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English lesson plan · 8th grade (Year 9 in England) · 30 minutes

Conditionals (zero, first, second, third)

Grammar

CCSS L.8.1.CEngland: KS3 Grammar

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Conditionals (zero, first, second, third).

  • I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
  • I can explain each step and say why it works.
  • I can check my answer and spot a mistake.

Before and after

Needs first: Verb moods and shifts in voice or mood

Leads to: Mixed conditionals: past cause, present result (and vice versa)

Materials: Sentence strips, Highlighters, Mini whiteboards, Mini whiteboards, A short model text on the board, Printed student sheet (below).

Warm-up · 4 min

  • Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Verb moods and shifts in voice or mood). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. What is the mood of the verb in this sentence? The train leaves at noon. (conditional / imperative / subjunctive / indicative) → indicativePrompt: Is it a statement, a command, a question, a hypothetical, or a wish/demand?
  2. If I were taller, I can reach the top shelf. Which revision is consistent? (If I was taller, I can reach the top shelf. / If I am taller, I could reach the top shelf. / If I were taller, I could reach the top shelf. / If I were taller, I will reach the top shelf.) → If I were taller, I could reach the top shelf.Prompt: Look at the first verb. Is it active or passive? A command or a statement?
  3. What is the mood of the verb in this sentence? She would help if she had time. (interrogative / conditional / indicative / imperative) → conditionalPrompt: Is it a statement, a command, a question, a hypothetical, or a wish/demand?

Hook · 3 min

  • Show a sentence with the grammar point used wrongly and ask what sounds odd.
  • Share the objective: Conditionals (zero, first, second, third). Read the success criteria together.

I do: model it · 7 min

  • Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
  • Example: Choose the verb form that completes the conditional sentence. If they ___ earlier, they would have caught the train.
  • Step 1: Zero: if + present, present. First: if + present, will. Second: if + past, would. Third: if + had + participle, would have + participle.
  • Step 2: It imagines a different past: if + had + participle, would have + participle (third conditional).
  • Step 3: Put it back into the sentence and read it aloud: "If they had left earlier, they would have caught the train."
  • Step 4: So the answer is: had left
  • Answer: had left
  • Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

We do: guided practice · 6 min

  • Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
  • Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
  1. Choose the verb form that completes the conditional sentence. If he had saved his work, he ___ it. (wouldn't lose / won't lose / wouldn't have lost / doesn't lose) → wouldn't have lostPrompt: Is it always true, likely in the future, imagined now, or imagined about the past?
  2. Choose the verb form that completes the conditional sentence. If I won a million dollars, I ___ a farm. (would have bought / will buy / would buy / buy) → would buyPrompt: Is it always true, likely in the future, imagined now, or imagined about the past?

You do: independent practice · 7 min

  • Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
  • Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.

The 6 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

Exit ticket · 3 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. Choose the verb form that completes the conditional sentence. If you had set an alarm, you ___ late. (wouldn't have been / won't be / aren't / wouldn't be) → wouldn't have beenPrompt: Is it always true, likely in the future, imagined now, or imagined about the past?
  2. Choose the verb form that completes the conditional sentence. If they ___ earlier, they would have caught the train. (had left / would leave / left / leave) → had leftPrompt: Is it always true, likely in the future, imagined now, or imagined about the past?

Watch out for

  • Naming the feature but not using it in their own sentences.
  • Thinking a sentence is right because it sounds right when spoken casually.

Support and stretch

Support

  • Review first: Verb moods and shifts in voice or mood.
  • Use concrete materials: sentence strips.
  • Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
  • Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.

Stretch

  • Move on to: Mixed conditionals: past cause, present result (and vice versa).
  • Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
  • Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.

Homework and more practice

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/english/grade-8.

Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder

eurekami

Conditionals (zero, first, second, third)

Name

Date

Score/ 6

  1. Question 1

    Choose the verb form that completes the conditional sentence. If she ___ harder, she will pass.

    • A. had studied
    • B. would study
    • C. studies
    • D. studied

  2. Question 2

    Choose the verb form that completes the conditional sentence. If they ___ earlier, they would have caught the train.

    • A. left
    • B. had left
    • C. leave
    • D. would leave

  3. Question 3

    Choose the verb form that completes the conditional sentence. If you had set an alarm, you ___ late.

    • A. won't be
    • B. wouldn't be
    • C. aren't
    • D. wouldn't have been

  4. Question 4

    Choose the verb form that completes the conditional sentence. If we ___ a map, we wouldn't be lost now.

    • A. would have
    • B. will have
    • C. had
    • D. have

  5. Question 5

    Choose the verb form that completes the conditional sentence. If it rains tomorrow, we ___ the picnic.

    • A. would have cancelled
    • B. will cancel
    • C. cancel
    • D. would cancel

  6. Question 6

    Choose the verb form that completes the conditional sentence. If he had saved his work, he ___ it.

    • A. wouldn't have lost
    • B. doesn't lose
    • C. wouldn't lose
    • D. won't lose

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Answer key: Conditionals (zero, first, second, third)

  1. 1. C. studies

  2. 2. B. had left

  3. 3. D. wouldn't have been

  4. 4. C. had

  5. 5. B. will cancel

  6. 6. A. wouldn't have lost