Conditional Sentences are also known as Conditional Clauses or If Clauses. They are used to express that the action in the main clause (without if) can only take place if a certain condition (in the clause with if) is fulfilled. There are three types of Conditional Sentences.
Conditional Sentence Type 1
→ It is possible and also very likely that the condition will be fulfilled.
In British English, the use of Simple Past and Present Perfect is quite strict. As soon as a time expression in the past is given, you have to use Simple Past. If there are no signal words, you must decide if we just talk about an action in the past or if its consequence in the present is important.
Note that the following explanations and exercises refer to British English only. In American English, you can normally use Simple Past instead of Present Perfect. We cannot accept this in our exercises, however, as this would lead to confusions amongst those who have to learn the differences.
Certain time in the past or just / already / yet?
Do you want to express that an action happened at a certain time in the past (even if it was just a few seconds ago) or that an action has just / already / not yet happened?
Simple Past
Present Perfect Simple
certain time in the past
Example:
I phoned Mary 2 minutes ago.
just / already / not yet
Example:
I have just phoned Mary.
Certain event in the past or how often so far?
Do you want to express when a certain action took place or whether / how often an action has happened till now?
Simple Past
Present Perfect Simple
certain event in the past
Example:
He went to Canada last summer.
whether / how often till now
Example:
Have you ever been to Canada? / I have been to Canada twice.
Emphasis on action or result?
Do you just want to express what happened in the past? Or do you want to emphasise the result (a past action's consequence in the present)?
Simple Past
Present Perfect Simple
Emphasis on action
Example:
I bought a new bike. (just telling what I did in the past.)
Emphasis on result
Example:
I have bought a new bike. (With this sentence I actually want to express that I have a new bike now.)
Signal Words
Simple Past
Present Perfect Simple
yesterday
... ago
in 1990
the other day
last ...
just
already
up to now
until now / till now
ever
(not) yet
so far
lately / recently
Exercises on Simple Past and Present Perfect Simple
Test your knowledge of Thanksgiving history and tradition. 1. Where did the Thanksgiving holiday originate?
a. America
b. England
c. Ireland
d. Mexico 2. In 1621, Pilgrims at Plymouth Colony shared a harvest feast with
which American Indian Tribe?
a. Chickasaw
b. Shoshone
c. Susquehanna
d. Wampanoag 3. What percentage of Americans eat turkey on Thanksgiving?
a. 39%
b. 50%
c. 88%
d. 99% 4. Where did turkeys originate?
a. Africa
b. Central Asia
c. North and Central America
d. Australia 5. In what city is the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade?
a. New York City
b. Macy, Ind.
c. Macy, Neb.
d. Pasadena, CA 6. Which president proclaimed Thanksgiving Day an official national
holiday?
a. Thomas Jefferson
b. Abraham Lincoln
c. Ulysses S. Grant
d. John F. Kennedy 7. Each year, the president receives a gift of a live turkey and then
“pardons” the bird during a ceremony at the White House. What
happens to the pardoned turkey?
a. It is set free to live in the wild
b. It is served at the president’s Thanksgiving dinner
c. It lives the rest of its life on a farm
d. It is auctioned off to the highest bidder 8. For many Americans, football is as much a part of Thanksgiving as
are turkey and pumpkin pie. An NFL game has been played on
Thanksgiving Day since what year?
a. 1920
b. 1930
c. 1940
d. 1950 9.The day after Thanksgiving typically is the busiest shopping day of
the year. The day often is referred to as:
a. Thanksgiving Friday
b. Black Friday
c. Casual Friday
d. Super Friday 10. Which dessert was not part of the first Thanksgiving celebration?
a. Pumpkin pie
b. Apple cake
c. Pecan pie
d. All of the above
The valley known as Sleepy Hollow hides from the world in the high hills of New York state. There are many stories told about the quiet valley. But the story that people believe most is about a man who rides a horse at night. The story says the man died many years ago during the American revolutionary war. His head was shot off. Every night he rises from his burial place, jumps on his horse and rides through the valley looking for his lost head.
Near Sleepy Hollow is a village called Tarry Town. It was settled many years ago by people from Holland. The village had a small school. And one teacher, named Ichabod Crane. Ichabod Crane was a good name for him, because he looked like a tall bird, a crane. He was tall and thin like a crane. His shoulders were small, joined two long arms. His head was small, too, and flat on top. He had big ears, large glassy green eyes and a long nose.
