The Time Traveler's Wife: 2nd Conditional

I had very little expectations about this movie, but it is amazingly pleasant and creative. The whole idea is very interesting and the gripping beginning is just great. I used two scenes from the movie to have students practice the 2nd conditional in an imaginative, contextualized way.

I. Work with a friend. Write down your answers to the questions:

1. Would you like to time travel? Why (not)?

I ______________________ because ______________________.

2. What would the consequences of time travel be?

If people could time travel, _________________________________.

3. Would you change anything about your past?

If I could change anything about my past, I _________________ .

4. What about history? Would you change anything? What would you do to change it?

If I could change anything in history, I ___________________-.

II. Watch the 1st segment and talk to a friend about the questions that follow.

1. What happened in the segment?

2. Why did he decide to go back in time to talk to himself as a child?

3. What do you think will happen next?

III. Watch the 2nd segment now. Then answer the questions. Write down your answers and use the 2nd conditional.

1. If you could go back in time, would you choose the person you wanted to marry and make her love you? Why (not)?

If I ______________________, I ______________________

2. Would you do what he did if you were the main character of the movie? Why (not)?

If I ______________________, I _______________________

3. Would life be better or worse if people could travel in time? Why?

If people __________________, _________________________

IV. Rank the periods that, If you could time travel, you would visit first, second, or never. Justify your answer.

1. Prehistoric Age

2. 0 BC - Jesus Christ era

3. 1800's

4. A few years ago

5. The 60's

6. 20 years in the future

7. 100 years in the future.

8. 500 years in the future.

9. Choose a time period.

V. Prepare a speech to share with the rest of the class. Follow the model below. Make sure you use the 2nd conditional.

I I could time travel across , first I ______________________________ because ____________. Second, I _____________________ beacause ____________, and finally I _____________________ because _____________. However, I _____________ (never) because_______________.



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movie segment download - part 1

mvie segment download - part 2

Juno: 2nd Conditional (with Would and Should)

This is a great movie. Teenage pregnancy is dealt with in a creative, different manner. My students had a lot to say about it. I used it to practice the second conditional in a contextualized manner.

I. Watch the movie segment and answer the following questions in groups:

1. Describe what happened in the segment.

2. What was her mother's reaction?

3. What was her father's reaction?

4. What was her friend's reaction?

5. What did Juno say she was going to do? Do you like her idea? What do you think will happen next?

6. What would you do if...? Make sure you use the 2nd Conditional.

If you were Juno?

If I were Juno, I would ...........................

If you were Juno's best friend?

If you were Juno's parents?

If you were the father of the baby?

If you were the foster parents to whom Juno promised to give the baby away.

II. Now imagine the same situation Juno is facing, but consider the father's situation below. What should the father of the baby do if:


- he were under aged too

If he were under aged too, he should ...


- he were over 18


- he were over 40


- he were married


- Juno denied to reveal the father's identity


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MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - JUNO

The Box: 1st & 2nd Conditionals

I love the idea of the movie and its intriguing development. The situation is unsual, perfect for 1st and 2nd conditional practice.




A. Read the passage below and complete the blanks with the verbs in parentheses, using with the first conditional. You have just received the visit of a total stranger who gives you a mysterious box with a button and makes the following offer to you:



If you _________ (push) the button, two things ________ (happen). First, someone, somewhere in the world, whom you don't know, __________ (die). Second, you ____________ (receive) a payment of one million dollars. Tax free. The payment ___________ (be) delivered by me in cash to you.


There are three restrictions:

1. You are not permitted to know any information about who's making the offer.

2. You are not permitted to discuss the details of this offer to anyone except your husband (wife).

3. You have 24 hours to make your decision.

4. Otherwise, the box will be reprogrammed and the offer will be made to someone else.

B. Now watch the first part of the segment (until the visitor leaves her house) and check your answers.

C. Now discuss the following questions with a partner. Remember that you are talking about an unreal situation, so you must use the second conditional. Then write down your answers. Start them with If...

1. What would you do if you were in her shoes?

If ...

2. How would you feel if you pushed the button?

If ...

3. How would you feel if you didn't push the button?

If ...

4. Would you push the button if you needed that money to save your son/daughter's life? Explain it.

If ...

D. Watch the second part of the segment and answer the following questions:

1. What were some of the things they considered before deciding whether to push the button?

2. What did they decide to do?

3. According to her, why did she do it?

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Answer key:

A. push / will happen / will die / will receive / will be

B. Answers will vary

Blade Runner: 2nd Conditional

I like showing classic movies to my students too. They learn about good film making and they get interested in them. This is my all time favorite and this scene is great for the students to practice using the 2nd (unreal) conditionals.

A. Talk to a partner about the following questions:

1. Do you believe that in the future androids or clones will be living among us? Justify it.

2. Will there ever be artificial pets? Why (not)?

3. Will life in the future be more or less violent? Explain.

4. Would you like to have a clone of yourself living with you or somewhere else? Why (not)?

B. Imagine you are being tested to see if you are a replicant (android). Before you watch the segment, write what would answer when a Blade Runner asked you the following series of questions. Answer them as simply as you can, but use the 2nd conditional

Situations:

1. It’s your birthday. Someone gives you a calfskin wallet.

2. You’ve got a little son. He shows you his butterfly collection plus the killing jar.

3. You’re watching television. Suddenly you realize there’s a wasp crawling on your arm.

4. You show the picture of a nude girl (man) to your husband (wife) and he likes it so much he (she) hangs it on the bedroom wall.

