Teaching Conditionals 1 and 2 in context

MEET TOMOHIRO
Japanese guy
MEET AYAKO
japanese-girl
  • He comes from a rich family.
  • He has a job and work experience.
  • He is going to do the TOEIC test 3 months later, so he has plenty of time to study for it.
  • He lives in the US.
  • He thinks his girlfriend might be cheating on him.
  • She comes from a poor family.
  • She has no job or work experience.
  • She is going to do the TOEIC test 2 days later, so she doesn’t have much time to study.
  • She lives in Japan.
  • She trusts her boyfriend and thinks he’s a nice guy.

CONDITIONAL 1

CONDITIONAL 2

If + subject + present simple + object, subject + will + infinitive etc (or the “if” part can come second)
If + S + verb past tense + object, S + would + infinitive etc (or the “if” part can come second)
If I have a bit more money, I will travel around the world.
Contractions: I’ve a; I’ll travel
If I had money, I would travel around the world.
Contractions:I’d travel
I can pass the TOEIC test if I study harder. I could pass the TOEIC test if I studied harder.
If they offer me the job, I will take it.
Contractions: I’ll take
If they offered me the job, I would take it.
Contractions: I’d take
If I speak less Japanese, I will speak English more fluently.
Contractions: I’ll speak
If I spoke less Japanese, I would speak English more fluently.
Contractions: I’d speak
If my girlfriend is cheating on me, I will break up with her.
Contractions: girlfriend’s; I’ll break
If my boyfriend were cheating on me, I would break up with him.
Contractions:I’d break

Split your class into 5 pairs/groups depending on the students’ number. Assign one sentence to each pair/group to discuss among each other and then use the profile above to explain the difference between Conditional 1 and 2. Do not accept grammar explanations. They have to explain the difference using what they know of the lives of the two characters above.
Would you like to have a crack at it (try) here with me? How about your start with the first sentence?

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