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English lesson plan · 10th grade (Year 11 in England) · 45 minutes

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

Grammar

CCSS L.9-10.1CCSS L.8.1.CEngland: GCSE English Language (AO6)England: A-level English Language

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Mixed conditionals: past cause, present result (and vice versa).

  • 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: Conditionals (zero, first, second, third); The subjunctive: if I were, I wish it were, I suggest she be

Leads to: Advanced subjunctive: were it not for, lest, that she not be

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

Warm-up · 5 min

  • Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Conditionals (zero, first, second, third); The subjunctive: if I were, I wish it were, I suggest she be). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Choose the verb form that completes the conditional sentence. If I won a million dollars, I ___ a farm. (would buy / buy / will buy / would have bought) → would buyPrompt: Is it always true, likely in the future, imagined now, or imagined about the past?
  2. Choose the correct verb form for formal English. I demand that the money ___ returned. (been / was / is / be) → bePrompt: Is it imaginary (if, wish, as if)? Or a demand/suggestion (insist, suggest, essential that…)?
  3. Which sentence uses the subjunctive correctly? • I wish my phone be waterproof. • I wish my phone will be waterproof. • I wish my phone were waterproof. • I wish my phone is waterproof. (I wish my phone be waterproof. / I wish my phone will be waterproof. / I wish my phone were waterproof. / I wish my phone is waterproof.) → I wish my phone were waterproof.Prompt: Look for if, wish, as if, or a verb like ask/insist/suggest + that.

Hook · 5 min

  • Show a sentence with the grammar point used wrongly and ask what sounds odd.
  • Share the objective: Mixed conditionals: past cause, present result (and vice versa). Read the success criteria together.

I do: model it · 10 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 this mixed conditional. If I had gone to bed earlier, I ___ so tired now.
  • Step 1: Mixed conditionals combine a past condition with a present result, or a present condition with a past result.
  • Step 2: Past action → present feeling.
  • Step 3: Put it back into the sentence and read it aloud: "If I had gone to bed earlier, I wouldn't be so tired now."
  • Step 4: So the answer is: wouldn't be
  • Answer: wouldn't be
  • Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

We do: guided practice · 10 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. Is this sentence correct in formal written English? If I had gone to bed earlier, I wouldn't be so tired now. (correct / incorrect) → correctPrompt: Look for time words: now, today, yesterday, last week. Which half is past and which is present?
  2. Choose the verb form that completes this mixed conditional. If I had saved my money, I ___ a new bike now. (had / will have / would have had / would have) → would havePrompt: Look for time words: now, today, yesterday, last week. Which half is past and which is present?

You do: independent practice · 10 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 8 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

Exit ticket · 5 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. Is this sentence correct in formal written English? If she weren't afraid of heights, she would join the climbing trip last summer. (correct / incorrect) → incorrectPrompt: Look for time words: now, today, yesterday, last week. Which half is past and which is present?
  2. Choose the verb form that completes this mixed conditional. If she ___ the train, she would be here by now. (wouldn't miss / didn't miss / hadn't missed / doesn't miss) → hadn't missedPrompt: Look for time words: now, today, yesterday, last week. Which half is past and which is present?

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: Conditionals (zero, first, second, third).
  • 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: Advanced subjunctive: were it not for, lest, that she not be.
  • 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-10.

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

eurekami

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

Name

Date

Score/ 8

  1. Question 1

    Is this sentence correct in formal written English? If she didn't miss the train, she would be here by now.

    • A. correct
    • B. incorrect
  2. Question 2

    Choose the verb form that completes this mixed conditional. If she weren't afraid of heights, she ___ the climbing trip last summer.

    • A. would have joined
    • B. would join
    • C. joined
    • D. will join
  3. Question 3

    Is this sentence correct in formal written English? If I had gone to bed earlier, I am not so tired now.

    • A. correct
    • B. incorrect
  4. Question 4

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

    • A. brought
    • B. would bring
    • C. had brought
    • D. bring
  5. Question 5

    Is this sentence correct in formal written English? If he were more organised, he wouldn't have missed the deadline last week.

    • A. correct
    • B. incorrect
  6. Question 6

    Choose the verb form that completes this mixed conditional. If I had saved my money, I ___ a new bike now.

    • A. would have had
    • B. would have
    • C. had
    • D. will have
  7. Question 7

    Is this sentence correct in formal written English? If she doesn't miss the train, she would be here by now.

    • A. correct
    • B. incorrect
  8. Question 8

    Choose the verb form that completes this mixed conditional. If he were more organised, he ___ the deadline last week.

    • A. didn't miss
    • B. won't miss
    • C. wouldn't miss
    • D. wouldn't have missed

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Answer key: Mixed conditionals: past cause, present result (and vice versa)

  1. 1. B. incorrect

  2. 2. A. would have joined

  3. 3. B. incorrect

  4. 4. C. had brought

  5. 5. A. correct

  6. 6. B. would have

  7. 7. B. incorrect

  8. 8. D. wouldn't have missed