I wish I had more free time. If I had more free time, I

could (would) travel more.

 

1. I wish I were at home. I f....

2. I wish I were younger. I f....

3. I wish I were older. I f....

4. I wish I spoke English better. I f....

5. I wish there were only one language. I f....

6. I wish our teachers didn't give so much homework. I f....

7. I wish I had more time each day. I f....

8. I wish the world were smaller. I f..

 

Exercise 24:

Are you talkative, shy, impatient, patient? Are you a good listener?

Do you have a good memory? What are some characteristics or traits that you wish you had?

 

Complete the following in your own words.

Example:If I weren't so..., I....

If I weren't so careless, I would do better on tests.

 

1. If I weren't so..., I....

2. If I didn't..., I....

3. If I were more..., I....

4. If I were less..., I....

5. If I... more, I....

6. If I... less, I....

 

Exercise 25:

In pairs or in small groups, take turns explaining a

problem or situation and giving advice on how to deal with it.

2. If you had the chance to go anywhere you wanted, where might

you go? Where would you go if you could return to some place

for another visit?

3. If you could travel differently, how would you go?

4. If you were able to go back in time, which year or era would

you choose? Why would you choose that time?

5. If you had the opportunity to talk with a special person again,

who would it be? Why?

6. If you were able to do a part of your life over, what would you

do differently?

 

Exercise 26:

In pairs or in small groups, take turns explaining a

problem or situation and giving advice on how to deal with it.

Example:I get frequent headaches, and sometimes I can't see

clearly.

If I were you, I would go to an eye doctor.

If I were you, I would have my eyes checked.

Here are some problems you may have had. Feel free to include

your own.

 

1. I'm always late.

2. My roommates are very noisy.

3. Coffee makes me nervous.

4. I speak my own language more than I speak English.

5. I need a much higher score on the TOEFL to get into the school

that I am interested in.

6. The car that I have now uses a lot of gas.

7. I've been gaining a lot of weight since I began to study here.

8. I never seem to have any money left at the end of the month.

Activity Many countries honor their great citizens with statues

or monuments after the persons have died. Japan, however, is

different. Japan has a special title, "National Living Treasure,"

which is given to a few select individuals during their lifetime.

Imagine that your country gave the title "National Living

Treasure." If you were to choose people from your country, whom

would you choose and why? (If you are from Japan, make your

own choices and, if possible, compare them with your

government's choices.) In pairs or in small groups, share your

ideas. Make sure to include some of the following in your choices:

1. women

2. politicians

3. teenagers

4. scientists

5. humanitarians

6. artists (musicians, actors or painters, etc.)

For example, if you were to choose a woman, who might it be?

Exercise 27:

Combine the following sentences by using if.

Places to Live and to Visit

Example:I wish I had visited New York. Then, I could have seen

the Statue of Liberty.

If I had visited New York, I could have seen the Statue

Of Liberty.

 

1. I wish I had gone to San Francisco. Then, I could have ridden

the cable cars all the time.

2. I wish I had chosen to study in Hawaii. Then, I could have gone

swimming every day.

3. I wish I had studied Greek. Then, I could have gone to school

in Athens.

4. I wish I had applied to schools in Montreal. Then, I could have

studied both French and English.

5. I wish I had saved more money. Then, I could have made a

trip throughout North America.

6. I wish I had planned my studies differently. Then, I could have

visited more places.

 

Exercise 28:

Answer the following questions in your own words.

 

1. If you had had the choice, where would you have been born?

2. If you had had the choice, would you have grown up in a city

or in the country?

3. If you had chosen a different language to study, what would

it have been?

4. If you had chosen a different city to study in, where might you

have gone?

5. If you had been able to begin your studies at any time, when

would you have begun?

6. If you had chosen a different career, what might you have

studied?

Exercise 29:

Answer the following questions in your own words.

 

1. What would life be like today if someone hadn't invented the

automobile? The airplane? The telephone?

2. What might your life be like today if you had been born the

opposite sex? Sixty years ago? In a different climate or country?

