ni2 7/3/13

Homework: practise the different types of mixed conditionals, write at least 1 example of the three varieties presented below (and good luck!) and read the speaking activity on page 69.

The second conditional

A conditional is used to talk about a possible or imaginarysituation (the condition) and the consequences (or the result) of it.

The second conditional - meaning

We use the second conditional to talk about imaginary, hypothetical or unreal situations. We use it to talk about the result of this imaginary situation.

We use 'would' to show that we are certain about the result of the imaginary situation. If we are not certain about the result, we can use might instead of would:

Example: If there was a problem, I might speak to the manager, or Imight contact my travel agent.

The second conditional does not refer to past time. We often use it when we imagine a different present or when we are not making a direct reference to time.

Example: If he was an animal, he would be a tiger.

The second conditional - form

a. A conditional sentence is usually composed of two parts – Thecondition and the consequence.

In the condition we usually use the past simple of the verb (was, had). In the consequence we use would + infinitive without to (would speak, would go):
Examples: 
If there was a problem with his room, he would speak to the manager.
If I had the money and also the time, I would go to New York.

We always separate the consequence and the condition with a comma, when we begin the sentence with the condition. When we begin the sentence with the consequence, we usually don’t use a comma.
Example: I would go to New York if I had the money and also the time.

b. The negative form of 'would' is 'wouldn't':
Example: If there was a problem with his room, he wouldn't contact his travel agent

c. When you make a question, you change the word order by moving 'would':
Examples: What would you do if there was a problem with your room?
If you had the money and also the time, where would you go?Would you contact your travel agent?
Would you visit the Statue of Liberty?

d. In short answers to yes/no questions, you use would or wouldn't?
Examples: Would you contact your travel agent? No, I wouldn't.Would you visit the Statue of Liberty? Yes, I would.

e. In spoken English, we usually use a contracted form of would: I would = I'd, he would = he'd etc.

f. It is possible, in the condition, to say both 'If I were you ...' and 'If I was you ...' 'If I were you ...' is the traditional and more formal form, but 'If I was you ...' is very common nowadays.

The third conditional

    

A conditional is used to talk about a possible or imaginary situation (the condition) and the consequences (or the result) of it.

The third conditional - meaning

We use the third conditional when we want to imagine a different past to that which actually occurred. In this episode of the flatmates, Sophie says the following to Alice.

"We wouldn't have had anywhere near such a good Christmas if you hadn't been there to cook the turkey!"

The real situation in the past was that Alice cooked the turkey and everybody had a good Christmas. When Sophie speaks, she imagines how the past would have been different, if Alice had not been there and had not cooked the turkey.

The third conditional gives the imaginary result, or consequence, of an unreal past.

The third conditional - form

A basic conditional sentence has two clauses, namely the condition and the consequence. In the following example, the condition is the first clause and the consequence is the second clause.

If you hadn't been there, we wouldn't have enjoyed Christmas so much.

For the condition: If + past perfect

For the consequence: would + have done (the perfect infinitive)

For example:

If we had left the house earlier, we would have caught the train.

If he hadn't been so lazy, he wouldn't have failed his exam.

It is possible to put the consequence before the condition. In that case, we do not usually separate the clauses with a comma.

We would have caught the train if we had left the house earlier.

He wouldn't have failed his exam if he hadn't been so lazy.

Would or might?

We use would to show that we are certain about the consequence. If we are not certain about the consequence we can use might.

If he had studied harder, he would have passed the exam.

If he had studied harder, he might have passed the exam.

If only ...

We often use 'if only + past perfect' to express a strong regret about the past.

If only I had studied harder.

The third conditional - a variation

The basic third conditional expresses an imagined past result of an unreal past condition.

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

In that situation, the reality is that the person did not study hard, and he or she failed the exam.

However, sometimes the imagined result could be true now, at the moment of speaking. For example,

If I hadn't gone to university, I wouldn't be a teacher now.

In that situation, the reality is that the person did go to university, and he or she is a teacher now.

If the imagined result, or consequence, could be true now, we use 'would do', not 'would have done'. But, because the condition is still an unreal past, we use the past perfect after 'if'.

If I hadn't gone to university, I wouldn't be a teacher now.

If Alice had stayed in the flat over Christmas, she wouldn't know Sophie.

Contractions

It is common to use contractions with this language, particularly when it is spoken.

If I'd studied harder, I'd have passed the exam

If we use the negative forms - hadn't, wouldn't - we do not usually contract 'had' and 'would'.

