Summary

SITUATION	IF-CLAUSE	RESULT CLAUSE	EXAMPLES
TRUE IN THE PRESENT/FUTURE	simple present	will can + simple form	If I have enough money, I will (can) buy a ticket.
CONTRARY-TO-FACT IN THE PRESENT/FUTURE	simple past	would could + simple form	If I had enough money, I would (could) buy a ticket.

Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence. Use the italicized word.

1. My family have a holiday flat and that's why we always go to the same place.

If my family _____________________________ always go to the same place.

own

2. Society changes and so do the families.

If society changes, so_____________________________ as well.

change

3. The children stay with my ex-husband at the weekend and I can do a lot about the house.

If the children ___________________________ about the house.

be

4. I can't go on holiday because I've got a babysitter job this summer.

If __________________________on holiday.

work

5. It’s too expensive to visit parents very often.

I _________________ my parents if they live nearer.

drop in

6. He leaves home because he doesn’t want to live with his parents.

If he ___________________________leave home.

want

7. My parents stuck in a traffic jam and were late for the wedding ceremony.

If they_______________________________ for the wedding ceremony.

fly

8. He didn't enjoy himself at school, so he played truant all the time.

If ______________________________________________truant all the time.

have fun

9. They had a lot of studying to do during the vacation so they couldn't go to the relatives.

If they __________________________________________________on holiday.

much

10. I forgot to post the letter to my Granny because I was so busy with my work.

I ______________________________________________so busy with my work. remembered

FAMILY PORTRAIT by PINK

EXERCISE 1

Replace the infinitives with one of the following tenses:

Imperative

Simple Future

Simple Present

Present Continuous

Simple Past

Listen to the song to check your answers.

Uh, uh, uh, uh.

Momma, please, stop crying; I can’t stand the sound;

Your pain.................. (be) painful and it .................. (tear) me down.

I.................. (hear) glasses breaking, as I .................. (sit) up in my bed.

I.................. (tell) dad you ..................(not mean) those nasty things you ..................(say).

You.................. (fight) about money, about me and my brother

And this I.................. (come) home to; this is my shelter.

It ..................(not be) easy growing up in World War III,

Never knowing what love could be. You.................. (see),

I.................. (not want) love to destroy me, like it has done my family

Can we work it out? Can we be a family?

I.................. (promise) I.................. (be) better, Mommy, I ..................(do) anything.

Can we work it out? Can we be a family?

I.................. (promise) I’ll be better. Daddy, please.................. (not leave).

Daddy, please.................. (stop) yelling; I can’t stand the sound.

.................. (make) mama stop crying, 'coz I ..................(need) you around.

My mama, she ..................(love) you, no matter what she ..................(say). It.................. (be) true

I.................. (know) that she ..................(hurt) you, but ..................(remember) I ..................(love) you, too.

I.................. (run) away today, ..................(run) from the noise, run away.

(I).................. (not want) to go back to that place, but ..................(not have) no choice, no way.

It.................. (be) easy growing up in World War III,

Never knowing what love could be. Well, I have seen.

I.................. (not want) love to destroy me, like it did my family.

Can we work it out? Can we be a family?

I.................. (promise) I.................. (be) better, Mommy, I ..................(do) anything.

Can we work it out? Can we be a family?

I.................. (promise) I.................. (be) better; Daddy, please ..................(not leave).

In our family portrait; we.................. (look) pretty happy.

.................. (let) ’s play pretend; (let) 's act like it .................. (come) naturally.

I.................. (not want) to have to split the holidays;

I.................. (not want) two addresses. I.................. (not want) a step-brother anyways

And I.................. (not want) my mom to have to change her last name.

In our family portrait, we ..................(look) pretty happy.

We.................. (look) pretty normal; ..................(let) 's go back to that.

In our family portrait we ..................(look) pretty happy.

..................(let) 's play pretend - act like it ..................(come) naturally.

In our family portrait, we ..................(look) pretty happy.

We.................. (look) pretty normal; ..................(let) 's go back to that.

(I .................. (promise) I.................. (be) better, Mommy I .................. (do) anything)

In our family portrait, we.................. (look) pretty happy

..................(let) 's play pretend - act like it ..................(come) so naturally.

(I ..................(promise) I.................. (be) better, Daddy please .................. (not leave) )

In our family portrait, we ..................(look) pretty happy.

We.................. (look) pretty normal; ..................(let)’s go back to that.

I.................. (promise) I.................. (be) better, Daddy, please ..................(not leave)

Daddy ..................(not leave). (x3)

..................(turn) around please;

..................(remember) that the night you ..................(leave) you ..................(take) my shining star?

Daddy .................. (not leave). (x3)

.................. (not leave) us here alone.

Mom ..................(be) nicer.

I ..................(be) so much better; I ..................(tell) my brother.

Oh, I ..................(not spill) the milk at dinner.

I ..................(be) so much better; I ..................(do) everything right.

I ..................(be) your little girl forever;

I ..................(go) to sleep at night.

EXERCISE 2

Find answers to the following questions

1. Who does the singer blame for the problems between her mother and father? (she thinks her own behaviour isn’t responsible, she also blames her mother for saying nasty things)

2. What solutions does she offer? (she doesn’t promise to spill milk at the table, she offers to do anything to save the marriage)

3. What particularly upsets her? (Her mother's crying and her father's threats to leave. She thought of living between two addresses.)

4. What long-term effects does she anticipate? (She will sleep properly at night if the marriage is saved. She will ever trust love.)

5. What does the singer think will improve the marriage? (She wants them to pretend they are happy. She wants them to split.)

6. How does she try to intervene? (She tells him that her mother really loves him and that she loves him too. She doesn’t promise to be his little girl forever.)

7. How does she feel? (She feels it is like growing up in the middle of a battlefield. She wants to run away )

8. What is the current situation within the marriage? (Father has already left once and the singer has a step-brother somewhere. Mother & Father are not arguing over the children.)

This piece of writing essay illustrates an essay organization with comments in the boxes. Pay attention to the organizational parts of the text.