E7 E - Conditionals in a decision challenge

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E7 E - Conditionals in a decision challenge

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Einleitung

One decision. Different consequences. Imagine your class has one free afternoon. You can choose one activity, but every choice changes what happens next. Your challenge is to discuss the options and make a decision in English.

Mini-description: Solve a fictional decision challenge. Use the first conditional for realistic future consequences and simple second conditional structures for hypothetical alternatives.

Level: English as a first foreign language, Year 7, Baden-Württemberg, E level.

All people and situations in this course are fictional. You do not need to share private information, social-media data or recordings. If you record your voice, keep the recording private unless you actively choose another safe option.

I can ...

1. I can understand the main idea of short texts and videos about choices and consequences.
2. I can use if + present simple and will + infinitive for realistic future results.
3. I can use simple if + past simple and would + infinitive patterns for hypothetical alternatives.
4. I can give reasons, react to another idea and help a group make a decision.
5. I can check and improve my own English after feedback.

Before you start

Look at the crossroads picture again.

Say or write two quick ideas:

1. What can happen if you choose the left road?
2. What would you do if both roads looked interesting?

Try first. Do not look for a perfect sentence yet.

Hint: Use If ..., ....

Deutsch-Hilfe nur wenn nötig: Beim Conditional I geht es meist um eine realistische Möglichkeit. Beim Conditional II stellst Du Dir eine eher hypothetische Alternative vor.

Notice: choices create consequences

A decision can work like a flowchart:

condition → consequence

If the weather stays dry, we will go outside.

The weather is not certain, but the result is a realistic future possibility.

If we had more time, we would visit two places.

We do not have more time. The sentence imagines a different situation.

Functional grammar

Purpose	Pattern	Example
Realistic future consequence	If + present simple, will + infinitive	If it rains, we will choose the indoor plan.
Hypothetical present or future alternative	If + past simple, would + infinitive	If we had more money, we would book the workshop.

Important: Do not normally use will directly after if in these basic Conditional-I sentences.

Useful E-level form: If I were you, I would ...

Quick try

Complete the ideas before checking the model.

1. If our team chooses the park, we ...
2. If it rains, we ...
3. If we had £20 more, we ...
4. If I were the team leader, I ...

Possible feedback:

1. Conditional I: Did you use present simple after if and will in the result?
2. Conditional II: Did you use a past form after if and would in the result?
3. Meaning first: Does your sentence show a realistic result or a hypothetical alternative?

Listening and Viewing

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Fortfahren Ausblenden

First viewing: Watch for the big idea. Do not stop for every unknown word.

Choose:

1. Conditionals connect a condition and a result.
2. Conditionals are only used for past events.
3. Conditionals are only used in formal writing.

Second viewing: Listen for examples of real and imaginary situations. Write down one example pattern, not the full video.

Try → check → improve: Compare your note with the grammar table above.

Focus on Conditional I

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Fortfahren Ausblenden

Before watching, predict: What tense comes after if in a basic first conditional?

After watching, make one new sentence about tomorrow: If ..., I will ...

Mini-feedback: If your if clause contains will, check the pattern once more.

Reading: The Friday Challenge

Three fictional Year-7 students are planning a class activity. They have three hours and a budget of £45. They must choose one plan.

Plan	Good point	Problem
Riverside photo walk	free and creative	bad weather could stop it
Indoor climbing taster	active and exciting	costs £40
School podcast studio	creative and indoors	only one microphone is available

Ava: “If we choose the photo walk, we will have more money for snacks. But if it rains, the photos may be difficult.”

Noah: “I like climbing. If we book it, we will use almost all our budget. If we had more money, I would choose climbing and snacks.”

Leila: “The podcast could work in any weather. If we use the studio, we will need a clear plan because one microphone is not much.”

Reading check

1. Which plan is free?
2. Which plan uses almost all the budget?
3. Why does the podcast need good organisation?
4. Find one Conditional-I sentence.
5. Find one Conditional-II sentence.

Hint 1: Scan the table first.

Hint 2: Look for if, then identify the verb form.

Deutsch-Hilfe nur wenn nötig: Suche zuerst die Bedingung. Prüfe dann, ob die Folge realistisch oder nur vorgestellt ist.

Vocabulary in context

Do not learn a long word list. Use the words inside decisions.

