The Angry Birds: 2nd Conditional

This is a wonderful animated movie and you can use many of its parts for grammar practice. This one is for the 2nd conditional. 

I. What would you do in the following situations? Talk with your friend and follow the example.

1. You are in line and the person behind you keeps bumping on your back.

Ex: I would not do anything.

2. Someone keeps on disturbing your leisure reading time.

3. Someone makes fun of your looks.

4. Someone wakes you up because he/she is inappropriately noisy.

5. Someone sneezes a few times on your popcorn bag in the movie theater.

6. A doctor uses a tiny rubber hammer on your knee to test your reflexes, but it hurts you.

7. Someone is flirting with you, but when you eventually decide to take action and approach the person, you realize he/she is aiming at another person, not you.

II. Now watch the movie segment and check what Red, the bird, did in those situations. How similar were your answers and Red's reaction?

WORKSHEET 

MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - ANGRY BIRDS

Jack and the Cuckoo-Clock Heart: 2nd Conditional

This is a beautiful, magical and dramatic story of a mother who has to make a very difficult decision in life - giving her baby away to be raised by someone wealthier, because she does not have the means to nurture him. It is a French animated movie spoken in English I loved it.

I. Work in pairs:

1. Have you ever had to make a difficult decision in your life? What made you decide what to do? Can you talk about it?

2. Have you ever made a wrong choice? Talk about it?

3. What would you do in the situations below? Explain your choices.

• You are offered a fantastic professional opportunity, but you would have to be two years and a half away from your husband/wife/boyfriend/girlfriend? There will not be any chances to see each other, just by using mobile devices (skype, facebook, etc). What would you do?

• You  have two children. A four year-old boy and a three-year old girl. A criminal tells you to sacrifice one of your children or both of them die. He won't choose; you have to do it. If you don't choose one of them, both of them die. You cannot sacrifice yourself to save both of them. If you do it, both of them die. What would you do? Who would you choose to survive?

• You saw your best friend's lover kissing another person. Your best friend loves her partner and is nine-month pregnant. You don't know how involved your friend's lover is with that stranger. Would you tell him/her what you saw?

• You receive the news that the person you love most will die in two months. This situation can't be changed. He/she has a lot of plans for the future and is very happy with her life, her accomplishments and expectations for the future. However, he/she is not in a hurry and is planning things slowly. What would you do? Warn him and make him enjoy life immediately, risking fostering depression and desperation? Would you let him/her waste his time and opportunities to enjoy the time that is left for him/her without worries?

II. Here are six questions one should ask himself before making a difficult choice. Answer the questions, connecting them with each of the four situations above:

Inspired by http://www.lifehack.org/articles/communication/7-questions-you-should-ask-yourself-when-faced-with-tough-decision-life.html

1. If I don’t do this now, will I regret it?

2. What am I afraid of?

3. What does my heart say?

4. Who am I really doing this for?

5. Will I like myself after this decision?

6. Can I cope with the consequences of my decision?

III. Watch the movie segment and answer the questions in exercise II. How would she probably answer those questions?

IV. What would you do if you were in her shoes? How would you answer those questions in exercise II if you were in her position?


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MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - JACK AND THE CUCKOO-CLOCK HEART

POWERPOINT SLIDES

The Hunger Games: 2nd Conditional

This activity was provided by Philip Rice and it was published on his awesome blog THE ESL COMMANDO. Thanks, Phil, for such a great activity.

Phil Rice is an instructor at the English Language Institute in Delaware, USA. He has taught English for the past 5 years and in the ESL field for the past 3 years. He enjoys using technology, games, and creativity to help teach students English. His blog can be found at www.eslcommando.com. 

This activity uses listening and the Hunger Games to help students practice the unreal conditional in English. The "If...then" format is used, and students will love to watch the exciting clip of the Hunger Games! This activity gives practice on listening for details, writing sentences,  and then writing a short paragraph. The worksheet  that goes along with the video is downloadable and is below the clip.The formatting looks wrong on the example, but when downloaded into Word, it will look right.Click here  to download, or look below to preview the worksheet.  If you like this, please try out the NEW Man of Steel Classroom Activity!