3. What couldn't you do today if you hadn't enrolled in this school?

Learned English?

 

Exercise 30:

Boston is a very "livable" city. In recent years, it has

made major improvements. These have made the city even more

pleasant.

Change the following sentences to include if clauses.

Change very to so when necessary. Use either simple or perfect

modals in the main clause.

Example:Boston valued its past; as a result, it restored many old

buildings.

If Boston had not valued its past, it would not have

Restored so many old buildings.

1. Bostonians were concerned about historic parts of the city; as

a result, they fought to preserve them.

2. Bostonians cared about the beauty of the city; as a result, they

preserved many historic areas.

3. The city made major improvements in the old waterfront area;

as a result, it is a great attraction today.

4. Boston renovated all the old waterfront warehouses; as a result,

shops and restaurants opened there.

5. The city developed parks and gardens along the harbor; as a

result, the waterfront area is very attractive.

On Your Own Think about your home town or the town where

you are living now. Have changes taken place in recent years? Have

these been good or bad? What if these changes hadn't taken place?

What would your area be like? Make at least four statements using

conditional sentences with both past and present time.

Activity "What if" you had been born at a different time? How

would your life have been different? "What if" you had been born

in a different place? How would your life be different today? In

small groups, test your knowledge of history, geography, and social

customs. Take turns choosing times and places and ask each other

to describe what life would have been like then and there. Be sure

to answer in complete sentences in order to practice if clauses.

Examples: "What could you be living in if you had been born in

the Arctic?"

"I could be living in an igloo if I had been born

there."

"What would life have been like if you had been

born in Paris in 1789?"

"If I had been born then, it would have been dangerous.

I would have been born in the middle of a

revolution."

Exercise 31:

Complete the following passage by adding because or because of.

Mountains and Weather

l their height, mountains are important

in the making of weather. When moisture-filled air

encounters mountains, it is forced upward.

2 the air cools at higher altitudes, water

vapor turns to rain or snow. By the time the air passes over

the mountaintops it has lost its moisture.

3 the air is much cooler and thinner

4 the dryness of then, it sinks. these

downward winds, Indians in the western United States call

them "snow eaters." They can evaporate snow at the rate of

two feet a day.

 

Exercise 32:

Complete the following passage by adding so that or in order to.

The Strange Weather of 1983

The years 1982-83 produced extremes of weather in

much of the world. Since then, meteorologists have been

watching many parts of the world 1

they can learn more about the causes of the unusual weather

Some scientists have studied volcanoes

2see their effect on temperature.

Others are researching "El Nino," a warm-water current

near the equator, 3 learn its role in

weather. In addition, meteorologists are studying air pollution

4 they can understand its effect on

weather, as well as its role in "acid rain." Most importantly,

scientists are collecting data worldwide

they can learn the interrelationships in global weather.

Exercise 33:

In the following sentences, change so that to in order to or in order to to so that.

Example:Meteorologists collect data in order to find patterns in

the weather.

Meteorologists collect data so that they can find patterns

In the weather.

 

1. Meteorologists study climates around the world in order to learn

about the interrelationships.

2. They measure wind speeds so that they can calculate the effects

on air pressure and circulation.

3. They watch high- and low-pressure areas in order to predict

changes in the weather.

4. They study mountainous regions in order to learn how mountains

affect weather.

5. Meteorologists take smog samples so that they can study the

effects of air pollution on weather.

6. Meteorologists work with oceanographers and geologists so that

they can understand the roles of oceans and land formations

in weather.

On Your Own Doctors take X-rays in order to look for broken

bones. A businesswoman learns accounting so that she can manage

her income. What do people in your career or hobby do? What

are they currently studying? Create at least five original sentences

using so that and in order to.

Exercise 34:

Combine the following sentences, using because or since.

Make any other changes and add punctuation when necessary.

Air Circulation Patterns

Example:The equator is closest to the sun. The atmosphere

around the equator absorbs the most solar energy.