All four Conditionals

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A. Read the information about the four conditionals in English.

Conditional statements describe the result of a certain condition. The if clause tells you the condition (If you study
hard,) and the main clause tells you the result (you will pass your exams). The order of the clauses does not change the
meaning, but remember to use a comma when the if clause is first.

0. The zero conditional is used to talk about things that are generally true, especially for laws and rules.

If (condition), then (result)

Real condition, inevitable result.

Verb forms present simple present simple

e.g. If I drink coffee, I don’t sleep well at night.

1. The first conditional (also known as the real conditional) is used to talk about future situations we believe are real
or possible.

Possible condition, probable result.

present simple will + basic infinitive

If I drink coffee now, I won’t sleep well tonight.

2. The second conditional (also known as the unreal conditional) is used to imagine present or future situations that
are impossible or unlikely.

Hypothetical condition, possible result.

past simple would + basic infinitive

If I won the lottery, I would buy a new house.

3. The third conditional is used to reflect on a change in a past condition and a possible past result of that change. It
is often used to express regret.

Expired past condition, possible past result.

past perfect would have + past participle

If I had studied harder, I would have passed the test.

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 B. Complete the sentences with your own ideas.

1. If it’s sunny tomorrow,

2. If you sit in the sun too long,

3. If I were the Prime Minister/President,

4. If I’d studied harder,

5. If I hadn’t gone to bed so late,

6. If I weren’t studying English,

7. If I’d had a day off today,

C. Share your sentences with a partner or the class.

3. Unless in Conditionals
A. Read the information about using the conjunction unless in conditional clauses.

Conditional clauses can begin with unless and it generally means ‘if … not’ or ‘except, on the condition’.

With if Equivalent with unless

0. If you don’t save some money, you can’t go on vacation. You can’t go on vacation unless you save some money.

1. If you don’t stop eating, you will be sick. You’ll be sick unless you stop eating.

2. I wouldn’t eat that if I wasn’t really hungry. I wouldn’t eat that unless I was really hungry.

3. I wouldn’t have called him if you hadn’t suggested it. I wouldn’t have called him unless you had suggested it.

Unless is good to use when it draws attention to an exception to what is generally true. In this example, I only have one
reason why I may be late, traffic:

I’ll arrive at 10 a.m. if there isn’t traffic. I’ll arrive at 10 a.m. unless there is traffic.

In some situations, unless is not exactly interchangeable with ‘if ... not’. Consider this example:

I’ll be annoyed if I don’t arrive at 10 a.m. I’ll be annoyed unless I arrive at 10 a.m.

(Being late will annoy me.) (The only thing that can prevent me from being annoyed
is arriving at 10 a.m.)

B. Complete the conditional sentences by circling the correct alternative.

1. If / Unless you don't slow down, we’ll crash!

2. It is illegal to enter an establishment that serves alcohol if / unless you are over 18.

3. In my country, if / unless you cannot speak English, it's difficult to get a good job.

4. We'll be late if / unless we leave soon.

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 5. If / Unless I‘m not feeling better tomorrow, I’ll go to the doctor.

6. If / Unless you don’t make loan repayments on time, your car will be repossessed.

7. You’ll lose your job if / unless you improve your attitude and become easier to work with.

8. I’ll join you on Sunday if / unless I’m not working.

C. Rewrite the sentences using ‘unless’ in place of ‘if’ and ‘if ... not’.

1. If the bus is late, we will go on foot.

2. We will miss the train if we don’t leave now.

3. If she doesn’t submit her assignment today, she will fail the course.

4. The plants won’t grow if you don’t water them.

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 4. Conditional Dominoes


they wouldn’t have If there isn’t a traffic I’ll be home by five
If people aren’t ill,
asked you. jam, o’clock.

If they don’t like your

they usually don’t go to they won’t give you the If you don’t finish your
appearance at the
the doctor. job. homework now,
interview,

I won’t let you watch If didn’t drink so much If the weather isn’t
I’d be able to sleep.
TV. coffee, fine,

If an attractive
If she didn’t want to she wouldn’t save any
we won’t go fishing. stranger asked me out
buy a house, money.
for dinner,

If you heat water to

I’d say yes! it boils. If I had a lot of money,
100 degrees,

I’d travel around the If I had gone to bed I wouldn’t have slept
If you don’t hurry,
world. early, in.

