Conditionals can be a troublesome grammar point for EFL learners. That’s why E-planet is here to help! The best way to convince your students that learning conditionals isn’t boring, is to teach them in an exciting way.
The right approach to conditionals can transform grammatical theory into fun practice, right before your eyes!
Pass the Ball
Beginners & Pre-intermediate / Young Learners & Teens
This activity is designed for young students, but it could also be effective for the young at heart! You will only need a small soft ball, or other item that can easily be thrown and caught without causing injury or damage.
Form a conditional sentence, telling something true about you, e.g. ‘When I wake up, I always drink coffee.’, ‘If I were taller, I'd become a basketball player.’ or ‘If I hadn't come to class today, I would have met my friends.’.
Then call out again the first half of the conditional sentence, throw the ball to a student, and let him/her create a different ending.
The Extraordinary People Worksheet
Pre-intermediate / Young Learners & Teens
You just need this amazing worksheet from our Voices 6 series to make learning and practising the conditionals enjoyable!
Download it here: The Extraordinary People Worksheet.
Who Will Be the Next President?
Pre-intermediate / Young Learners & Teens
Have your students write a list of things they would do if they were put in charge of the world. Explain that they should use the second conditional, e.g. ‘If I were the president of the world, I would forbid homework for all English learners!’.
Tip: Make sure your students understand that the order of the ‘if’ clause and the main clause can be reversed without changing the meaning. Also, remind them that a comma is needed when the ‘if’ clause comes before the main clause.
Then let them present their ideas and election promises in class. Explain that they have to use the first conditional, e.g. ‘Dear classmates, if you vote for me, I’ll forbid homework for all English learners!’.
At the end, your students can decide who the best candidate is!
The IF Game
Pre-intermediate / Young Learners & Teens
Use an exciting board game from our Voices 6 series to offer your English learners a fun and meaningful learning opportunity!
Download it here: The IF Board Game.
