Unit 11.

Dreams
Grammar

Conditional sentences
Test

Vocabulary

Health and sports

Vocabulary practice
exercise

Reading

Listening

The magic potions

Listening comprehension
Reading comprehension

Writing

How to write a CV /
rsum
Now you write

Grammar
Conditional sentences
A conditional sentence is a sentence that expresses hypothetical situations and their consequences. In English,
as in Spanish, there are different types of conditional sentences because hypothetical situations can be
expressed in a number of different manners, and therefore, using different tenses. In all conditional sentences
we have two clauses, one is the if clause and the other one is the main verb clause. The order of the clauses
does not alter the sentences meanings.

Zero conditional
The Zero conditional is called zero conditional because, in spite of having the structure of a conditional
sentence, there is no real hypothetical situation or conditional. Here you have an example:
If water reaches 100 degrees, it boils. Si el agua alcanza los 100 grados, hierve.

This means that whenever this happens (when water reaches 100 degrees) there is the same consequence (it
boils). Therefore, it is a general truth.
Structure of the Zero conditional:
If + subject + verb in the Present Simple tense, subject + verb in the Present Simple tense
In the Zero conditional both sentences are in the Present Simple tense.

What is it used for?

The Zero conditional is used to describe a general, or particular, truth (verdad general o particular). Lets see
some more examples:
If
you
if subject

touch
verb Present Simple

fire,
object,

you get burnt

if clause main verb clause

Si tocas el fuego, te quemas.

Note: in this case the hypothetical situation is true for everybody.

They
subject

oversleep
verb Present Simple

if
if

they
subject

go to bed late
Present Simple tense

Duermen ms de la cuenta si se
van a dormir tarde.

Note: in this case the hypothetical situation is only true for the speaker.
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First conditional
Study this example:

If it rains, I will stay at home. Si llueve, me quedar en casa.

Structure of the First conditional:

If + subject + verb in the Present Simple tense, subject + will + verb in the infinitive

What is it used for?

The First conditional describes a hypothetical situation whose consequence is very likely to happen, that is why
we use will. Lets see some more examples:
If
If

they
subject

find her dog,

she
v. present tense, subject

will
will

give them a reward

v. infinitive

Si ellos encuentran a su perro,

ella les pagar una recompensa.

If you buy the boat, I wont talk to you.

Si te compras el barco, no te hablar.

If they study hard, they will pass the exam.

Si estudian duro, pasarn el examen.

Second conditional
Study this example:

If I had money, I would do many things. Si tuviera dinero, hara muchas cosas.

Structure of the Second conditional:

If + subject + verb in the Past Simple tense, subject + would + verb in the infinitive

What is it used for?

The Second conditional describes a hypothetical situation whose consequences are not very likely to happen,
that is why we use would and not will. It contemplates the subjective point of view of the speaker.
Some grammarians distinguish between two types of Second conditional clauses:
The first is the hypothetical conditional (something like a dream) as in the sentence:
If I were rich, I would buy a mansion. Si fuera rico, comprara una mansin.

The second one is the impossible conditional as in the sentence: If I had a credit card, I could buy the
tickets (but as I dont have one I cant do it). Si tuviera una tarjeta de crdito comprara las entradas (pero como
no la tengo no lo puedo hacer). In this case, the situation is not hypothetical, its a fact: I cant do something,
therefore, its impossible.
Lets see some more examples:
If
If

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they
found her dog,
she
subject v. present tense, subject

would
would

pay them a reward

v. infinitive

Si ellos encontrasen a su perro,

ella les pagara una recompensa.

If you bought the boat, I wouldnt talk to you.

Si te comprases el barco, no te hablara.

If they studied harder, they would pass the exam.

Si estudiasen ms duro, pasaran el examen.

If I were rich, I would travel all over the world.

Si yo fuese rico, viajara por todo el mundo.

