Book 2, Unit 15 Part 1 - Unreal Conditional Sentences

Main ideas, concepts, and lessons

• Topic: Unreal Conditional Sentences (specifically the Second Conditional).
• Purpose/meaning: Used to talk about possible consequences or imaginary/unreal situations—often in a hypothetical “what if…” sense.
• Core structure (Second Conditional):
  • If clause (unreal condition): if + simple past
  • Main clause (consequence): modal + base verb
    • Common modals: would / could / might

Construction rules emphasized

Unreal condition (if clause)

• Use simple past, e.g.:
  • “If I had…”
  • “If he won…”
• Special rule for “to be”:
  • Use “were” not “was”
  • Examples:
    • ❌ If I was tall, I’d…
    • ✅ If I were tall, I’d…

Consequence (main clause)

• Use a modal (would / could / might) + base form of the verb
• Example:
  • If I had a million dollars, I would donate…

When to use which modal (as taught)

• would: for what is predicted as probably would happen / higher confidence
• could: for a possibility (framed as about 50/50)
• might: also indicates possibility, but is framed as less certain than “could”

Examples shown in the “game show” activity

1. If your husband were president, what would he do?

   • Example answer: If I were president, I’d announce a national free beer day.

2. If your husband found $100 in a taxi, what would he do?

   • Example answer: If he found $100, he’d give it to charity.

3. If he could have dinner with any celebrity, who would he choose?

   • Example mismatch/alternate answer shown: Dame Judi Dench (marked wrong in the activity)

4. If he could change any part of his body, what would he change?

   • Example answer: He hates his feet → I changed my feet.

5. If he had a time machine, what era would he go to?

   • Example answer: He’d go to the 60s (and see the Beatles).

Methodology / “how to build” sentences (detailed steps)

A) Build a Second Conditional statement

1. Choose the imaginary condition → write an if clause using:
   • if + simple past
2. Choose the hypothetical result → write the main clause using:
   • would / could / might + verb base form
3. If the if-clause includes “to be”:
   • use were (not was), especially with I / he / she / they
   • (e.g., If I were… / If he were…)
4. Combine the parts (either order works):
   • If clause first, then comma + result
   • or result first, then if clause
   • (comma rules depend on word order)

B) Convert to a question (Second Conditional)

1. Use the typical question pattern where the auxiliary/modal is in the question position:
   • (modal or auxiliary) + subject + base verb
2. Attach the unreal condition clause either:
   • at the start: If + condition, (question form about result)?
   • or at the end: Question form … if + condition.
3. Ensure the grammar stays consistent:
   • if clause = simple past
   • main verb = base form with modal

Additional practice examples (explained)

Fill-in-the-blank statements

• If I won the lottery, I wouldn’t work here.

  • Unreal condition verb: win → won (simple past)
  • Consequence: wouldn’t + work

• If I weren’t a cashier, I’d be a chef.

  • “to be” in if clause: were (and negated form: weren’t)

Example question formation

• Where would you travel if you retired tomorrow?
• Alternative order:
  • If you retired tomorrow, where would you travel?
• Example where the question word comes from the consequence:
  • If she were richer, she would live in Dubai.
    • Question: Where would she live if she were richer?
• Another:
  • If he had more experience, he could get his dream job.
    • Question: What could he get if he had more experience?

Conclusion of the video

The video closes by encouraging viewers to try a practice quiz and says goodbye.

Speakers or sources featured

• No specific named speakers are identified in the subtitles.
• The content is presented by an instructor/teacher narrator (implied by the tutorial format).