The Hunger Games ESL Lesson:

Unreal Conditional Activity –

Watch the clip and answer the True/False Questions:

1. T/F: Katniss (the older girl) cares for her sister.
2. T/F: Katniss is chosen for the Hunger Games.
3. T/F: The Hunger Games are wonderful contests.
4. T/F: Only one person can survive the Hunger Games.
5. T/F: Katniss thinks the same way as the blond boy.

As you watch the clip, think of 5 feelings that you would feel if you

were in Katniss’ situation. Then write 5 sentences:

Use the form “If…. , then….”

Ex:  If I were in the Hunger Games, then I would be scared.

1. ---

2. ---

3. ---

4. ---

5. ---

What if you were in a survival situation like Katniss?  If you had to choose 3 things to help you survive in the wilderness what would they be and why?  Write a short paragraph using the unreal conditional form giving clear descriptions and reasons.

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

Watch clip again at:

http://eslcommando.blogspot.com/2012/04/movie-trailer-esl-grammar-activity.html

WORKSHEET

Answer Key:

T,F,F,T,F

Essay answers will vary.  Focus on the verb forms that the students use.

Clip is found at:

http://eslcommando.blogspot.com/2012/04/movie-trailer-esl-grammar-activity.html

Melancholia: 2nd Conditional

Although many people criticized this movie, I really liked it. Thought-provoking, its two different stories hypnotized me until the last scene. This activity is to practice the use of the 2nd conditional orally.

I. Work in pairs. Let's suppose that the Earth will be hit by another planet. Nothing can be done to stop the collision. It will be the end of days and there will be no survivors. The impact will be so hard that death will be painless and instantaneous. 

a. Apocalypse Abbr. Apoc. Bible The Book of Revelation.

b. Any of a number of anonymous Jewish or Christian texts from around the second century b.c. to the second century a.d. containing prophetic or symbolic visions, especially of the imminent destruction of the world and the salvation of the righteous.

          c. Great or total devastation; doom: the Apocalypse of nuclear war.

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/apocalypse

1. What would you do three weeks before the collision?

2. What would you do on the day of the collision.

3. Who would you like to be with if that happened?

4. Where would you like to be if the end of times were inevitable?

5. What would probably happen around the world on the day of the apocalypse if everyone knew what was about to happen?

6. Would people still go to work if they knew the world would end within three weeks? What consequences would it bring to every one's lives?

II. Watch the movie segment and then discuss the questions that follow.

1. How did they decide to spend the last minutes of their lives?

2. What's your opinion about their decision?

3. Would you do the same as they did? Why (not)?

4. Do you think the world will ever end? If so, what would probably happen?

5. What's your view of the apocalypse?

6. Why is there so much speculation about the apocalypse? How afraid are you?

WORKSHEET

MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - MELANCHOLIA

The Time Traveler's Wife: 2nd Conditional

I had very little expectations about this movie, but it is amazingly pleasant and creative. The whole idea is very interesting and the gripping beginning is just great. I used two scenes from the movie to have students practice the 2nd conditional in an imaginative, contextualized way.

I. Work with a friend. Write down your answers to the questions:

1. Would you like to time travel? Why (not)?

I ______________________ because ______________________.

2. What would the consequences of time travel be?

If people could time travel, _________________________________.

3. Would you change anything about your past?

If I could change anything about my past, I _________________ .

4. What about history? Would you change anything? What would you do to change it?

If I could change anything in history, I ___________________-.

II. Watch the 1st segment and talk to a friend about the questions that follow.

1. What happened in the segment?

2. Why did he decide to go back in time to talk to himself as a child?

3. What do you think will happen next?

III. Watch the 2nd segment now. Then answer the questions. Write down your answers and use the 2nd conditional.

1. If you could go back in time, would you choose the person you wanted to marry and make her love you? Why (not)?

If I ______________________, I ______________________

2. Would you do what he did if you were the main character of the movie? Why (not)?

If I ______________________, I _______________________

3. Would life be better or worse if people could travel in time? Why?

If people __________________, _________________________

IV. Rank the periods that, If you could time travel, you would visit first, second, or never. Justify your answer.

1. Prehistoric Age

2. 0 BC - Jesus Christ era

3. 1800's

4. A few years ago

5. The 60's

6. 20 years in the future

7. 100 years in the future.

