Arsenio’s ESL Podcast: Season 4 – Episode 92 – Speaking Task – The Present Unreal Conditional

Welcome back to another speaking task, everyone! Today I’ll be talking about the unreal conditional in a story-type way! I’ve done this before in grammar form, but now let’s get into it with the speaking version. You can use this to talk about something that is imagined, impossible, or “contrary” to fact.

Form	Example
If clauses (past tense) + result clause (would + infinitive)	If a stranger saw that my children needed help, he would help them.
With the verb be, use were for all subjects	If I were a disaster victim, I’d be grateful to receive help from others. If he weren’t busy, he would help me.
Might and could + base form can be used to express a possible result.	If they planted trees, they could keep the building cooler. If they used more wood or bamboo, they might reduce their costs.
Questions forms are made by putting the words in the main clause in question word order.	If you had the opportunity, would you live in a green building?

Speaking Task

1. If you had more free time, how would you spend it?
2. If you had three wishes, what would you wish for?
3. If you could travel anywhere, where would you go?
4. If you could meet an important person, who would it be?

Podcast