Vocabulary:

fireworks

explosive devices that create patterns of light in the sky, usually used at celebrations and big parties

to get to know someone

to meet someone and then become friends with them

turkey

a large bird that is often eaten for dinner at Christmas in the UK, and at Thanksgiving in the USA

mixed conditionals

When we talk about mixed conditionals, we are referring to conditional sentences that combine two different types of conditional patterns. These combinations are not all that frequent, but the most common combination is when we have a type 3 conditional in the if-clause (if + past perfect) followed by a type 2 conditional (would + infinitive) in the main clause.

mixed third / second conditional

With this combination we are contrasting an imagined or real event in the past with the present result of that. Consider these examples:

If he'd taken the medication as prescribed, he wouldn't still be lying sick in bed.

If she'd taken reasonable precautions, she wouldn't be pregnant now.

If he hadn't run after the car thief and suffered a heart attack, he'd probably be alive today.

Note that we can also convey the same idea of past event and present result by using type 3 conditional (if + past perfect, would've + past participle) in both clauses

If he'd taken the medication as the doctor ordered, he would've recovered by now.

If she'd taken reasonable precautions, she wouldn't have got herself pregnant.

If he hadn't run after the car thief and suffered a heart attack, he wouldn't have collapsed and died.

Note that we use this type of conditional when we regret past action or inaction.

mixed second / third conditional

The other possibility, though I think this is less common, is when we have a type 2 conditional in the if-clause (if + past simple) followed by a type 3 conditional (would've + past participle) in the main clause.

With this combination, we are describing ongoing circumstances in relation to a previous past event. Consider these examples:

If you weren't such a poor dancer, you would've got a job in the chorus line in that musical.

If you weren't so blind to his faults, you would've realised that he was out to swindle you.

He's old enough to come home by himself, but can you just see him across the busy road?

first conditional

if + present simple, will + infinitive:

If I wait for Jane, I'll be late for school

This is the pattern that we most frequently associate with the first conditional, referring to future possibility or probability. But note that other patterns are also possible: we can have a modal verb, typically can, may or should, in the if-clause or main clause, as well as going to future or present continuous future. Present perfect is also possible in the if-clause. Consider these examples:

If you can't understand the instructions, you'll never be able to assemble the wardrobe.

If I give you ten pounds, could you get me some wine at the supermarket?

If you've finished the work I gave you, you may go home now.

If the weather's good on Sunday, we're going to have a picnic in Hyde Park.

If you're going to write him a cheque, make sure there's enough money in your account to cover it.

If you're coming clubbing with us tonight, you'd better get ready now.

In this final example, note that had better is not a past tense. It refers to the immediate future and we use it to give strong advice as the preferred alternative to must, ought to or should.

if you should… / if you happen to…

Note that we use should in the if-clause in the first conditional if we want to suggest that something is very unlikely. We can use happen to in a similar way or even combine them:

If you should / happen to change your mind about coming to the beach tomorrow, give me a ring.

I don't expect him to, but if he should happen to show up, whatever you do, don't let him in!

...

inner city plural inner cities [countable]

the part near the middle of a city, especially where the buildings are in a bad condition and the people are poor:

the problems of our inner cities

tack‧le

1 [transitive] to try to deal with a difficult problem:

There is more than one way to tackle the problem.

It took twelve fire engines to tackle the blaze.

In addition to the decrease in housing prices banks should offer people affordable mortgages because they stopped doing it all of a sudden and now you need a bank endorsment.

decrease /dɪˈkriːs/ UK  US  verbo

1  [intransitivo] disminuir, bajar

2  [transitivo] reducir, disminuir

decrease /ˈdiːkriːs/ UK  US  sustantivo

descenso, disminución

a decrease in sth una disminución de/en algo

aim /eɪm/ UK  US  verbo & sustantivo

 •  verbo

1 to aim for/at sth aspirar a algo

She's aiming at a gold medal.

Aspira a una medalla de oro.

to aim to do sth proponerse hacer algo

2 to be aimed at sb estar dirigido -a a alguien, apuntar a alguien

ads aimed at children

anuncios dirigidos a los niños

3 to be aimed at doing sth tener como objetivo hacer algo

4  [transitivo/intransitivo] apuntar [con un arma, una piedra, etc.]

He  aimed  the gun  at  my head.

Me apuntó a la cabeza con la pistola.

5  [transitivo] tirar, tratar de dar [un puñetazo, un golpe]

 •  sustantivo

1 objetivo, propósito

2 puntería

to take aim apuntar [con un arma]

ADJECTIVES – MODIFYING COMPARISONS.

My car is much better than yours.

My car is far more expensive than yours.

My car is a lot bigger than yours.

My car is a bit noisier than yours.

My car is less comfortable than yours.

My car is just as good as yours.

My car is not as nice as it was when I bought it.

Cars are not quite as expensive as they used to be.

This make wasn’t nearly as popular those days.

My car is nowhere near as good as yours.

There weren’t as many cars those days.

There were far fewer cars in the past.

More and more people have 2 cars today.

Fewer and fewer people think that petrol is the future.