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E7 E - Conditional II – Imaginary situations

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E7 E - Conditional II – Imaginary situations

Mini-description: Imagine, choose, explain. In this aiMOOC, you use simple Conditional-II sentences for imaginary wishes and situations. You ask and answer questions such as What would you do if …? The course is for Klasse 7, E-Niveau, Englisch als erste Fremdsprache, Baden-Württemberg.

Datei:QuestionMark.png

Look at the picture. Think first. What question could the green question mark stand for?

Try: What would you do if you had one free day with no homework?

Need help? Denk an eine erfundene oder eher unwahrscheinliche Situation. Antworte zuerst kurz auf Englisch.

I can

I can …	Check
ask an imaginary question with What would you do if …?	☐
build a sentence with if + simple past and would + verb	☐
talk about imaginary wishes, choices and situations	☐
listen for the main idea and useful conditional phrases	☐
give a short reason for my answer	☐

Before you start

You already know the simple past and common verbs such as go, have, be, buy, meet, live, help.

Quick try: Finish the sentence in your head: Yesterday I had … Now change the idea: If I had more time, I would …

Notice: imaginary situations

Read these examples.

If I had more time, I would learn the guitar.

If we lived near the sea, we would go swimming every day.

If I were you, I would talk to the teacher.

The situation is not presented as a real plan. It is imaginary, hypothetical or unlikely.

If-part	Result-part
if + simple past	would + base verb
If I had more time,	I would read more.
If Mia lived in London,	she would visit museums.

Short form: would → 'd; would not → wouldn't.

Important for this course: Do not put would directly after if in the normal pattern.

Useful chunk: If I were you, I would … is common for giving advice.

Watch and notice

First viewing – gist: What is the video mainly about: real facts, imaginary situations or past news?

Second viewing – notice: Listen for if, would and If I were you. You do not need to understand every word.

Try after watching: Say one new example aloud.

Need help? Achte beim zweiten Hören nur auf die Satzbausteine, nicht auf jedes einzelne Wort.

Understand: one idea, two parts

A conditional sentence connects a condition and a result.

If I found €50 in the street, I would take it to the police.

Condition: If I found €50 in the street

Result: I would take it to the police

You can also change the order:

I would take it to the police if I found €50 in the street.

When the if-part comes first, use a comma.

Try: quick choices

Complete the ideas orally before you look at any help.

If I could fly, I would …

If our class had a free afternoon, we would …

If I met my favourite sports star, I would …

If I were invisible for one hour, I would …

Hint words: visit, ask, help, explore, travel, play, talk, take, learn.

Vocabulary in context

Read the mini-dialogue.

Nina: What would you do if you could travel anywhere?

Leo: I would go to Canada because I love nature.

Nina: Would you travel alone?

Leo: No. If my best friend came with me, it would be more fun.

Useful words and phrases:

English	Meaning in context
anywhere	an jeden Ort
alone	allein
choose	auswählen
probably	wahrscheinlich
maybe	vielleicht
because	weil
in my opinion	meiner Meinung nach
I think …	ich denke …

Try: Replace Canada with your own place and give one reason.

Listening and viewing challenge

Watch a short part first.

Listen for one sentence with if.
Listen for one form with would.
Pause and repeat one sentence.
Create a similar sentence about your life.

Challenge: Can you explain the main rule in one English sentence?

German help if needed: Im if-Satz steht hier die Vergangenheitsform, obwohl du über eine gedachte Gegenwart oder Zukunft sprichst.

Reading: The perfect free Saturday?

A fictional profile

Maya is 13 and lives in a busy town. She likes basketball, drawing and meeting friends. On Saturdays, she often has plans with her family.

Maya says: “If I had a completely free Saturday, I would sleep a little longer. Then I would meet my friends in the park. If the weather were bad, we would watch a film at home. I would also try a new recipe because I like cooking. If I had enough time, I would draw a comic in the evening.”

Read and answer:

What would Maya do in the park?
What would she do if the weather were bad?
Why would she try a new recipe?
Which of Maya's ideas would you choose? Give a reason.

Pronunciation: would and rhythm

In natural speech, would is often unstressed. The important information words are stronger.

What WOULD you DO if you HAD more TIME?

