FIRST AND SECOND CONDITIONAL

….FIRS CONDITIONAL

Mr. Peter Johnstone and his assistant are talking about how to improve meetings in
the company. They are trying to come up with some new ideas.
They are discussing how they run meetings to get better results and not to waste
valuable time.

They got to the conclusion that:

 employees sometimes find meeting boring and unproductive.
 meetings last too long.
 there are too many participants in each meeting.
 meetings are called on a routine basis and lose their point.
 employees attend meeting unprepared because they are called without enough
time in advance..
 unsuccessful meetings never lead to action.
 the chairperson doesn’t circulate the minutes after the meeting.
 there are too many shy participants.
 there are too many negative critical comments.
 there are people who talk long and dominate the meeting.
 some participants usually arrive late.
 there isn’t effective communication .
 they usually run meetings in the evenings
 they call a meeting unnecessarily.

Now…Let’s see how they negotiate to have better productive meetings!!

1.- If meetings are motivating, people will not find them boring and unproductive.

2.- If meetings don’t last unnecessarily too long, people will not waste their time at
work.
3.-.-If we invite too many participants, emotional undercurrents will increase.

4.- If meetings aren’t called on a routine basis, they won’t lose their point.

5.- If meetings are called with enough time in advance, people will attend meetings
prepared.

6.- Meetings will lead to action if they are successful.

7.- If the chairperson doesn’t circulate the minutes after the meeting, people won’t
have a written record of the new decisions.

8.- If we draw out shy participants, they will feel more confident and relaxed.

9.- If there aren’t some many negative critical comments, participants will put
forward their ideas freely.

10.- If a participant doesn’t dominate the meeting, everybody will be able to talk.

The 1st Conditional IF is used to speculate about the future consequences of a

specific event

 When you negotiate a POSSIBLE and PROBABLE situation we use IF,

because there is a condition (IF sentence) and, a consequence (main
sentence). The situation usually happens or is likely to happen, that’s
why we say it is POSSIBLE and PROBABLE.
IF can be at the beginning of the sentence or at mid position.

IF + SIMPLE PRESENT + , (coma) + SIMPLE FUTURE

SIMPLE FUTURE + IF + SIMPLE PRESENT

Of course, you can use conditional type I either in affirmative, negative or

interrogative form.

 We can also use can, should, may, might, must or an imperative.

 “Phone me if you want anything”.
“If you want to raise money, you can invest in the Stock Exchange”

 We use the 2 nd
conditional to talk about an action or situation in the present or
the future which is improbable, hypothetical or imaginary. It´s unlikely to happen.

If I had more money , I´d invest it in the Stock Exchange.

If + Simple Past , + Conditional (would/wouldn´t)

 We can also use could or might.

You might get a better job if you trained in computing.

When the verb “to be” is used in the IF-sentence, we generally use WERE
instead of WAS, especially after “I”.

If I were the owner of your company, I would invest in new markets.

We often use the expression “If I were you” for giving someone advice.

If I were you, I would take traveller´s cheques rather than cash.

LET ‘S HAVE SOME PRACTICE!!!!!

 Talking about a possible future action or situation!!

 Anna is going to London for an interview for her first job. She is
worried. She is thinking of possible problems.
 What does she ask herself?

 I might not get there on time. What will I do if..........................

.........................................................................................................

 My train might be late. What will I do if....................................

.........................................................................................................

 I might not be able to get a taxi...................................................

.........................................................................................................

 The interviewer might not like me. .............................................

..........................................................................................................

 He might ask difficult questions. ...............................................

..........................................................................................................

 They might not offer me the job. ................................................

..........................................................................................................

NEGOTIATING OR HYPOTHESIZING?
Put the verbs in brackets in the correct tense

1.- If it…………………………….(rain) this weekend, we………………………………….(not be able) to

play tennis.

2.- Give me Peter’s letter. If I………………….………………….(see) him, I………………………………….

(give) it to him.

3.- I have to work about 80 hours a week, so I’m very busy. But if I…………………………………
(have) any spare time, I………………………….(take up) a sport like golf.

4.- If I…………………………………(be) taller, I ………………………………….(can) be a policeman, but

I’m too short.

5.- Pleas start your meal. If you ………………………………….(not have) your soup now, it
…………………………………………(go) cold.

6.- What noisy neighbours you’ve got! If my neighbours…………………………….(be) as bad as

yours, I……………………………………..(go) crazy.

7.- If you…………………………………………..(have) any problems, let me know and

I……………………………………..(come) and help you straight away.

8.- You’re a brilliant cook! If I……………………………………….(can) cook as well as you,

I…………………………………………(open) a restaurant.

9.- If there……………………………(be) some nice fish in the supermarket,

…………………………….you………………………………(buy) some for supper?

10.- “We have mice in the kitchen.”

“If you…………………………………………(have) a cat, the mice………………………….
soon…………………………..(disappear).

 Match the beginnings of the sentences to the correct

endings, to make logical conditional sentences.
1. If I were taller, a. … if I thought he really loved me.

2. I'd buy a new computer… b. … you lost your job?

3. How would you feel if… c. … if you apologized.

4. If you could visit any country in the world, d. … I'd come to the party with you

5. He'd be really upset… e. … if he knew about the theft

6. I'd marry him tomorrow… f. … I wouldn't have to wear high

heeled shoes.

7. I'd forgive you… g. … if I had enough money

8. If I didn't feel so ill, h. … where would you go?