Category: esercizi di inglese

The Second Conditional:

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The second conditional uses the past simple after if, then ‘would’ and the infinitive:

  • Example: if + past simple, …would + infinitive

When do you use the second conditional?

Typically it is use to talk about things in the future that will probably not happen.

For example:

  • If I won the lottery, I would travel the world
  • If I played hockey as a kid, I would have made it to the NHL

Also, we can use it to talk about something in the present that seems impossible.

For example:

  • If I were you, I would go to the gym more.
  • If I had a gym membership, I would go to the gym everyday!

 

The difference between these two examples is that in the second examples these sentences are a lot more unlikely to actually happen.

Second Conditional Quiz:

Practice: Complete the following sentences use the second conditional.

Past Modals

When we are referring to different events, things, and situations speculatively, or in a way that is based on guessing or on opinions that have been formed without knowing all the facts it’s pivotal that we understand the past modals and how to use them.

Past modals, also known as modal verbs in the past, are used to express various degrees of necessity, possibility, or probability in the past. They include modal verbs like “must have,” “should have,” “could have,” “might have,” and “ought to have.” These modals help us talk about events or actions that happened in the past, with a sense of certainty, possibility, or obligation.

Here are some examples of past modals with explanations:

  1. Must have: This expresses a strong deduction or certainty about something that happened in the past.
    • She must have forgotten her keys at home. (I’m sure she forgot her keys.)
    • He must have arrived early. (I’m certain he arrived early.)

2. Should have: This expresses an expectation or a recommendation about something that was expected to happen in the past.

      • You should have called me last night. (I expected you to call, but you didn’t.)
      • She should have studied more for the exam. (It was recommended, but she may not have done it.)

3. Could have: This indicates a possibility or ability in the past, even if the action did not actually happen.

        • They could have taken a different route. (They had the option to take a different route.)
        • I could have gone to the party, but I chose not to.* (I had the ability to go, but I didn’t.)

4. Might have: This suggests a possibility or a small degree of probability in the past.

          1. She might have left already. (There is a chance that she has already left.)
          2. They might have finished the project by now. (It’s possible they have completed it.)

5. Ought to have: This expresses an expectation or obligation that was present in the past.

            1. You ought to have finished your homework by now. (There was an expectation that you would finish it.)
            2. He ought to have apologized for his behavior. (He had an obligation to apologize.)

In all these examples, the modal verbs are followed by a past participle (e.g., have forgotten, arrived, called). The combination of the modal verb and the past participle conveys the specific meaning associated with each modal.

Past Modals Quiz 1

Answer the following questions using the correct form of must have/should have/could have + past participle:

Past Modals Quiz 2

Answer the following questions using might have/ought to have.

 

Well, that’s all we have for the past modals today, folks!  You ought to have had a wonderful time figuring these out, because it was so much fun for us to make this activity!

Wh Questions

What’s the importance of asking a question? Why do we need to ask questions to people? When is the best time to ask a question? Where do we usually ask questions? Who do we often ask questions to?

All of these are wonderful questions when we look at the context of questions. Here is a breakdown/review of the major indicators we use for questions:

1. Who:

Use “who” when you want to ask about a person or people.

Example: “Who is your teacher?”

2. What:

Use “what” when you want to ask about things, objects, actions, or activities.

Example: “What is your favorite color?”

3. Where:

Use “where” when you want to ask about a place or location.

Example: “Where do you live?”

4. When:

Use “when” when you want to ask about a specific time or moment.

Example: “When is your birthday?”

5. Why:

Use “why” when you want to ask for the reason or cause behind something.

Example: “Why are you late?”

Now, here are some quick activities you can do to refresh and practice your knowledge on questions and how to use them:

Asking Questions Quizz 1

 Fill in the Blank the following sentences:


Asking Questions Quizz 2

Multiple choice! Choose the right option among these 5: