Dream On
Second Conditional (Lesson Plan)
ESL students can hear real people speaking natural English using the second conditional. Recommended study plan:
- Watch the video
- Take the quiz
- Listen again and read the script
- Learn the grammar with the notes
Mixer 111 A Million Dollars
Listen as a group of people talk about what they would do if they had a million dollars.
Cheryl / Guam
If I had a million dollars what would I do? Well first, I would take a portion of that money and put it into savings. That way I would not be able to spend that moneylater. Secondly, I would probably take some money and go traveling around the world. I would do everything that I've always wanted to do on my to do list in life. And lastly I would give money to charities and churches and the rest would be given to my family and friends and everyone I love would be given an amazing present.
Jake / United States
I would buy an expensive house on a tropical island somewhere and a yacht and I would buy a very, very nice car and a private jet. I don't know if a million dollars would buy all this stuff now. But I would just spend my days enjoying life.
Nydja / United States
If I won a million dollars I personally would ... I would probably quit work and apply to a better university. You need money to get into college in the states so that would really help me out. I think I'd definitely buy a new house, maybe not a huge mansion but I wouldn't be renting anymore that's for sure.
Jonathan / Canada
If I won a million dollars what would I do? I don't have the need to have any special large possessions such as a house or expensive car. I think that I would put the million dollars somewhere safe where there is no risk of anything, like the stock market, and I would live off the interest for the rest of my life. Even in a very safe circumstance, the return would probably be three or four percent being thirty or forty thousand dollars a year and I think that I could comfortably live off of that which would allow me to travel and see the places in the world that I haven't been to yet.
Mauro / Brazil
Wow! This question's really great. What would I do with a million dollars? Wow! I would probably invest all this money, but invest in my own businesses. These days I just think about making business, starting a business, so I just want to work for myself, so I would probably invest my money creating businesses and working for myself. It would be something really like that.
Nick / Australia
A million dollars! If I won a million dollars, I'd go around the world. I haven't been to Africa and I'd really like to go. Secondly, I'd buy a really big house with a really big television. Then after, if I had any money left, I would invest. Maybe give some to my parents.
Mixer 36 Famous Life
Six people discuss if they would rather be a famous athlete, movie star, musician, or politician.
Jeff, Canada
Would I like to be a politician, athlete, a movie star or a musician? Oh, that's an easy one. I definitely would like to be a musician. I'd hate to be a politician, and I'd hate to be a movie star, and there's not much difference between a politician and a movie star because they're both great actors. Politicians just act. They're not too honest and a pro athlete would be fun but you can only do it when you're young. A musician, you can do it until you're old and gray and you can keep wailing on your guitar, your saxaphone, and I'd like to be a musician.
Jeyong, Korea
I'd like to be a movie star and that's because I like acting and I think it's be interesting if I can act for a scene like crying, I can drop tears very easily and laugh, and give a big smile to the audience and if there's like an eating scene, I think I can eat very well.
Martin, The United States
What would I rather be, a movie star, a politician, a pro athlete, or a musician? I'd have to say, I'd wanna be a movie star cause I love movies and I'd like to be in them. I can make direction decisions and hopefully make better movies than are out there right now. I wouldn't really want to be a politician because I don't really want to have my life raked over the coals, but a movie star will be OK.
Ruth, England
I think I'd most want to be a movie star. I'd like to be glamorous and able to dress up on the red carpet. I'd least like to be a politician because I think a lot of people complain about them all the time and they're never viewed very well.
Simon, Canada
So, I think I'd want to be a pro athlete. I love the outdoors. I love sports. I wouldn't mind being idolized like many pro athletes are, and basically you get to play a game for a living and you make a lot of money. Something that I wouldn't want to do would be to be a politician. I don't like politics and I heard somewhere that someone says that once you become a politician you just inherently lie, and I wouldn't want to do that every day.
Todd, The United States
Yeah, I think I'd want to be a politician because if you're a politician you can make changes, you can influence people's lives. I know a lot of politicians are dishonest but I think you have the chance to do good and make changes. If you're a movie star or a singer, you're gonna get old and when you get old, you won't be popular and an athlete you have a very short career. You can't have a very long career either, so I think the best bet is to be a politician and influence people and be productive your entire life.
Second Conditional - Grammar Notes
- What would you do if you won the lottery?
- I would quit my job. What would you do?
- I would move to the beach.
- I would do that too if I could swim!
- I would be very happy if I saw a full eclipse.
- If I saw a full eclipse, I would be very happy.
- If I were tall, I would try out for the basketball team.
- I would try out for the basketball team if I were tall.
- I'd be very happy if I saw a full eclipse.
- If you saved your money, you'd be rich.
- If they came to class more often, they'd pass.
- If we practiced more, we'd be pretty good.
- I could travel the world if I were a billionaire.
- If I spoke Spanish, I could work in Costa Rica.
- If you tried harder, you could get an A in the class.
- If you saved your money, you could afford to travel.