Word or phrase	Meaning in the challenge	Example
budget	money available for the plan	Our budget is £45.
consequence	what happens because of a choice	One consequence is higher cost.
option	one possible choice	We have three options.
realistic	possible in the real situation	Rain is a realistic problem.
hypothetical	imagined, not the real situation now	More money is hypothetical.
agree	have the same opinion	I agree because the plan is flexible.
disagree	have a different opinion	I disagree because it is too expensive.
compromise	a solution between different ideas	Our compromise is the podcast plus snacks.

Pronunciation

Clarity is more important than sounding like a native speaker.

Practise these chunks:

1. If we choose ...
2. we will ...
3. If we had ...
4. we would ...
5. I agree because ...
6. What if ...?

Say a full conditional sentence in one smooth thought. Give a little stress to the key information:

If it rains, we will choose the studio.

Private practice: You may record yourself on your own device, listen once and delete the recording. Recording is optional. Do not upload it unless you have deliberately chosen a safe, permitted place.

Speaking: The decision challenge

Work in a group of three or four. Your task is to choose one Friday plan.

Round 1 – Suggest:

1. Give one option and one Conditional-I consequence.
2. React to another speaker.
3. Ask one What if ...? question.

Round 2 – Change the situation: Your teacher gives you one imaginary change: more money, less time, perfect weather or two microphones.

Use one Conditional-II sentence: If we had ..., we would ...

Round 3 – Decide: Give your final decision in two or three sentences. Include one reason and one consequence.

Useful interaction: I see your point, but ... I agree because ... What if it rains? If that happens, we will ... If we had more time, we would ...

Direct feedback

After the discussion, a partner gives only two comments:

1. One thing that worked: “Your consequence was clear.”
2. One next step: “Check the verb after if.”

Then say one improved sentence immediately.

Writing: Decision message

Write a short message of about 70–90 words to your fictional class team.

Include:

1. your preferred option,
2. two Conditional-I sentences,
3. one simple Conditional-II alternative,
4. one reason,
5. one final recommendation.

Do not let AI replace your text. If you use a digital language tool, compare its suggestion with the patterns in this course. Keep your own ideas and check whether the language is really suitable for Year 7.

Mediation mini-task

A German-speaking classmate asks what your group decided.

Explain the key decision in simple English. You do not need to translate every German word.

German note: Wir nehmen den Podcast. Bei Regen können wir trotzdem arbeiten. Mit mehr Geld würden wir aber vielleicht klettern gehen.

Your English should communicate the main meaning, not copy the German sentence structure.

Mini-transfer

New situation: Your class trip train may be late.

Create:

1. one realistic consequence with Conditional I,
2. one hypothetical alternative with Conditional II,
3. one short question for a partner.

Example start: If the train is late, ... If we had a bus, ...

Controlled E outlook

You may later meet sentences about an unreal past choice:

If we had chosen the other plan, we would have spent more money.

This uses a past perfect form. For this course, you only need to notice the pattern. You do not need to produce it freely yet.

Self-check: Can I do it?

Choose Yes / Almost / Not yet.

1. I can tell the difference between a realistic and a hypothetical condition.
2. I can build a basic Conditional-I sentence.
3. I can build a simple Conditional-II sentence.
4. I can use conditionals to explain consequences in a real discussion.
5. I can react to another idea and improve one sentence after feedback.

If you chose Almost or Not yet, return to one short section, retry one sentence and check again.

Interaktive Aufgaben

Quiz: Teste Dein Wissen

Which sentence is a correct basic first conditional? (If it rains, we will stay inside.) (!If it will rain, we stay inside.) (!If it rained, we will stay inside.) (!If it rains, we would stayed inside.)

What does the first conditional usually express in this course? (A realistic future possibility and its consequence) (!A finished event in the distant past) (!A fact with no condition) (!A command without a result)

Which sentence is a simple second conditional? (If we had more money, we would book the workshop.) (!If we have more money, we will book the workshop.) (!If we had more money, we will book the workshop.) (!If we will have more money, we book the workshop.)

Which verb form normally follows if in a basic first conditional? (Present simple) (!Will plus infinitive) (!Past perfect) (!Present perfect only)

Which word best describes a second-conditional situation here? (Hypothetical) (!Certain) (!Finished) (!Reported)

Which sentence gives a realistic consequence of choosing the climbing plan? (If we book climbing, we will use almost all the budget.) (!If we booked climbing, we would have more microphones.) (!If we will book climbing, we use the budget.) (!If we had booked climbing, we are climbing now.)

Which response helps an English discussion continue? (I see your point, but the studio is more flexible.) (!Studio flexible yes.) (!No because no.) (!Your idea wrong.)

