UNIT 6 LESSON C: Present and Future Unreal

Conditionals
 PRE – READING

1. Read the title and the first paragraph of the story. What do you think the story is about?
2. Now read the last paragraph of the story? Is it a happy ending? Why? Why not?

The Fisherman and His wife

Once upon a time there was a poor fisherman and
his wife who lived in a pigsty near the sea. Every day the
man went to fish. One day, after waiting a very long time,
he caught a very big fish. The fish started to talk.
Fish: Please let me live. I’m not a regular fish – I’m an
enchanted prince. It wouldn’t do you any good if you
killed me. If you ate me, I wouldn’t even taste right.

The fisherman agreed, threw the fish back into the

clear water, and went home to his wife.
Wife: Husband, didn’t you catch anything today?
Fisherman: I caught a fish, but it said it was an enchanted prince, so I let it go
Wife: You mean you didn’t wish for anything?
Fisherman: No. What do I need to wish for?
Wife: Just look around you. We live in a pigsty. I wish we had a nice little
cottage. If we had a cottage, I would be a lot happier. You save the
prince’s life. Go back and ask him for it.

The fisherman didn’t want to go, but he did. He was afraid that if he asked for a
cottage, the fish would be angry. But he was also afraid that if he didn’t ask, his wife
would be even angrier.
When he got to the sea, it was all green and yellow.
Fisherman: My wife wishes we had a cottage.
Fish: Just go back. She already has it.

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 When he returned home, the fisherman found his wife sitting outside a lovely
little cottage. The kitchen was filled with food and all types of cooking utensils.
Outside was a little garden with vegetables, fruit trees, hens and ducks. Things were
fine for a week or two. Then one day the wife complained.
Wife: This cottage is much too crowded. I wish we lived in a bigger house.
If we lived in a big stone castle, I would be much happier. Go and
ask the fish for it.

The fisherman didn’t want to go, but he did. When he got to the sea, it was dark
blue and gray.
Fisherman: My wife wishes we lived in a big stone castle.
Fish: Just go on back. She’s standing in front of the door.

When he returned home, the fisherman found his wife on the steps of a great big
stone castle. The inside was filled with beautiful gold furniture, chandeliers, and
carpets, and there were servants everywhere. The next morning the wife woke up and
complained, again.
Wife: I wish I were King of all this land.
Fisherman: What would you do if you were king?
Wife: If I were king, I would own all this land. Go on back and ask the fish
for it.

This time, the sea was all blackish gray, and the water was rough and smelled
terrible.
Fish: What does she want now?
Fisherman: She wants to be king.
The fisherman felt embarrassed.
Fish: Just go on back. She already is.

When the fisherman returned home, he found an enormous palace. Everything

inside was made of marble and pure gold, and it was surrounded by soldieries with
drums and trumpets. His wife was seated on a throne.
Fisherman: How nice for you that you are king. Now we won’t need to wish for
anything else
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 But his wife was not satisfied.
Wife: If I were Emperor, I would be much happier. I am king and I
command you to go back and ask the fish to make me Emperor.

Reluctantly, the fisherman went back to the fish, and again the wish was granted.
Next, his wife wanted to be Pope, and that wish, too, was granted.
Fisherman: Wife, now be satisfied. You’re Pope. You can’t be anything more.

The wife, however, wasn’t convinced. She kept thinking and thinking about what
more she could be.
Wife: I wish I were like the Lord, I could make the sun rise and set. Then I
would be much happier. Go right now and tell the fish that I want to
be like the Lord.
Fisherman: Oh, no! The fish can’t do that. If I were you, I wouldn’t ask for
anything else.

But his wife got so furious that the poor fisherman ran back to the fish. There was
a terrible storm, and the sea was pitch black with waves as high as mountains.
Fish: Well, what does she want now?
Fisherman: She wishes she were like the Lord of the universe.
Fish: Just go back. She’s sitting in the pigsty again.
And they are still sitting there today.

 WHILE – READING
1. How many things did the fisherman’s wife wish for?5
2. How did the fisherman react to his wife’s wishes? Reluctantly and ashamed.
3. How did the sea change every time the fisherman went to talk to the fish? It seemed angry. It
smelled terrible, the water was rough and all blackish gray.

 POST – READING
1. Why do you think the fish left them at the end as they were at the beginning?
2. Why do you think the wife was not able to foresee the consequence of her last wish?
3. What do you think was the fisherman’s mistake in this story?

