LEVEL: 3

SUITABLE FOR: ALL

Language function:
Vocabulary area:
Grammar focus:

Listening Comprehension
Relationships
Mixed Conditionals

WHITE FLAG

STUDENT WORKSHEET

ACTIVITY 1

All relationships go through several stages. Put the following expressions in the order
which would reflect your recent relationship.
get to know each other
?? fall in love
?? get engaged
?? get married
?? have children
?? meet for the first time
?? break up
?? get divorced
?? go out together
?? start arguing
??

ACTIVITY 2

White flag is a song dealing with problems in a relationship. What, do you think, are the
most common reasons for breaking up?

ACTIVITY 3

Listen to the song and find out who is to blame for this particular relationship to be on
the rocks: the singer or her partner? What makes you think so? Look at the lyrics on
the next page to find the proof.

english-4U: SEPTEMBER 2004

White Flag - Dido Album:Life For Rent

I know you think that I shouldn't still love
you,
I'll tell you that.
But if I didn't say it, well I'd still have felt it
where's the sense in that?
I promise I'm not trying to make your life
harder
Or return to where we were
Well I will go down with this ship
And I won't put my hands up and
surrender
There will be no white flag above my door
I'm in love and always will be
I know I left too much mess and
destruction to come back again
And I caused but nothing but trouble
I understand if you can't talk to me again
And if you live by the rules of 'it's over'
then I'm sure that that makes sense
I will go down with this ship
And I won't put my hands up and
surrender
There will be no white flag above my door
I'm in love and always will be

And when we meet

Which I'm sure we will
All that was then
Will be there still
I'll let it pass
And hold my tongue
And you will think
That I've moved on....
I will go down with this ship
And I won't put my hands up and
surrender
There will be no white flag above my door
I'm in love and always will be
I will go down with this ship
And I won't put my hands up and
surrender
There will be no white flag above my door
I'm in love and always will be
I will go down with this ship
And I won't put my hands up and
surrender
There will be no white flag above my door
I'm in love and always will be

GRAMMAR FOCUS MIXED CONDITIONALS

ACTIVITY 4

Look at the sentence taken from the song:

If I didnt say it, Id still have felt it.

Does the condition included in the if-clause refer to the past or the present?
Does the main clause Id still have felt it refer to the past or the present?

The sentence is an example of a Mixed Conditional

sentence. We can mix Conditional Sentences Type 2 and
Type 3. Look at the examples:

english-4U: SEPTEMBER 2004

If you hadnt forgotten an umbrella, we would not be wet.

The meaning: We are wet now because you forgot to take an umbrella.

If you had tidied up your room, it would look much better now.
The meaning: The room does not look very good because you did not tidy it up.

If you were a woman, you would have got a job as a nanny.

The meaning: you are not a woman so you did not get a job as a nunny

If Josh werent so lazy, he would have passed the exam.

The meaning: Josh is lazy and thats why he did not pass the exam

ACTIVITY 5

Comment on each situation using mixed conditional sentences:

1. We did not plan the trip, so we are in a mess now.

.
2. Harry is very busy, so he did not have holidays last summer.

.
3. Linda is very boring, so Peter did not want to go out with her.

.
4. Trevor and Hanna met on the train two years ago and they are married now.

.
5. John found an interesting job advert a few weeks ago and now he works in
the City.

.
6. Brian is not very sensible and he did not wear a suit to the inverview.

.
english-4U: SEPTEMBER 2004