Could, might and may, can be used instead of would. For example:
I could sleep some more if I didnt have to get up so early.
Podra dormir ms horas si no tuviese que despertarme tan pronto.
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Use of commas in conditional sentences

If the if clause is at the beginning of the sentence then use a comma before the second clause. For example:
If you go to London, I will visit you. Si vas a Londres, te visitar.

Dont use a comma if the if clause is in the second clause of the sentence. For example:
I will visit you if you go to London. Te visitar si vas a Londres.

In the case of the verb to be (fuera, fuese) we use were for all the persons,
though many native speakers do not respect this rule. For example:
If she were here, we could go swimming. Si ella estuviera aqu podramos ir a nadar.
If I were you, I wouldnt do that. Yo que t no hara eso.

How to remember the structures of the different conditionals

You should always try to remember which tense goes with the if clause

Conditional

Example

Zero

If you work too much, you get tired.

Si trabajas demasiado, te cansas.

Both clauses use the Present Simple tense. In

Spanish, the same verb tenses are used.

First

If she rings the bell, they will come.

Si ella toca el timbre, ellos vendrn.

The if clause always has a verb in the Present

tense. The tense of the other clause is always with
will. In Spanish the same verb tenses are used.

If they came, we could go out.

Si ellos viniesen nosotros podramos salir.

The verb tense that goes with the if clause

is always in the Past tense. In Spanish it is the
subjective mood, si fueses, tuvieses, vinieses, etc.
The tense of the other clause always takes would
(or could, might or may).

Second

Tip to remember

What are the differences between the different conditionals?

Conditional

When do we use this conditional?

Example

Translations. Remarks

Zero

Describes general, or particular,

truths.

If the temperature drops

below zero (0C), water
freezes.

Si la temperatura baja por

debajo de cero grados, el agua se
congela.

First

Describes situations which are very

likely to happen in the future,
thats why we use will.

If she comes, we will go to

the cinema.

Si ella viene, iremos al cine.

Second

Describes situations that are not

very likely to happen and are
subjective, they depend on the
speakers point of view, thats why
we use would.

If you ate less, you would

lose weight.

Si comieses menos, perderas

peso.

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Watch a video about the conditionals in English.

Test
A. Zero conditional
Match the two parts of the sentences.
1. People are more relaxed
2. If the weather is hot,
3. I always sit in the aisle seat
4. If there is a natural disaster,
5. If you send someone an email,
6. You need water
7. If the clocks change in autumn and spring,
8. If your friend has a birthday,
9. If you have a problem,
10. The bus is often late

A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
G.
H.
I.
J.

if I am flying long distance.

you reset the time.
the international community offer aid.
you buy a present.
when they are on holiday.
if the traffic is bad.
complain to customer service.
the plants need water.
if you want to make a coffee.
they receive it almost immediately.

B. First Conditional
Complete the sentences using the words in the brackets.
1. If you break the vase, she ............... (be) angry.
2. If she flies in the morning, she ............... (be able

to) go to the 2 oclock meeting.

3. If they book the ticket now, they ............... (get) a

discount.

4. If he gets lost, he ............... (use) his sat-nav to get

home.

5. If sea levels rise, the earths coastline ...............

(change) shape.

6. Governments will have to take drastic action

...................... (the economy/deteriorate).

7. People wont be able to drive cars ..................... (fuel

prices/increase).

8. Internet crime will increase ...................................

(governments/ not impose) stricter regulations.

9. Ill phone him back ......... (he/ring) before lunch.

10. Theyll fix the engine ............... (it/break down)

again.

C. Second conditional
Fill the gaps using one of the options.
1. If I had a lot of money, I ...... spend it.
A. were.
B. would.
C. was.
2. If I ........... the job of my dreams, I
would celebrate.
A. got.
B. get.
C. would.
3. I would ........ around the world if my
job required it of me.
A. travelled.
B. moved.
C. travel.

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4. I would build my own house if I

............... the time to do it.
A. hadnt.
B. had.
C. have.