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GRAMMAR NOTES

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 Present and Future Unreal Conditionals (Second Conditional)

1. Use present and future unreal conditional If I had more time, I would read fairy tales to my
sentences to talk about unreal conditions and children.
their results. A condition and its result may be (But I don’t have time, so I don’t read fairy tales to
untrue, imagined, or impossible. my children.)

The sentence can be about:

a) the present If I lived in a palace now, I would give parties all

the time.
OR (But I don’t live in a palace now, so I don’t live
parties all the time.)

b) the future If I moved next month, I would buy new

furniture.
(But I’m not going to move next month, so I won’t
buy new furniture.)
The if clause gives the unreal condition, and the
result clause gives the unreal result of that
condition.

2. Use the simple past in the if clause. If they had a nice house, they wouldn’t want to
Use would, might, or could + base form of move.
the verb in the result clause.

Be careful!
a) The if clause uses simple past, but the If I had more money now, I would take a trip
meaning is not past. around the world.

b) Don’t use would in the if clause. If she knew the answer, she would tell you.
NOT If she would know the answer …

c) Use were for all subjects when the verb in If I were king, I would make you Prime Minister.
the if clause is a form of be. NOT If I was king …

Usage note: some people use was with I, he, she,

and it in informal speech.

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3. Use would in the result clause if the result is They love to travel. If they had time, they would
certain. Do not use will in unreal conditional take a trip next summer.
sentences.

Use might or could in the result clause if the They’ve never been to Asia. If they took a trip,
result is not certain. Do not use may and can. they might go to Japan.

OR

If they took a trip, they could go to Japan.

You can also use could in the result clause to You don’t know Japanese. If you knew Japanese,
express ability. you could translate this article for them.

4. You can begin conditional sentences with the if If I had more money, I would move.
clause or the result clause. The meaning is the
same. OR

Be careful! Use a comma between the two I would move if I had more money.
clauses only when the if clause comes first.

5. Use If I were you … to give advice. If I were you, I wouldn’t ask the fish for anything
else. He could get angry.

6. Use wish + simple past to talk about things I wish I lived in a castle.
That you want to be true now, but that are not (I don’t live in a castle now, but I want to live in
true. one.)
I wish we had a yacht.
(We don’t have a yacht now, but I want one.)

Use were instead of was after wish. I wish I were a child again.
NOT I wish I was a child again.

Use could or would after wish. Don’t use can I wish I could buy a car.
or will. NOT I wish I can buy a car.

I wish she would call tomorrow.

NOT I wish she will call tomorrow.

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1. DISCOVER THE GRAMMAR
Read the statements below and decide if the sentences that follow are true (T) or false (F).

1. If it weren’t so cold, I would go fishing.

a) T It’s cold. b) F I’m going fishing.

2. If I caught an enchanted fish, I would make three wishes.

a) F I believe I’m going to catch an enchanted fish. b) F I’m going to make three wishes.

3. If I had three wishes, I wouldn’t ask for a palace.

a) F I have three wishes. b) F I don’t want a palace.

4. If my house were too small, I would try to find a bigger one.

a) T My house is big enough. b) T I’m not looking for a bigger house right now.

5. If I got a raise, I could buy a new car.

a) F I recently got a raise. b) T I want a new car.

6. If we didn’t earn enough money, I might train for a new job.

a) F We don’t earn enough money. b) F I’m training for a new job.

7. Your friend tells you, “If I were you, I wouldn’t change jobs.”
a) T Your friend is giving you advice. b) T Your friend thinks you shouldn’t change jobs.

1. I wish I lived in a big house.

a) T I want to live in a big house. b) T I don’t live in a big house.

2. If I had time, I would read novels in English.

a) F I have time. b) F I’m going to read novels in English.

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2. A MODERN FAIRY TALE
Listen to a modern fairy tale about Cindy, a clever young girl, and a toad. Say whether the statements
given are true (T) or false (F). Correct the false ones.

1. F Cindy wishes she had a new soccer ball.

She wants to recover the one they were playing with.

2. T The toad wishes Cindy would marry him.

3. T If Cindy married the toad, he could become a prince.

4. F Cindy wishes she would become a beautiful princess.

She wants to become a scientist to help people.

5. F If Cindy became a princess, she’d have plenty of time

to study science.
She wouldn’t have any time left. Too many pictures
taken and ceremonies to attend to.

6. T The toad doesn’t know how to use his powers to

help himself.