Ichabod did not make much money as a teacher. And although he was tall and thin, he ate like a fat man. To help him pay for his food he earned extra money teaching young people to sing. Every Sunday after church Ichabod taught singing.
Among the ladies Ichabod taught was one Katrina Van Tassel. She was the only daughter of a rich Dutch farmer. She was a girl in bloom…much like a round red, rosy apple. Ichabod had a soft and foolish heart for the ladies, and soon found himself interested in Miss Van Tassel.
Ichabods eyes opened wide when he saw the riches of Katrinas farm: the miles of apple trees and wheat fields, and hundreds of fat farm animals. He saw himself as master of the Van Tassel farm with Katrina as his wife.
But there were many problems blocking the road to Katrinas heart. One was a strong young man named Brom Van Brunt. Brom was a hero to all the young ladies. His shoulders were big. His back was wide. And his hair was short and curly. He always won the horse races in Tarry Town and earned many prizes. Brom was never seen without a horse.
Sometimes late at night Brom and his friends would rush through town shouting loudly from the backs of their horses. Tired old ladies would awaken from their sleep and say: "Why, there goes Brom Van Brunt leading his wild group again!"
Such was the enemy Ichabod had to defeat for Katrinas heart.
Stronger and wiser men would not have tried. But Ichabod had a plan. He could not fight his enemy in the open. So he did it silently and secretly. He made many visits to Katrinas farm and made her think he was helping her to sing better.
Time passed, and the town people thought Ichabod was winning. Broms horse was never seen at Katrinas house on Sunday nights anymore.
One day in autumn Ichabod was asked to come to a big party at the Van Tassel home. He dressed in his best clothes. A farmer loaned him an old horse for the long trip to the party.
The house was filled with farmers and their wives, red-faced daughters and clean, washed sons. The tables were filled with different things to eat. Wine filled many glasses.
Brom Van Brunt rode to the party on his fastest horse called Daredevil. All the young ladies smiled happily when they saw him. Soon music filled the rooms and everyone began to dance and sing.
Ichabod was happy dancing with Katrina as Brom looked at them with a jealous heart. The night passed. The music stopped, and the young people sat together to tell stories about the revolutionary war.
Soon stories about Sleepy Hollow were told. The most feared story was about the rider looking for his lost head. One farmer told how he raced the headless man on a horse. The farmer ran his horse faster and faster. The horseman followed over bush and stone until they came to the end of the valley. There the headless horseman suddenly stopped. Gone were his clothes and his skin. All that was left was a man with white bones shining in the moonlight.
The stories ended and time came to leave the party. Ichabod seemed very happy until he said goodnight to Katrina. Was she ending their romance? He left feeling very sad. Had Katrina been seeing Ichabod just to make Brom Van Brunt jealous so he would marry her?
Well, Ichabod began his long ride home on the hills that surround Tarry Town. He had never felt so lonely in his life. He began to whistle as he came close to the tree where a man had been killed years ago by rebels.
He thought he saw something white move in the tree. But no, it was only the moonlight shining and moving on the tree. Then he heard a noise. His body shook. He kicked his horse faster. The old horse tried to run, but almost fell in the river, instead. Ichabod hit the horse again. The horse ran fast and then suddenly stopped, almost throwing Ichabod forward to the ground.
There, in the dark woods on the side of the river where the bushes grow low, stood an ugly thing. Big and black. It did not move, but seemed ready to jump like a giant monster.
Ichabods hair stood straight up. It was too late to run, and in his fear, he did the only thing he could. His shaking voice broke the silent valley.
"Who are you?" The thing did not answer. Ichabod asked again. Still no answer. Ichabods old horse began to move forward. The black thing began to move along the side of Ichabods horse in the dark. Ichabod made his horse run faster. The black thing moved with them. Side by side they moved, slowly at first. And not a word was said.
Ichabod felt his heart sink. Up a hill they moved above the shadow of the trees. For a moment the moon shown down and to Ichabods horror he saw it was a horse. And it had a rider. But the riders head was not on his body. It was in front of the rider, resting on the horse.
Ichabod kicked and hit his old horse with all his power. Away they rushed through bushes and trees across the valley of Sleepy Hollow. Up ahead was the old church bridge where the headless horseman stops and returns to his burial place.