What is the best first step when a listening text feels fast? (Listen for the main idea first.) (!Translate every word immediately.) (!Stop after every sentence.) (!Ignore the context.)

Which sentence correctly uses would? (If we had two microphones, we would work faster.) (!If we have two microphones, we would worked faster.) (!If we would have two microphones, we work faster.) (!If we had two microphones, we will worked faster.)

What should you do after useful language feedback? (Use it to improve one sentence.) (!Delete all your own ideas.) (!Replace your whole text automatically.) (!Ignore the meaning and only count mistakes.)

Memory

first conditional	realistic future consequence
second conditional	hypothetical alternative
budget	money available
compromise	solution between different ideas
consequence	result of a choice
option	possible choice

Drag and Drop

Ordne die richtigen Begriffe zu.	Thema
realistic future	Conditional I
hypothetical alternative	Conditional II
present simple after if	basic Conditional I form
would plus infinitive	basic Conditional II result
improve one sentence	feedback step

Kreuzworträtsel

budget	What word means the money available for a plan?
option	What word means one possible choice?
consequence	What word means the result of a decision?
realistic	What word describes a possible real future situation?
hypothetical	What word describes an imagined alternative?
compromise	What word means a solution between different ideas?

Lückentext

Vervollständige den Text.

In a basic first conditional, the if-clause usually uses the . The result clause often uses plus an infinitive. We use this pattern for a future possibility and its consequence. In a simple second conditional, the if-clause uses a form. The result often contains plus an infinitive. This pattern helps us talk about a alternative. During a discussion, a useful response can begin with . After feedback, you should one sentence and try again.

Offene Aufgaben

Leicht

1. Conditional photo caption: Choose a free Wikimedia Commons photo and write two Conditional-I captions about what may happen next.
2. Decision cards: Make three small option cards for a fictional class decision. Add one realistic consequence to each card.
3. What if question: Write five short What if ...? questions for a partner and answer two of them.
4. Private pronunciation check: Read three conditional sentences aloud, listen to yourself privately if you want, and improve one sentence for clarity.

Standard

1. Decision dialogue: Write and perform a short dialogue in which two fictional students compare two options and reach a compromise.
2. Mini decision poster: Design a one-page decision poster with conditions, consequences and one hypothetical alternative.
3. Listening detective: Watch one embedded grammar video again and collect three useful sentence patterns. Use each pattern in a new context.
4. Mediation choice: Turn a short German decision note into a clear English message without translating word for word.

Schwer

1. Decision pitch: Give a one-minute presentation that recommends one plan and responds to one possible objection.
2. Perspective switch: Argue first for one option and then for a different option. Use conditionals to make both positions understandable.
3. Constraint challenge: Invent a decision with three limits such as time, cost and weather. Let another group solve it in English.
4. Feedback redesign: Take an early version of your decision text, mark two language problems, improve them and explain what changed.

Lernkontrolle

1. Transfer to a new situation: A school event must move because of bad weather. Explain two realistic consequences and one hypothetical alternative.
2. Compare meanings: Explain the difference in meaning between “If we choose the studio, we will record a podcast” and “If we had a bigger studio, we would invite another group.”
3. Decision under pressure: Choose between two fictional plans with limited time and money. Justify your decision with at least three connected sentences.
4. Error repair: Correct the sentence “If it will rain, we would stay inside” in two different ways so that one version is Conditional I and one is Conditional II.
5. Perspective and response: Write a short exchange in which one speaker disagrees politely, gives a consequence and then accepts a compromise.
6. Feedback transfer: Improve a short conditional paragraph after receiving the comment “Check the verb after if” and explain the change in one sentence.

Lernnachweis

For a successful learning record, show that you can:

1. distinguish a realistic condition from a hypothetical alternative,
2. use the basic Conditional-I pattern accurately,
3. use a simple Conditional-II pattern accurately,
4. connect a choice with a clear consequence,
5. give a reason and react to another point of view,
6. improve your language after feedback,
7. transfer the patterns to a new decision situation.

No external upload is required for the learning record.

Verknüpfte Lernbereiche

Conditionals Conditional I Conditional II Hörverstehen Englisch Leseverstehen Englisch Sprechen Englisch Schreiben Englisch Sprachmittlung Englisch Englische Grammatik Entscheidungen begründen

Folgekurs

Continue with Giving reasons and reacting to opinions. Use your conditionals again, but focus more strongly on discussion, reasons and short presentations.