7. T Cindy wants to become a scientist and help the

prince.

8. F Cindy and the prince get married and live happily

ever after.
The toad became a price and then a good king; and, Cindy helped a lot of people with her scientific
discoveries.

3. DAYDREAMING
Using the words in parentheses, complete the text below with the appropriate conditional form.

Did you hear about that guy who won 180 million dollars in the lottery? If I
won (win) that much money, I’d quit (quit) my job the next day. I’d travel
(travel) around the world and stay (stay) in the most luxurious hotels. If I
wanted (want) anything, I’d buy (buy) it. If I saw (see) a beautiful
Mercedes that I wanted, I’d buy (buy) it. If I wanted to stay in a beautiful
hotel and the hotel were (be) full, I’d buy (buy) the hotel and make them
give me a room. I could (can) do anything in the world if I had 180 million
dollars ... Oh, I am starting to sound a little materialistic... Well... I’d do (do) good things with the money
as well. If anybody needed (need) help, I’d give (give) them some money to help them out. I’d donate
(donate) money to charities and I’d give (give) money to help support the arts.

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4. ASSERTIVENESS
Use the following cues to make up a survey and find out how assertive you and your classmates are.

1 Someone lit up a cigarette in a non-smoking area / put it out.

If someone lit a cigarette in a non-smoking area, would you ask the person to put it out?

2 Someone parked his / her car in your parking place / move the car.

3 You needed change for a US$100 bill / buy something small instead of asking for change.

4 You were thirsty / ask for a glass of water in a restaurant.

5 A group of friends wanted you to go out with them / do so even you were too tired.

6 You were late for a flight / go to the check-in desk without waiting for your turn.

7 Someone pushed in front of you in a line at the bank / say something.

8 Complain to the store / the product failed after a week you bought it.

9 Stay till the end at the theater / not enjoying the play.

10 Lend a large sum of money (you have it) / a friend wants to borrow from you.

SCORING:
Questions 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 8 Yes = 2 points No = 0 points
Questions 3, 5, 9,10 No = 2 points Yes = 0 points

Eight or less: You have a submissive personality. You

insist on other people and like to follow rather than to
lead. People often take advantage of your good nature.

From nine to thirteen: You’re quite assertive. You do not

allow people to take advantage of you. However, people
see you as someone who stands for your rights without
being aggressive.

Fourteen or more: you have a strong personality. You

insist on other people respecting your rights. Some
people think you’re “pushy” and aggressive.

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5. EDITING
Read part of a book report. There are eight mistakes in the use of the present unreal conditional. Find
and correct them all.

The Disappearance

What would happen to the women if all the men in the world would
disappeared if
disappear? What would happen to the men when there were no women?
Phillip Wiley’s 1951 science-fiction novel, The Disappearance, addresses these
intriguing questions. The answers show us how society has changed since the
1950s.
lived
According to Wiley, if men and women live in different worlds, the results
would be catastrophic. In Wiley’s vision, men are too aggressive to survive on
their own, and women are too helpless. If women didn’t control them, men
would start weren’t
will start more wars. If men are there to pump gas and run the business,
women wouldn’t be able to manage.
were
If Wiley is alive today, would he write the same novel? Today, a lot of men
take care of their children, and a lot of women run businesses. If Wiley were
would learn
here to see these changes, he learns that men are not more warlike than
women, and women are not more helpless than men.

I think if all people, both men and women, learned to cooperate more, the
would
world will be a much better place.

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6. JUST IMAGINE
Discuss the following in pairs or in groups. Support your ideas and try to convince the rest of your
classmates that yours is the best option.

1. Who you would like to be if you woke up tomorrow as a different person.

2. What three things you would take with you if you were to be in a desert island for six months.
3. What single item you would save if your house caught fire.
4. What animal you would like to be the rest of your life.
5. What age you would travel back to.
6. What famous person you would like to meet.

7. JUST THREE WISHES

In fairy tales, people are often given three wishes. Imagine that you had just three wishes. What would
they be? Write them down and then work in groups discuss the pros and cons and come up with the best
three wishes for the group as in the example below. Hold a class discussion, which three wishes would
the class wish?

Example: 1. I wish I were famous.

2. I wish I spoke perfect English.
3. I wish I knew how to fly a plane.

There is an old saying: “Be careful what you wish for, it may come true.” Look at your wishes again.
Discuss negative results that might happen if they come true.

If I were famous, I would have no free time. I wouldn’t have a private life...

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