5. If trains ......... more reliable, people

would use them more often.
A. were.
B. werent.
C. wasnt.
6. If plastic surgery were illegal, there
would ....... a lot of underground clinics.
A. are.
B. is.
C. be.
7. Governments ....... change their
policies if they really listened to the
people.
A. were.
B. would.
C. be.

8. Bank CEOs would higher taxes

if there were any justice in the world.
A. paid.
B. not paid.
C. pay.
9. If the economy were doing well,
there ........ be more jobs available.
A. wouldnt.
B. would.
C. werent.
10. The world ........... be cleaner if there
were better incentives for producing
clean energy.
A. wouldnt.
B. would.
C. were.

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Vocabulary
Health and sports
Word

Example

Word

Example

headache
dolor de cabeza

She has a headache.

Ella tiene dolor de cabeza.
This backache is killing me.
Este dolor de espalda me est
matando.

soccer
ftbol (Amer.)

They decided to play soccer.

Decidieron jugar al ftbol.

backache
dolor de espalda

track and field

atletismo

Track and field events are my

favourite sports.
El atletismo es mi deporte favorito.
The 100 m. hurdles is an Olympic
track and field athletics discipline
run by women.
El salto de valla de 100 m. es un
deporte olmpico femenino.

toothache
dolor de muelas

He had to go to the dentist

because he had toothache.
Tuvo que ir al dentista porque
tena dolor de muelas.

hurdles
salto de valla

fever
fiebre

She had a fever last night.

Ella tuvo fiebre anoche.

horse riding
montar a caballo

When are we going to go horse

riding?
Cundo vamos a montar a caballo?

cold
resfriado, catarro

You are going to get a cold if

you dont wear a sweater.
Vas a coger un catarro si no te
pones un jersey.

mountaineering
alpinismo

People in Tibet do a lot of

mountaineering.
La gente en el Tbet hace mucho
alpinismo.

flu
gripe

I get the flu every winter.

Cojo la gripe todos los inviernos.

ice skating
patinaje sobre hielo

The lake froze and they went ice

skating.
El lago se congel y estuvieron patinando.

cough
toser

He has been coughing all night.

Ha estado tosiendo toda la noche.

scuba
diving bucear

I would like to go scuba diving.

Me gustara ir a bucear.

hurt
doler

My back hurts.
Me duele la espalda.

pain
dolor

I have a terrible pain in my joints.

Tengo un terrible dolor en las
articulaciones.

to be under the
weather

He hasnt slept and now he is

feeling under the weather.
l no ha dormido y ahora est
pachucho.

estar pachucho,
sentirse mal

Listen to the list of vocabulary related to

health and sports.

Vocabulary practice exercise

Translate the following sentences:

Si tengo dolor de muelas debo ir al dentista.

En el Caribe hay muchos lugares donde puedes bucear.

l fuma y tose mucho.

Si te duele la pierna toma esta pastilla.

El atletismo requiere mucho entrenamiento.

No a todos los americanos les gusta el ftbol.

Si coges la gripe tienes que quedarte en casa.

Me gustara ir a montar a caballo.

El patinaje sobre hielo no es tan popular como el ftbol.

10 Alguna gente siempre tiene dolor de cabeza.

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Reading
The magic potions
Sarah, do you know that if you heat water to 100
degrees it will boil? Steven asked his 9 year old sister.
Yes, I know, she said. I was taught that at school.
Do you want to study chemistry with me? Steven
asked her.
No, I dont, Sarah replied. I want to draw a picture.
Well, you can draw in my laboratory, Peter said.
Really?
Yes, I also have a lot of magic potions to look at.
Do you?
If you come with me, Ill show you.
They both headed towards Stevens laboratory. Sarah
had already been in there, but she didnt know that
her brother had magic potions.
They went downstairs into the cellar. The place was
a little dark and cold and very mysterious. It looked
like an old chemists than a modern laboratory, as it
had old wooden floors and heavy wooden furniture.
There was an old microscope and a lot of test tubes
filled with different coloured liquids.
These are my magic potions, said Steven, showing
Sarah a set of three test tubes each with a different
colour inside.
And what do they do? Sarah queried.
If you drink this one, he said, pointing to a tube with
green liquid, you will be able to buy anything you
want.
Even a great big castle? Sarah asked.