8. 500 years in the future.

9. Choose a time period.

V. Prepare a speech to share with the rest of the class. Follow the model below. Make sure you use the 2nd conditional.

I I could travel across time , first I ______________________________ because ____________. Second, I _____________________ because ____________, and finally I _____________________ because _____________. However, I _____________ (never) because_______________.



WORKSHEET

movie segment download - part 1
movie segment download - part 2

Juno: 2nd Conditional (with Would and Should)

This is a great movie. Teenage pregnancy is dealt with in a creative, different manner. My students had a lot to say about it. I used it to practice the second conditional in a contextualized manner.





I. Watch the movie segment and answer the following questions in groups:



1. Describe what happened in the segment.

2. What was her mother's reaction?

3. What was her father's reaction?

4. What was her friend's reaction?

5. What did Juno say she was going to do? Do you like her idea? What do you think will happen next?

6. What would you do if...? Make sure you use the 2nd Conditional.


If you were Juno?
If I were Juno, I would ...........................

If you were Juno's best friend?

If you were Juno's parents?
If you were the father of the baby?

If you were the foster parents to whom Juno promised to give the baby away.

II. Now imagine the same situation Juno is facing, but consider the father's situation below. What should the father of the baby do if:


- he were under aged too

- If he were under aged too, he should ...

- he were over 18

- he were over 40

- he were married

- Juno denied to reveal the father's identity

WORKSHEET

MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - JUNO

The Box: 1st & 2nd Conditionals

I love the idea of the movie and its intriguing development. The situation is unsual, perfect for 1st and 2nd conditional practice.




A. Read the passage below and complete the blanks with the verbs in parentheses, using with the first conditional. You have just received the visit of a total stranger who gives you a mysterious box with a button and makes the following offer to you:



If you _________ (push) the button, two things ________ (happen). First, someone, somewhere in the world, whom you don't know, __________ (die). Second, you ____________ (receive) a payment of one million dollars. Tax free. The payment ___________ (be) delivered by me in cash to you.


There are three restrictions:

1. You are not permitted to know any information about who's making the offer.

2. You are not permitted to discuss the details of this offer to anyone except your husband (wife).

3. You have 24 hours to make your decision.

4. Otherwise, the box will be reprogrammed and the offer will be made to someone else.

B. Now watch the first part of the segment (until the visitor leaves her house) and check your answers.

C. Now discuss the following questions with a partner. Remember that you are talking about an unreal situation, so you must use the second conditional. Then write down your answers. Start them with If...

1. What would you do if you were in her shoes?

If ...

2. How would you feel if you pushed the button?

If ...

3. How would you feel if you didn't push the button?

If ...

4. Would you push the button if you needed that money to save your son/daughter's life? Explain it.

If ...

D. Watch the second part of the segment and answer the following questions:

1. What were some of the things they considered before deciding whether they would push the button?

2. What did they decide to do?

3. According to her, why did she do it?

WORKSHEET

MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - THE BOX - PART 1

MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - THE BOX - PART 2

Answer key:

A. push / will happen / will die / will receive / will be

B. Answers will vary

Blade Runner: 2nd Conditional

I like showing classic movies to my students too. They learn about good film making and they get interested in them. This is my all time favorite and this scene is great for the students to practice using the 2nd (unreal) conditionals.

A. Talk to a partner about the following questions:

 

1. Do you believe that in the future androids or clones will be living among us? Justify it.

2. Will there ever be artificial pets? Why (not)?

3. Will life in the future be more or less violent? Explain.

4. Would you like to have a clone of yourself living with you or somewhere else? Why (not)?

B. Imagine you are being tested to see if you are a replicant (android). Before you watch the segment, write what would answer when a Blade Runner asked you the following series of questions. Answer them as simply as you can, but use the 2nd conditional

Situations:

1. It’s your birthday. Someone gives you a calfskin wallet.

2. You’ve got a little son. He shows you his butterfly collection plus the killing jar.

3. You’re watching television. Suddenly you realize there’s a wasp crawling on your arm.

4. You show the picture of a nude girl (man) to your husband (wife) and he likes it so much he (she) hangs it on the bedroom wall.

