Assignment 4: Language

Write conditionals about your school

Look at these sentences written by a teacher in Taiwan. Notice how each sentence has a condition
and a result.
Generally always true (zero conditional)
If I have time, I do my preparation at least one day before I have to teach.
Possible future (first conditional)
Ill do a fun review lesson with some language games if my students do well in their test next week.
Unlikely future or hypothetical (second conditional)
If we had longer holidays, I would feel more relaxed.
Hypothetical past (third conditional)
My student wouldnt have won the spelling competition if he hadnt studied every day.
Think about your own working life at your school. Make some notes in the table.
Generally always true
Make notes think about the condition and the result
1

Draft lesson plans.

Use teaching aids.

Write formal lesson plans.

Possible future
Make notes think about the condition and the result

Discuss about the strengths and the weaknesses of my teaching with my colleagues.

Give rewards to my students if they well behave.

Talk to Jamess parents if he does not complete his homework.

Unlikely future or hypothetical
Make notes think about the condition and the result

I want to involve myself in the courses but I cannot because I am too busy.

My learners are not interested in onstage drama activities, so I would not carry out that
kind of activity.

I wanted to cooperate with Jeans parents but they are too busy in their businesses.
Hypothetical past
Make notes think about the condition and the result

10

I do not have to be a special education teacher because I take part in the Proelt course.

11

I did not teach phonetic this year because I forgot to inform my superior officer that I had
taken a phonetic course in 2014.

12

I did not register my name with my formal headmistress, so I could not take part in the
workshop.

Use the notes you made above to write 12 true sentences about you using conditionals.
Add your sentences to the box below:
Zero conditional
1. I draft lesson plans three days before I teach if I am free.
2. I use suitable teaching aids, which are stored in the school resource room, to deliver my lessons
effectively if the topics are too complicated.
3. I write formal lesson plans a day before I teach, after I have confirmed the details of my teaching
lessons if everything goes smoothly.
1 conditional
1. If my colleagues are free, I will discuss with them about the strengths and the weaknesses of my
teaching lessons.
2. If my learners behave well in the classroom, I will give them rewards in forms of stars,
certificates, appraisals and so on.
3. I will talk to James parents heart-to-heart if he doesnt complete his work.
st

2 conditional
1. If I had a loose schedule, I would partake all teaching-English-language courses which are
organized by my formal headmistress.
2. I would carry out onstage drama activities if my learners were interested in that kind of activity.
3. I would cooperate with Jeans workaholic parents incredibly well if they had time to discuss with
me about their childs behaviours and attitudes in school.
nd

3 conditional
1. If I did not attend the Proelt course, I would have appointed to be a special education teacher.
2. I would have taught phonetics if I had informed my superior officers that I had had taken a 3-day
teaching-phonetic course last year which was cost me RM300.00.
3. I would have taken part in the From-Stories-to-Drama workshop if I had had registered my name
with my formal headmistress.
rd