Why?
They all give you something that you really want,
but, in return, they take something away from you.
Ah ha, she said doubtfully.
If you want you can draw here with these crayons
while I read up on one of my experiments, he
suggested.
His sister agreed but as she started drawing a big
castle under the light of the old desk lamp, she
couldnt stop thinking about the liquids in the tubes.
When she had finished drawing in the lab and had
returned upstairs with her brother, she made the
decision to go back to the laboratory alone that night.
She waited until everybody had fallen asleep and
then went downstairs with a torch.
She decided to drink the yellow liquid to become
invisible. But when she took the tube in her hands,
she heard a voice say:
If you drink me, you will never be visible again.
So she decided to drink the blue liquid instead.
Again, as she lifted the next test tube, she heard a
voice, it said:
If you drink me, you will never be able to go home
again.
The first two curses frightened her, so she decided to
drink the green liquid.
Just as she was putting the tube to her lips a voice
said:

Yes, even a great big castle.

If you drink me, you will never be able to sell

anything.

And if you drink this one? she asked, pointing to a

tube with blue liquid.

She didnt understand the true import of this last

liquids curse. Was it bad to be unable to sell anything?

You can travel anywhere in the world.

Then she saw a light coming from the cellars door

and there was her brother staring at her.

Really? she asked, her eyes now wide open.

Yes.
And what does the yellow one do?
Well, the yellow one makes you invisible, said Steven.
Really? she questioned, with a look of amazement
on her face.
Yes, but you shouldnt drink any of them because
they are dangerous.

Sarah, dont you dare drink the green liquid! he

shouted. If you can only buy things, but can never
sell anything you will be a very poor person.
The next thing she knew was that she was back in her
room. She didnt really know what the significance of
her strange dream was but she knew she would always
listen to what her brother said.

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Reading comprehension

4. Which liquid makes it impossible for

you to be seen?
A. Blue.
B. Yellow.
1. What tempts Sarah into her brothers C. Green.
laboratory?
5. Why are the potions dangerous?
A. A water boiling experiment.
A. They can hurt you.
B. Drawing pictures.
B. They are evil.
C. Seeing magic potions.
C. Their powers come at a cost.

After reading the text

choose the correct answer.

2. Where was the laboratory

positioned in the house?
A. The top.
B. The middle.
C. The bottom.

6. What did Peter do while Sarah drew?

A. Experimented with potions.
B. Some reading research.
C. Helped his sister.

3. What does the laboratory look like?

A. Antiquated.
B. Modern.
C. State-of-the-art.

7. When did Sarah decide to return to

the laboratory?
A. In the laboratory.
B. In bed.
C. When they were back upstairs.

8. Why didnt she drink the first two

potions?
A. She didnt like the powers.
B. She was scared of the consequences.
C. She wanted to buy lots of things.
9. What would happen to her if she
drank the third potion?
A. She would have money.
B. She would be lonely.
C. She would be broke.
10. What did Sarah learn from the
dream?
A. To listen to her brother.
B. Dont touch what you dont
understand.
C. Everything you do has a result.

Vocabulary
Go downstairs to the cellar: bajaron al stano
(bodega).
Chemist (Brit. n.): farmacia Pharmacy (Amer.).
Wooden (adj.): de madera.
Furniture (n.): muebles.
Test tubes (n.): tubos de ensayo.
Point to (v.): apuntar.
Anywhere: cualquier lugar.
Eyes wide open: ojos muy abiertos.
Make someone invisible (v.): volverse invisible.
In return: a cambio.
Take away (v.): quitar.