I’d GO to the BEACH.

Read both lines twice: first slowly, then naturally.

Goal: Be easy to understand. You do not need to copy one special accent.

Speaking: What would you do if …?

Work with a partner. Ask at least four questions.

What would you do if …

… you won a free trip?

… you could change one school rule?

… you had a robot for one day?

… you could learn one skill instantly?

… your friend felt nervous before a test?

After each answer, ask one follow-up question: Why?, Who with?, Where? or What next?

Feedback: Listen for two things: if + simple past and would + verb. Then say one thing that worked and one small improvement.

Mini discussion

Choose one imaginary situation:

If our class had €500 for one project, what would we do with it?

Give one idea, one reason and one response to another person.

Useful phrases:

I would … because …

That sounds good, but I would …

I agree because …

I’m not sure. Maybe we would …

Writing: My imaginary day

Write 6–8 sentences about one imaginary day.

Start with:

If I had one day to do anything I wanted, …

Use at least three conditional-II sentences and two reasons with because.

Check your draft:

Check	Yes / not yet
I used if + simple past.	☐
I used would + base verb.	☐
My ideas connect clearly.	☐
I checked common verb forms.	☐

Improve one sentence after feedback.

Mediation

Your English-speaking exchange partner asks about a fictional school project. You get this German information:

Die Klasse hätte einen freien Projekttag. Die Schülerinnen und Schüler dürften selbst entscheiden. Einige möchten einen Sporttag, andere einen Umwelttag.

Explain the situation in simple English. Then add one personal idea with Conditional II.

Do not translate every word. Pass on the important meaning.

Functional grammar

Use Conditional II when you want to talk about an imagined, unreal or rather unlikely present/future situation.

Pattern:

If + simple past, would + base verb

Examples:

If I knew the answer, I would tell you.

If Sam had a bike, he would cycle to school.

If we were in London, we would visit a museum.

Questions:

What would you do if you found a wallet?

Where would you live if you could choose any place?

Negatives:

If I had less homework, I wouldn't stay inside all afternoon.

If it rained all weekend, we wouldn't go camping.

Common mistakes and direct feedback

Not for this pattern	Better	Why?
If I would have more time, I would read.	If I had more time, I would read.	Use simple past after if.
If I had more time, I will read.	If I had more time, I would read.	Use would in the result-part.
If I were rich, I would bought a bike.	If I were rich, I would buy a bike.	After would, use the base verb.

Feedback routine: Find the if-part → check the past form → find the result-part → check would + base verb → read the whole sentence for meaning.

E-lookout: later grammar

You may sometimes hear sentences such as If I had known, I would have helped. This looks back at an imaginary past situation. It is not the main target of this course. You will practise this later.

Digital and media safety

Record your speaking only if you want to. Keep recordings private unless you and your teacher have agreed otherwise. Do not upload personal data or recordings without permission.

If you use AI for feedback, check whether the language really matches your level and the grammar target. Use feedback to improve your own text, not to replace it.

Mini transfer

Choose a new situation that did not appear above.

What would you do if your town gave teenagers one empty building for a year?

Prepare a 30–45 second answer. Include one idea, one reason and one possible problem.

Then improve your answer after one piece of feedback and say it again.

Self-Check: Can I do it?

Statement	Yes	Almost	Not yet
I can ask a What would you do if …? question.	☐	☐	☐
I can answer with would + base verb.	☐	☐	☐
I can use a simple-past form after if.	☐	☐	☐
I can give a reason and react to another idea.	☐	☐	☐
I can correct one typical conditional mistake.	☐	☐	☐

Use again: Pick one item marked Almost or Not yet. Return to the matching section and make one new example.

Interaktive Aufgaben

Quiz: Teste Dein Wissen

Which sentence is a correct Conditional II sentence? (If I had more time, I would read more.) (!If I would have more time, I read more.) (!If I have more time, I would read more.) (!If I had more time, I will read more.)

Which form normally follows if in this course? (simple past) (!will future) (!would plus verb) (!present perfect)

Which form normally appears in the result-part? (would plus base verb) (!would plus simple past) (!will plus base verb) (!did plus base verb)

Choose the correct sentence. (If I were you, I would ask for help.) (!If I would be you, I ask for help.) (!If I am you, I would ask for help.) (!If I were you, I would asked for help.)

