B1 Lesson 26: 2nd Conditional + Phrases with At

WARM UP

Think about decisions, possibilities, and different situations.

• What would you do if you were at risk of losing your job?
• Do you usually understand new ideas at first?
• What is your country like at its best?
• What would you change in your life at present if you could?
• When was the last time you solved a problem at once?

Answer in full sentences.

VOCABULARY – PHRASES WITH AT

• at least – al menos
Example: We need at least two more people for the project.

• at long last – por fin
Example: At long last, the company launched the product.

• at first – al principio
Example: At first, I didn't understand the instructions.

• at its best – en su mejor momento
Example: The city is at its best during the spring.

• at best – como mucho / en el mejor de los casos
Example: The journey will take two hours at best.

• at risk – en riesgo
Example: Some endangered species are at risk of extinction.

• at once – inmediatamente
Example: Please contact me at once if there is a problem.

• at present – actualmente
Example: At present, the company is expanding internationally.

Say each phrase out loud.
Think about situations where you might use each expression.

GRAMMAR – SECOND CONDITIONAL

We use the second conditional to talk about:

• Imaginary situations
• Unreal or unlikely situations
• Hypothetical future events
• Dreams and possibilities

Structure

• If + past simple, would + base verb

or

• Would + base verb + if + past simple

Examples

• If I had more free time, I would travel more.
• If she lived near the beach, she would go swimming every day.
• If we had a bigger budget, we would hire more staff.
• If they studied harder, they would pass the exam.

More Examples

• If I were at risk of losing my job, I would start looking for another one.
• If I had more money, I would donate at least some of it to charity.
• If I moved abroad, I would learn the language at once.
• If the city improved public transport, it would be at its best.
• If I were the manager, I would solve the problem at once.

Using "Were"

In formal English, we often use were for all subjects.

Examples

• If I were rich, I would travel the world.
• If he were here, he would help us.
• If they were more organised, they would finish earlier.

Negative Examples

• If I didn't have internet access, I wouldn't work from home.
• If the company weren't successful, it wouldn't expand.
• If people didn't recycle, environmental problems would become worse.

DIALOGUE – A HYPOTHETICAL SITUATION

Anna: What would you do if you won a million euros?

Mark: At first, I would probably take a holiday.

Anna: And then?

Mark: I would invest most of the money and donate at least some of it.

Anna: Would you keep working?

Mark: Yes, but I would work less.

Anna: What would you do if you were at risk of losing everything?

Mark: I would act at once and make a plan.

Read again and practise.

SHORT ARTICLE

Many people spend time imagining how their lives would be different under other circumstances. If they had unlimited resources, they would travel more and spend time with family. Some people say they would leave their jobs at once if they became financially independent. Others believe they would continue working because they enjoy what they do. If cities invested more in public services, they would be at their best and offer a higher quality of life. Some environmental experts argue that certain species would not be at risk if governments enforced stronger protection laws. At present, these issues remain important topics of discussion. Although solutions may seem difficult, many people believe that conditions would improve if society worked together more effectively.

Read the article twice. Focus on the second conditional structures.

LANGUAGE SUPPORT

Second conditional

• If I had more time, I would learn another language.
• If I were rich, I would travel more.
• If we lived closer, we would meet more often.

Useful phrases with at

• at least once a week
• at first I was nervous
• at present we are working remotely
• at risk of failure
• respond at once

Full sentence model

• If I had more free time, I would at least study English for an hour every day.

PERSONAL QUESTIONS

Answer in full sentences.

• If you had a year off work, what would you do?
• If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live?
• What would you do if you were at risk of losing something important?
• If you won a large amount of money, what would you do at first?
• What would your city be like at its best?
• If you could improve one thing about your life at present, what would it be?
• If you could learn any skill at once, what would it be?
• What would happen if everyone worked from home permanently?
• If you were the leader of your country, what changes would you make?
• If you could solve one global problem at long last, which problem would you choose?

HOMEWORK (WRITE & RECORD)

Writing

Write 10 second conditional sentences.

• Use If + past simple, would + base verb.
• Include at least 6 vocabulary phrases from the lesson.
• Write about your life, work, and future possibilities.