Listening
Listening comprehension
Listen and then choose
the correct answer from
the options below.
1. How many future possibilities does
the first speaker consider?
A. One.
B. Two.
C. Three.
2. What are they?
A. Result of effort and a dream.
B. What is available and a dream.
C. Result of effort and what is available.

Everybody had fallen asleep: se haban

quedado dormidos.
Torch (n.): linterna
Curse(s) (n.): maldicin.
Frighten (v.): asustar.
Was it bad to be unable to do something?: Era
malo no ser capaz de..?
Stare (v.): mirar fijamente.
Dare (v.): atreverse.
What the significance of something was: cul
haba sido el significado.

3. What job would the speaker like on

graduating?
A. Merchandising.
B. Marketing.
C. Media.
4. How many people would they like
to work with?
A. Four.
B. Five.
C. Fourteen.

7. Where would their dream location

be?
A. In the mountains.
B. By the sea.
C. In the Polar Regions.

5. How many interviews do they have

lined-up?
A. Four.
B. Five.
C. Six.

9. How would it be different from

other businesses?
A. Run business courses.
B. Run yoga classes.
C. Run workshops.

6. Which city would they like to work in?

A. Lima.
B. London.
C. Los Angeles.

10. What would the place produce?

A. Its own book label.
B. Its own record label.
C. Its own energy.

8. What business would they run there?

A. Adventure activities.
B. Yoga retreat.
C. Artists retreat.

Watch a video about two people using the Second Conditional If I were you, I would.

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119

Writing
How to write a CV/rsum
In English we have two words for the Spanish word
curriculum or CV. It is called a CV in British English
and a rsum in American English.
Remember a CV is a marketing tool you use to sell
yourself. Therefore, it should be carefully and clearly
laid out, targeted on the specific job in question,
as well as being concise and accurate in content,
spelling and grammar.
The wording of these documents -CV or rsum- is
slightly different, so when addressing a company you
should first find out whether you are writing to an
American or to a British company and adapt your
CV/rsum to the British or American style.

Information that a CV/rsum should

include
Name.
Introductory paragraph (include who
you are and what you want and can offer,
keeping in mind what position you are
applying for).
Work experience (most recent first).
Education and qualifications (degree
title, qualification achieved and university
(Brit.)/college (Amer.) name).
Interests and achievements.
Additional Information.
Referees/References.

Study this example:

Beatriz Snchez Rodrguez

Work expirience

Teacher

I have recently graduated in Teaching from the Universidad Autnoma de Barcelona. My ambition is to work with Young Learners within a
school environment. Work experience within this field and training in the dramatic arts has prepared me to give creative and interactive
classes in these important foundation years.

Jan 2007 Oct 2009

Substitute teacher at Colegio Sagrados Corazones.

Worked with all age groups from Reception through to Year 6. Developed learning assistance programs focused on individual needs.
Planned and implemented English lessons.

Jun 2007 Sept 2009

Summers Camp Instructor, Camp USA.

Specialist activity instructor in summer camps throughout the USA, teaching
drama and creative arts.

Education and
qualifications
2006 2010

Universidad Autnoma de Barcelona. BA Hons Teaching Young Learners (1st class).

Other
qualifications/skills

First Aid
Computing Skills: Windows XP, Vista, 7, Excel, PowerPoint.
Drama: Puppet Theatre for children.

Interest and
achievements

Secretary to Association of Disabled Children of Murcia.

I enjoy running and I played basketball at University for the Ladies team.
Other interests include reading English novels, watching sports, and listening to music.

Additional
information

Languajes:
Spanish native.

English Intermediate spoken.

French Intermediate spoken.

Full, clean driving license.

References

Contact details: Calle Murcia, 3, 28028 Madrid (Spain).

Telephone: (0034) 91 644 26538.
Email: bsanchez@hotmail.com

Now you write

120

Watch a video about how to write a CV.

Instructions:
Write your own CV as if you were applying for a job in
your industry.

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