If I spoke English If we had looked at the

you’ll miss the train. I ‘d get a job in the UK.
fluently, map,

If you weren’t afraid of you’d have just picked If they hadn’t needed
we wouldn’t be lost.
spiders, it up and put it outside. your help,

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 A Conditional Overview
Level: Intermediate: B1
Upper-Intermediate: B2
Updated: Jun 3, 2022
Language: Function: Describing cause and effect. Making predictions. Talking about the past. Talking about the future.
Forms: Conditional forms. Verb forms.
Teaching time: 90 minutes.
Overview: Students review and discuss conditional clauses or ‘if then’ statements in English. If a particular condition is true,
then a particular result happens. Student review the four conditionals and will be able to understand which to
use and in which circumstance. The conjunction ‘unless’ is introduced and student practice using it in conditional
statements.

0. PREPARATION unless you are over 18.

Cut up the dominoes on Page 4; one set for each student group 3. In my country, if you cannot speak English, it’s difficult to
of 2 or 3. get a good job.
4. We’ll be late unless we leave soon.
1. DISCUSS
5. If I‘m not feeling better tomorrow, I’ll go to the doctor.
A warm up activity helps set the mood for the topic/lesson and
6. If you don’t make loan repayments on time, your car will be
is a good opportunity to assess students’ ability to generate
repossessed.
language as well as elicit target vocabulary used in the lesson. If
students struggle to engage with their partners, ask questions 7. You’ll lose your job unless you improve your attitude and
to encourage participation. Allow a few minutes for students become easier to work with.
to complete the activity and continue the conversation if 8. I’ll join you on Sunday if I’m not working.
interesting.
C. Individually, students rewrite the sentences using ‘unless’ in
Elicit answers from students to share with the class. place of ‘if’ and ‘if ... not’. Students can refer to Part 3A for help.
Answer any questions that arise. Students can compare their
2. ALL FOUR CONDITIONALS answers with a partner or check answers as a class.
A. In pairs or as a class, students read and discuss the information 1. Unless the bus is on-time, we will go on foot.
about conditionals. Board the examples and discuss if necessary. 2. We will miss the train unless we leave now.
At this level, students should be able to discuss the differences
between the conditionals and how they are used. 3. Unless she submits her assignment today, she will fail the
course.
B. Individually, students complete the sentences with their own 4. The plants won’t grow unless you water them.
ideas. Answers will vary.

C. Students can share their sentences with a partner or elicit

4. CONDITIONAL DOMINOES
sentences from students to share with the class. As an extended Divide students into groups of 2 or 3 and distribute the
activity, ask students to identify which conditional is used in dominoes equally among the students in the group.
each of the sentences. Any student can start by laying down any of his/her dominoes
1. Zero conditional face up. For groups of 3 there will be one extra domino; this can
be placed face up in the middle to start the activity.
2. Zero conditional
Explain there are 16 unique sentences and they do not make a
3. Second conditional
story. Students try to complete the two sentences on the first
4. Third conditional card and continue one card at a time.
5. Third conditional For example, the ‘if’ clause matches the colored side of the
6. Second conditional domino: “If there isn’t a traffic jam, I’ll be home by five o’clock.”
7. Third conditional If there isn’t a traffic I’ll be home by five
jam, o’clock.

3. UNLESS IN CONDITIONALS
A. In pairs or as a class, student read and discuss the information Alternatively, in pairs, students place all of the dominoes face up
about conditional clauses and conditionals. Board examples if and work together to make the matches.
necessary. Answer any questions that arise. 1. If there isn’t a traffic jam, I’ll be home by five o’clock.

B. Individually, students circle the correct alternative to complete 2. If people aren’t ill, they usually don’t go to the doctor.
the sentences. Students can compare their answers with a 3. If they don’t like your appearance at the interview, they
partner and discuss any differences or check answers as a class. won’t give you the job.
1. If you don’t slow down, we’ll crash! 4. If you don’t finish your homework now, I won’t let you watch
2. It is illegal to enter an establishment that serves alcohol TV.

© www.esllessonhandouts.com Teaching Notes: page 5

 5. If didn’t drink so much coffee, I’d be able to sleep.
6. If the weather isn’t fine, we won’t go fishing.
7. If she didn’t want to buy a house, she wouldn’t save any
money.
8. If an attractive stranger asked me out for dinner, I’d say yes!
9. If you heat water to 100 degrees, it boils.
10. If I had a lot of money, I’d travel around the world.
11. If I had gone to bed early, I wouldn’t have slept in.
12. If you don’t hurry, you’ll miss the train.
13. If I spoke English fluently, I ‘d get a job in the UK.
14. If we had looked at the map, we wouldn’t be lost.
15. If you weren’t afraid of spiders, you’d have just picked it up
and put it outside.
16. If they hadn’t needed your help, they wouldn’t have asked
you.

© www.esllessonhandouts.com Teaching Notes: page 6