CONDITIONAL STRUCTURES TO

TALK ABOUT PEOPLE OR EVENTS

THAT ARE RESPOSIBLE FOR A
PARTICULAR OUTCOME
ABILITY: READING
 Objective
USE NEW CONDITIONAL STRUCTURES TO TALK ABOUT PEOPLE, THIGS,
OR EVENTS THAT CHANGED A SITUATION.
Read the following text
and identify conditional
structures
WARM UP
 A year ago I was hanging out with friends, when some of them wanted to
practice motocross. I thought it would be a good idea as I consider myself an
adrenaline junkie. However, had I known about the problems that I was
about to experience; I wouldn't have tried it. It was dark and I couldn’t get
a clear view of the road, and unfortunately, I didn’t see when a woman was
crossing the street and I ran over her. I was extremely scared, and I thought
I had killed her. Fortunately, she was still alive, but she was extremely ill.
Had I not gone out that night, I wouldn’t have had to solve so many issues.
My friends and I took one of our cars in order to take this woman to the
hospital,. However, when we were on the way, we had to stop to fill the tank
with gas, and it took so long that by the time we arrived at the hospital, it
was too late, and the woman was almost dead. If it hadn't been for the time
we wasted looking for a petrol station, we would have got there on time. But
thank God the Doctors were quick enough to saver her, as they gave her a
very strong medicine that stabilized her. If it weren’t for that medicine, she
never would have gotten better. At the end I learned the lesson and I became
more precautious when riding my motorcycle. But I only know that If I
hadn’t driven so recklessly, then I wouldn’t have gotten into that accident,
and I wouldn’t have ended up almost killing a person.
Grammar Focus
CONDITIONAL STRUCTURES
But for... / If it hadn't been for...

These forms are used to

emphasize that
someone or something
was responsible for a
particular outcome
(good or bad)
 [B] is only
possible because
If it hadn't [A] happened
been for [A], I first
never would
have [B] If [A] hadn’t
happened, then
[B] couldn’t have
happened
But for the time we wasted looking for a petrol
station, we would have got there on time.

If it hadn't been for the time we wasted looking for a

petrol station, we would have got there on time.

If we hadn't wasted time looking for a petrol station,

we would have got there on time.
Examples …

But for Cynthia, we would all have got lost.

If it hadn't been for Cynthia, we would all

have got lost.

Cynthia saved us from getting lost.

If it hadn’t been for the If it weren’t for the fact
two men who rescued  that he’s my father,
 me, I’d probably I’d accuse him in 
 have drowned. public.
If it weren’t for …
Examples …

If it weren’t for that medicine, Those people would still be alive If it weren’t for the fact that I
I never would have gotten better. if it weren’t for the accident. exercise every day, I would still
be overweight.
 This is used in a more formal
style. 

Had he known about the

Had [I] (not)...  problems; he wouldn't have
tried it.
If he had known about the
problems, he wouldn't have
tried it.
 Had I not gone out that
night, I wouldn’t have
had to solve so many
Had [I] (not)... 
issues.
If I hadn't gone out
that night, I wouldn’t
have had to solve so
many issues.
Let’s watch the following video
Complete the
sentences …
I never would have
gotten sick
__________________
If it weren’t for the
tsunami
______________
If it hadn’t been for you,
______________________
I would never have learned
how to ride a motorcycle,
_______________________
____________________
__, then I wouldn’t have
learned how to drive a
car.
Write 4 more
sentences using “If I
hadn’t [A], then I
wouldn’t have [B].”
Reading Activity
• Complete the reading activity on
“campus virtual”
Project of the week:
ACTIVITY: "SURVIVORS TALE“

LOOK UP A STORY OF A PERSON WHO SURVIVED

AFTER HAVING AN ACCIDENT WHILE
PRACTICING AN EXTREME SPORT/ SPORT
(IT COULD ALSO BE A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE).

TELL US WHAT HAPPENED AND RETELL THE

SERIES OF EVENTS USING CONDITIONAL
STRUCTURES. (IF IT HADN’T BEEN FOR, IF IT
WEREN’T FOR, BUT FOR, HAD …)

USE THE GRAMMAR STRUCTURES SEEN

DURING THE WEEK! 

SHARE IT WITH THE CLASS WITH A

PRESENTATION/IMAGE/POSTER!