5. You’re watching a play. The guests are enjoying raw oysters and boiled dog.

C. Now watch the segment and write Rachael’s answers to the same questions.

1............................................................................................

2............................................................................................

3...........................................................................................

4...........................................................................................

5...........................................................................................

D. Compare both Rachael and your answers. Were there any matches? Why do you think the answers revealed she was a replicant?

Answer key:

Rachael’s answers:

1. She wouldn’t accept it and report the person who gave it to her to the police.

2. She’d take him to the doctor.

3. She’d kill it.

4. She wouldn’t let him .

5. She couldn’t answer the question.

WORKSHEET

MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - BLADE RUNNER

Shallow Hal: 2nd Conditional

This scene is great because it's unique. Jack Black's character sees his beloved extremely fit and gorgeous, but he doesn't know she is actually a very fat girl. Despite the prejudice, he eventually falls in love with her because of her inner beauty. This scene is perfect for the students to practice the 2nd conditional, imagining the characters seeing the true picture of the events. Here's the lesson plan:

Gwenyth Paltrow plays the love interest of Hal (Jack Black) in this comedy about a shallow man who falls in love with a very fat (but inwardly beautiful woman), because he is hypnotized into believing she is outwardly beautiful.

. Hal's imaginary Rosie and Real Rosie.

A. Watch the segment and check the items of what happened in the video but would definitely be different if rosie were actually as thin as Hal’s imaginary Rosie.


1. Hal told her a bad taste joke about the underwear she was buying.

2. Rosie didn’t understand Hal’s jokes.

3. He had to apologize for his jokes.

4. She ordered a huge meal.

5. The waiter wasn’t surprised by the order

6. The chair broke.

7. Two guys made fun of Rosie’s takeout meal.

8. They didn’t envy Hal’s bragging about his girlfriend.


B. Now rewrite the sentences above using the second conditional. You may use WOULD – if you’re sure - MIGHT, COULD – if you are not 100 % sure.

If Rosie _________________ (be) as thin as Hal’s imaginary Rosie,

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

Teacher’s Key

B. If Rosie were as thin as Hals imaginary Rosie,

1. Hal wouldn’t tell…
2. She would understand…
3. He wouldn’t have to…
4. She wouldn’t (might not) order…
5. The waiter wouldn’t (mightn’t) be ….
6. The chair wouldn’t break
7. The guys wouldn’t (mightn’t) make…
8. They would envy…

WORKSHEET

Swingers: 2nd Conditional

This is a fantastic scene. It is funny and pathetic. The development of the scene is unpredictable and students will certainly laugh a lot.
Before Viewing:
Imagine the following situation:

You meet a very interesting girl (guy) and talk to her (him) very briefly. You are very interested in each other. She (He) is attractive and looks very friendly. She (He) is in a hurry and has to leave, but she (he) gives you her (his) phone number. You don’t have the chance to give her (him) yours, though.

A. Now choose the best alternative about you. How would you react in the following situations?

1. What would you do if the situation you have just read were real?

a. call her (him) as soon as possible
b. wait a few days and then call her (him)
c. wait for another opportunity to meet her (him) at the same place again
d. none of the above: justify it

2. Imagine you called her (him) and the answering machine answered the call. What would you do?

a. hang up the phone
b.identify yourself and call again later
c.identify yourself, leave your phone number and wait for her (him) to call
d. none of the above: justify it

3. What would you do if the answering machine disconnected before you finished saying what you had planned to say?

a. call back and complete the message
b. wait for her (him) to call back
c. wait a little and call back again
d. none of the above: justify it

4. How many times would you call her (him) again if she didn’t return the call?

a. once
b. twice
c. as many as necessary
d. none

B. watch the video segment and check if the main character would do the same as you.

C. rewrite the four items above using the 2nd conditional about yourself.

EX:

1 – If the situation …………………….., I ………………………………………........

2. ………………………………………………………………………………………….........

3 …………………………………………………………………………………………..........

4……………………………………………………………………………………………........

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MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - SWINGERS