Citizens Of The World

Lesson 2 – Language: Second Conditional

Outcomes

* I can recognise the second conditional.

* I can talk about hypothetical situations.
* I can form and use the second conditional.

Vocabulary

Activity 1. Underline the word which forms a common collocation. The first one has been done for
you.

1. Two men, disguised/transformed as homeless people, overpowered staff in the busy cafeteria
where they went to beg for money, and detonated a bomb.
2. The attack extensively/widely damaged the 500-year-old buildings in the area.
3. A man has been detained/arrested for questioning.
4. A ten year-old boy is the one/sole survivor of the bomb attack.
5. He was taken to the General Hospital where his health/condition was described as
‘critical/perilous’.
6. The government spokesperson refused/declined to speak about/comment on the matter.
7. They did however, set up/appoint a committee to analyse the situation and the findings/results
are due for publication later this month.
8. A local non-governmental organisation agreed that these attacks are becoming a problem that
must be removed/tackled at once.
9. A spokesperson for the organisation said, “We know who is responsible, but we must be very
careful with sensitive/difficult issues such as this, to avoid giving offence.”

Activity 2. Complete each sentence with one of the words from the box. The first one has been
done for you.

conditions evidence knowledge position point

responsibility confidence incident opinion prospect

1. With the change in government, there is little prospect of further funding of global action.
2. After heavy rain, conditions for travel by humanitarian aid crews were hazardous.
3. It is common knowledge that the CEO of the humanitarian organisation intends to retire at the
end of the year.
4. A protester and a by-stander were involved in an ugly incident after the latter shouted offensive
comments in the direction of the former.
5. The minister has made her position very clear in terms of securing funds to help world poverty.
6. The world’s leading governments are on the verge of reaching an agreement on a global plan of
action.
7. Whether the country deserves foreign help or not is a matter of opinion, in my view.
8. I have every confidence that the NGOs are working for the benefit of the local community.
9. There is no concrete evidence of misappropriation of funds.

Ms N. Vassallo Year 10
10. The terrorist group has disclaimed responsibility for the damage, blaming it on a few members
acting independently of it.

Activity 3. Complete each space in the text with a word formed from the words in brackets. The
first one has been done for you.

Press (1) speculation (speculate) continues over whether the Prime Minister is on the point of calling
a General Election. An (2) announcement (announce) is expected shortly from government (3)
headquarters (head). Political (4) analysts (analyse) believe that the (5) timing (time) of an election is
crucial to the (6) survival (survive) of the government. Michael Turner of the ‘News Today’
commented: “We’ve had repeated (7) assurances (sure) from the Prime Minister that no election
would be called this year, but present circumstances may just cause him to change his mind.” Six
months ago this would have been (8) unthinkable (think). An election would have been (9) political
(politics) suicide, and would certainly have led to the (10) downfall (down) of the government. The
government was coming in for severe (11) criticism (critic) because of its lack of gender equality
policy. It was also widely attacked for its (12) disastrous (disaster) refusal to commit to reduce
carbon (13) emissions (emit) by 2025 like all other countries. Also under scrutiny is its (14) failure
(fail) to address the problem of (15) unemployment (employ). But according to recent opinion polls,
the electorate is impressed at the way the PM has restored party (16) unity (unite) and (17)
overcome (come) the internal divisions which were threatening to rip the party apart. Michael
Turner comments: “There would be some (18) justification (justify) in calling an election pretty soon.
In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if it happens within the next day or two.”

adapted from Advanced Language Practice, 2003 Macmillan

Activity 7. Write two sentences using the information. The first should express a likely event and
the second a less likely event. The first one has been done for you.

1. we leave at eight / we arrive on time

likely: If we leave at eight, we’ll arrive on time.

less likely: If we left at eight, we’d arrive on time.

2. am not busy / come and help you out at the fund raising event

likely: If I am not busy, I’ll/I will come and help you out at the fund raising event.

less likely: If I were not busy, I’d/I would come and help you at the fund raising event.

3. everybody work harder / project be ready in under a year

likely: If everybody works harder, the project will be ready in under a year.

less likely: If everybody worked harder, the project would be ready in under a year.

4. I stand in a crowd for long periods / my back start to hurt

likely: If I stand in a crowd for long periods, my back will start to hurt.

less likely: If I stood in a crowd for long periods, my back would start to hurt.

5. a global issue is not challenging / it be tackled easily

Ms N. Vassallo Year 10
 likely: If a global issue is not challenging, it will be tackled easily.

less likely: If a global issue were not challenging, it would be tackled easily.

Activity 8. Complete the second sentence so that it is as similar in meaning as possible to the first
sentence, using the word given. Do not change the word given.

1. The organisation takes forever to reply to messages because it doesn’t have a secretary. Not

If the organisation had a secretary, it would not take forever to reply to messages.

2. Give us your vote and we promise to make this country great again. long

We’ll make this country great again as long as you give us your vote.

3. There will be no more unemployment if we win the elections. jobs

If we come to power, there will be jobs for everybody.

4. We will build more schools if we can afford to. provided

Provided we have enough money, we will build more schools.

5. They won’t let you in without a ticket. unless

You can’t get in unless you have a ticket.

6. Bring your rain jacket because a storm is possible. case

Bring your rain jacket in case there is a storm.

Ms N. Vassallo Year 10