General English:7

Unit2 Talking about your hopes and dreams

Vocabulary

studying,working,hoping,teaching,rewarding,boring,unchallenging,managing

Words with -ing

when you see or hear a word ending in -ing,there are there possibilities:it's an adjective,a gerund(a noun ending in -ing)or a verb in a
progressive tense.

Adjectives

My job is unchallenging.

My work with the Peace Corps was very rewarding.

Gerunds

Working during the day and studying at night isn't easy.

Verbs

I am studying to become a teacher.

He was working in a bank when he decided to change his career.

Grammar

Second Conditional

Use the Second Conditional to talk about an unreal future situation.Something imaginary or unlikely to happen.

Use the past simple tense in the if clause and would + base verb in the result clause.

If I had a lot of money,I'd travel around the world.

If the result clause comes before the if clause,no comma(,)is necessary.

I'd travel around the world if I had a lot of money.

The correct simple past form of the verb be in the Second Conditional is were

If he were a teacher,he'd be happier.

If I weren't married,i would accept the position abroad.

However,in informal speech,you will often hear was

I'd be a basketball player if I was taller.

Expressions

It won't be easy.

a plan change your life

I'm hoping to get on it.

I need a teaching certificate.

It's always been my dream....

Why not change your job?

First or second Conditional

We use different kinds of Conditional sentences for different situations.When we're talking about situations we think are likely or are making a prediciton,

we may use the first Conditional form.

When we're talking about unlikely or hypothetical situations,we'll use the second Conditional form.

(Note:while were is the correct form of the verb be in the second Conditional,you'll frequently hear was used in spoken English.)Listen to the following sentences.

Which sentences do you think is more likely?

If we win the team competiton.I'll take us to the bar.

I'd take to Thailand if we won the national competiton.

The use of the first Conditional indicates that Clive is more confident of winning the team competiton than the national competiton.Clive's use of the
speculative second conditional suggests he thinks winning the national competiton is unlikely.

Listening

Contracted forms

If I could start my own business,I would open a coffee shop.

If I could start my own business,I'd open a coffee shop.

It's,It'd

I've ,I'd,I'll