"If only I can get there first, I am safe," thought Ichabod. He kicked his horse again. The horse jumped on to the bridge and raced over it like the sound of thunder. Ichabod looked back to see if the headless man had stopped. He saw the man pick up his head and throw it with a powerful force. The head hit Ichabod in the face and knocked him off his horse to the dirt below.
They found Ichabods horse the next day peacefully eating grass. They could not find Ichabod.
They walked all across the valley. They saw the foot marks of Ichabods horse as it had raced through the valley. They even found Ichabods old hat in the dust near the bridge. But they did not find Ichabod. The only other thing they found was lying near Ichabods hat.
It was the broken pieces of a round orange pumpkin.
The town people talked about Ichabod for many weeks. They remembered the frightening stories of the valley. And finally they came to believe that the headless horseman had carried Ichabod away.
Much later an old farmer returned from a visit to New York City. He said he was sure he saw Ichabod there. He thought Ichabod silently left Sleepy Hollow because he had lost Katrina.
As for Katrina, her mother and father gave her a big wedding when she married Brom Van Brunt. Many people who went to the wedding saw that Brom smiled whenever Ichabods name was spoken. And they wondered why he laughed out loud when anyone talked about the broken orange pumpkin found lying near Ichabods old dusty hat.
In some speaking exams you have to talk about photos or pictures. The video and tips below will help you to do really well in this type of speaking exam.
Here are our top tips for describing a photo or a picture in an exam.
Do:
Look at your picture carefully and take a few moments to think before you start talking.
Talk for all the time you are given. If you have one minute to do the task, use every second.
Practise the useful language below so you can explain which part of the picture you are talking about.
Don’t:
Panic if you don’t know the words for all the things in the picture. You don’t need to know all the words for everything in the picture if you know what to say when you don't know an exact word.
Get distracted and start talking about something else. Focus on the photo or picture.
Panic if your mind goes blank. Take a deep breath, look at the picture and start again.
If you are asked to describe a photo or a picture in the exam, here is some language you can use:
What is in the picture?
In the picture I can see ... There’s / There are ... There isn’t a ... / There aren’t any ...
Say what is happening with the present continuous
The man is ...ing The people are ...ing It’s raining.
Where in the picture?
At the top/bottom of the picture ... In the middle of the picture ... On the left/right of the picture ... next to in front of behind near on top of under
If something isn’t clear
It looks like a ... It might be a ... He could be ...ing Maybe it’s a .. .
The subject/topic of my talk is ... I'm going to talk about ... My topic today is… My talk is concerned with ...
Overview (outline of presentation)
I’m going to divide this talk into four parts. There are a number of points I'd like to make. Basically/ Briefly, I have three things to say. I'd like to begin/start by ... Let's begin/start by ... First of all, I'll... … and then I’ll go on to … Then/ Next ... Finally/ Lastly ...
Finishing a section
That's all I have to say about... We've looked at... So much for...
Starting a new section
Moving on now to … Turning to... Let’s turn now to … The next issue/topic/area I’d like to focus on … I’d like to expand/elaborate on … Now we'll move on to... I'd like now to discuss... Let's look now at...
Analysing a point and giving recommendations
Where does that lead us? Let's consider this in more detail... What does this mean for...? Translated into real terms... Why is this important? The significance of this is...
Giving examples
For example,... A good example of this is... As an illustration,... To give you an example,... To illustrate this point...
Summarising and concluding
To sum up ... To summarise... Right, let's sum up, shall we? Let's summarise briefly what we've looked at... If I can just sum up the main points... Finally, let me remind you of some of the issues we've covered... To conclude... In conclusion ... In short ... So, to remind you of what I’ve covered in this talk, … Unfortunately, I seem to have run out of time, so I’ll conclude very briefly by saying that ….. I'd like now to recap...
Paraphrasing and clarifying
Simply put... In other words....... So what I’m saying is.... To put it more simply.... To put it another way....
Invitation to discuss / ask questions
I’m happy to answer any queries/ questions. Does anyone have any questions or comments? Please feel free to ask questions. If you would like me to elaborate on any point, please ask. Would you like to ask any questions? Any questions?
Is there a time in your life when you read all the time?
How many hours do you spend reading in a week?