What is the best answer to What would you do if you found a wallet? (I would take it to the police.) (!I take it yesterday.) (!I will found a wallet.) (!I would took it home.)

Which question is correct? (What would you do if you could fly?) (!What did you would do if you fly?) (!What would you did if you could fly?) (!What will you do if you could flew?)

Which sentence uses the base verb correctly after would? (I would visit my friend.) (!I would visited my friend.) (!I would visits my friend.) (!I would visiting my friend.)

Which sentence talks about an imaginary situation? (If I lived by the sea, I would swim every day.) (!I live by the sea every day.) (!I swam yesterday.) (!I am swimming now.)

Which negative sentence is correct? (If it rained, we wouldn't go outside.) (!If it rained, we don't would go outside.) (!If it would rain, we wouldn't went outside.) (!If it rained, we wouldn't went outside.)

What is a useful follow-up question after an imaginary answer? (Why would you do that?) (!Did you yesterday?) (!Are you past?) (!Would you did that?)

Memory

imaginary situation	a situation you imagine
if-clause	simple past
result-clause	would plus base verb
wouldn't	would not
If I were you	useful advice phrase
follow-up question	Why

Drag and Drop

Ordne die richtigen Begriffe zu.	Thema
had	If I ___ more time
would travel	I ___ around the world
were	If I ___ you
would help	I ___ my friend
could choose	If we ___ any place

...

Kreuzworträtsel

would	Which modal verb is central in the result-part?
hypothetical	Which English word means imagined rather than presented as real?
infinitive	Which verb form follows would without to?
were	Which form appears in the phrase If I ___ you?
condition	What does the if-part express?
result	What does the second part of the sentence express?

LearningApps

Lückentext

Offene Aufgaben

Leicht

Imaginary wish: Write three sentences beginning with If I had … and finish them with I would ….
Question cards: Create four What would you do if …? cards for a partner.
Picture prompt: Choose one copyright-safe picture and say two imaginary sentences about it.
Pronunciation practice: Read three conditional sentences aloud twice and mark the words you want to stress.

Standard

Partner interview: Ask a partner five imaginary questions and write down keywords from the answers.
Mini dialogue: Write an eight-line dialogue in which two fictional students discuss an imaginary weekend.
Class project: Decide what your class would do with one free project day and give two reasons.
Mediation challenge: Summarise a short German idea for an English-speaking partner and add one Conditional-II sentence.

Schwer

Perspective change: Answer the same imaginary question from the perspective of two fictional people and compare their choices.
Mini presentation: Give a one-minute talk on If I could change one thing in my town … with reasons and one possible problem.
Discussion challenge: Discuss If students could design one school day, what would change? React to at least two different ideas.
Improve and reuse: Record a private first version of a short answer if you want to, get feedback, improve two points and make a second version without uploading it publicly.

Lernkontrolle

Meaning and form: Explain why If I had more time, I would read more can use a past form even though the idea is about the present or future.
Error analysis: Correct If I would live near the sea, I would swim every day and explain the change.
Situation transfer: Your class may imagine a school with no homework for one week. Write three possible results and one reason for each.
Conversation transfer: Create a short exchange with one imaginary question, one answer, one reason and one follow-up question.
Comparison: Compare a real plan with an imaginary idea, for example If it is sunny tomorrow … and If I lived in Spain …. Explain the difference in meaning.
Revision: Improve a short Conditional-II text after feedback and mark the two changes that made it clearer.

Lernnachweis

For a successful learning record, you should show that you can:

form Conditional-II sentences with if + simple past and would + base verb
ask and answer What would you do if …? questions
use Conditional II to communicate imaginary wishes and situations
add simple reasons and react to another person's idea
understand the main idea of a short listening or viewing text on the topic
find and correct typical mistakes
improve your own speaking or writing after feedback

OERs zum Thema

Wikipedia background:

Deutschsprachiger Überblick:

Verknüpfte Lernbereiche

E7 E - Conditional II – Imaginary situations

Folgekurs

Next, use the same language in new contexts: compare imaginary situations with real or possible conditions. Later, you can meet imaginary past situations in a separate course.

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