5. You’re watching a play. The guests are enjoying raw oysters and boiled dog.


C. Now watch the segment and write Rachael’s answers to the same questions.
1............................................................................................

2............................................................................................

3...........................................................................................

4...........................................................................................

5...........................................................................................

D. Compare both Rachael and your answers. Were there any matches? Why do you think the answers revealed she was a replicant?

Answer key:
Rachael’s answers:

1. She wouldn’t accept it and report the person who gave it to her to the police.

2. She’d take him to the doctor.

3. She’d kill it.

4. She wouldn’t let him .

5. She couldn’t answer the question.

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Shallow Hal: 2nd Conditional

This scene is great because it's unique. Jack Black's character sees his beloved extremely fit and gorgeous, but he doesn't know she is actually a very fat girl. Despite the prejudice, he eventually falls in love with her because of her inner beauty. This scene is perfect for the students to practice the 2nd conditional, imagining the characters seeing the true picture of the events. Here's the lesson plan:

Gwenyth Paltrow plays the love interest of Hal (Jack Black) in this comedy about a shallow man who falls in love with a very fat (but inwardly beautiful woman), because he is hypnotized into believing she is outwardly beautiful.

. Hal's imaginary Rosie and Real Rosie.

A. Watch the segment and check the items of what happened in the video but would definitely be different if rosie were actually as thin as Hal’s imaginary Rosie.


1. Hal told her a bad taste joke about the underwear she was buying.

2. Rosie didn’t understand Hal’s jokes.

3. He had to apologize for his jokes.

4. She ordered a huge meal.

5. The waiter wasn’t surprised by the order

6. The chair broke.

7. Two guys made fun of Rosie’s takeout meal.

8. They didn’t envy Hal’s bragging about his girlfriend.


B. Now rewrite the sentences above using the second conditional. You may use WOULD – if you’re sure - MIGHT, COULD – if you are not 100 % sure.

If Rosie _________________ (be) as thin as Hal’s imaginary Rosie,

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

Teacher’s Key

B. If Rosie were as thin as Hals imaginary Rosie,

1. Hal wouldn’t tell…
2. She would understand…
3. He wouldn’t have to…
4. She wouldn’t (might not) order…
5. The waiter wouldn’t (mightn’t) be ….
6. The chair wouldn’t break
7. The guys wouldn’t (mightn’t) make…
8. They would envy…

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Swingers: 2nd Conditional

This is a fantastic scene. It is funny and pathetic. The development of the scene is unpredictable and students will certainly laugh a lot.
Before Viewing:
Imagine the following situation:

You meet a very interesting girl (guy) and talk to her (him) very briefly. You are very interested in each other. She (He) is attractive and looks very friendly. She (He) is in a hurry and has to leave, but she (he) gives you her (his) phone number. You don’t have the chance to give her (him) yours, though.

A. Now choose the best alternative about you. How would you react in the following situations?

1. What would you do if the situation you have just read were real?

a. call her (him) as soon as possible
b. wait a few days and then call her (him)
c. wait for another opportunity to meet her (him) at the same place again
d. none of the above: justify it

2. Imagine you called her (him) and the answering machine answered the call. What would you do?

a. hang up the phone
b.identify yourself and call again later
c.identify yourself, leave your phone number and wait for her (him) to call
d. none of the above: justify it

3. What would you do if the answering machine disconnected before you finished saying what you had planned to say?

a. call back and complete the message
b. wait for her (him) to call back
c. wait a little and call back again
d. none of the above: justify it

4. How many times would you call her (him) again if she didn’t return the call?

a. once
b. twice
c. as many as necessary
d. none

B. watch the video segment and check if the main character would do the same as you.

C. rewrite the four items above using the 2nd conditional about yourself.

EX:

1 – If the situation …………………….., I ………………………………………........

2. ………………………………………………………………………………………….........

3 …………………………………………………………………………………………..........

4……………………………………………………………………………………………........

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Jumper: 2nd Conditional

The dream of most human beings would probably be to have David's super power to teleport. Going from one place to the other without transportation means would be fantastic. I took advantage of the first scene of "Jumper" to have students practice the 2nd conditional in a contextualized manner. Besides, both the scene and the movie are sensational. Here is the lesson plan:

A. Watch the movie segment. Decide how different life would be if everyone had David’s power to teleport. Write at least 5 different things.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.



B. Talk to a partner and make a list of what both of you would (not) do if only you had David’s power to teleport. Remember that you have to be ethical and think about the possible consequences of your acts.


What we would do :
What we wouldn’t do:

C. Work with a partner and write down a condition for the sentences below.

1. We would donate 1 million dollars to charity if...
2. We would teleport ourselves to the Sahara desert if...
3. We wouldn't call the police if...
4. We would hide our super power from the other people if...

How to prepare your own video activity:
- Select a movie scene in which the characters do things our atudens would not normally do.
- Preview the scene with hypothetical questions abvout the segment.
- Have students come up with sentences using the 2nd conditional.

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