Have you ever been to a book signing or met an author?
Do you have any ideas for a story for you to write?
Do you read books based on recommendations?
What are some of the books that were recommended to you?
Were you ever given a bad recommendation?
Did it change your opinion of the person who recommended the book?
What books have you recommended for other people?
How often do you go to the library?
How many books do you check out at a time?
How do you choose the books you are going to read?
How important is the cover of the book.
Do you watch the movie that came from a book?
Most people say the book is better than the movie. Is this true for you?
Did you enjoy reading books in school?
What was your favorite book growing up?
Is there a book that you have read more than once?
What was the title?
How many times did you read it?
Is there a book you just couldn't finish?
What was the title?
What is your favorite time of day for reading?
Where is your favorite place to read?
Do you listen to music while you read?
Do you often read book before go to bed?
What factors are important to you when choosing a book to read?
Reviews?
A Recommendation from a friend?
The front cover?
What was the last book that you read?
What is your favorite book of all time?
Have you ever read a book and then watched the movie? Which was better? Why?
Who is the most famous writer from your country?
Have you read any of their books?
Do you think that they are overrated?
What genre of book do you enjoy most?
Have you ever tried to read a book in English?
Do you think that it is more valuable to read a book than to watch television?
Have you ever lent books to your friends and never got them back?
Book Talk Builder
Title: ________________________________
Author: ______________________________
Genre: _______________________________
List the main characters, with a sentence describing each one.
Describe the setting.
Summarize the plot in a sentence or two.
What conflict is present in the book?
What were the three most exciting or interesting moments of the book?
List three reasons why you think others will enjoy this book.
Vocabulary. Definitions
an action movie: a film with fast moving scenes, often containing violence
to be engrossed in: to be completely focused on one thing
bedtime reading: something to read in bed before you go to sleep
to be a big reader: someone who reads a lot
to be based on: to use as a modal
to be heavy-going: difficult to read
a blockbuster: a film that is a big commercial success
to catch the latest movie: to see a film that has just come out
the central character: the main person in a film or book
a classic: of the highest quality
to come highly recommended: to be praised by another person
couldn’t put it down: wasn’t able to stop reading a book
an e-book: a digital book
an e-reader: a device for reading e-books
to flick through: to look quickly through a book
to get a good/bad review: to receive positive or negative feedback
to go on general release: when a film can be seen by the general public
hardback: a book with a rigid cover (see ‘paperback’ below)
a historical novel: a story set in the past
a low budget film: a film made with a small amount of money
on the big screen: at the cinema
a page turner: a book that you want to keep reading
paperback: a book with a flexible cover (see ‘hardback’ above)
plot: the main events in a film or book
to read something from cover to cover: to read a book from the first page to the last
sci-fi: science fiction
to see a film: to see a film at the cinema (see ‘watch a film’ below)
the setting: where the action takes place
showings: performances of a film
soundtrack: the music that accompanies a film
special effects: the visuals or sounds that are added to a film which are difficult to produce naturally
to take out (a book from the library): to borrow a book from the library
to tell the story of: to outline the details of someone’s life or an event
to watch a film: to watch a film on TV (see ‘to see a film’ above)
Idioms:
bookworm – a person who loves to read and is devoted to reading book smart – to be very smart or successful in scholastic way (from knowledge in books), but not very smart or successful in real world interactions an open book – to have very evident and clear emotions and thoughts to hit the books – to study hard to read the fine print – to read carefully; to know all the information that is contained in a large document, such as a contact to read between the lines – to try to understand something that is not expressed openly or explicitly; a synonym to this phrase is the verb ‘to infer’ “Read my lips!” – This phrase means ‘listen very carefully.’ It is used to emphasize the importance of what a person is saying. This phrase was famously used by the George H. Bush when he was running for President of the United States in 1988. At that time he said, “Read my lips, no new taxes!” to read someone the riot act – to give someone a strong scolding or to talk to someone severely; to yell at someone spell bound – to hold someone’s attention completely; a synonym for this phrase is ‘fascinated’ “that’s one for the books” – This phrase is used to say that something is ‘amazing,’ ‘wonderful’ or ‘impressive.’ “you can’t judge a book by its cover” – This idioms is used to say, ‘you should not judge people by their appearance alone.’ This idiom also is used to remind people that the outside of something is not always the same as the inside.
