What bad luck (third conditional)

• English
• Middelbare school
• havo, vwo
• Leerjaar 4,5

What bad luck

Last week you listened to a podcast about "bad luck"

This week we will look at more bad luck stories, sayings and the third conditional

Objective: By the end of the lesson, you will be able to read and understand sentences in the third conditional as well as accurately and appropriately use them correctly yourselves.

Superstitions....

Things that bring bad luck

Some superstitions that are particularly popular in the UK and Ireland. Discuss them with a partner. From where do you think they originate? Do you believe they bring bad luck. 

Key:

Things that bring bad luck:

• Walking under a ladder: Originates from the medieval times. People used to think that a ladder leaning against a wall looked like the gallows. People avoided walking underneath it because they thought if they did, they too would die at the gallows.

• Seeing one magpie: Magpies have long been associated with death, since in medieval times they were seen scavenging near hospitals, battlefields and the gallows in search of carrion. Over time, this morphed into the idea that seeing a magpie will bring you bad luck (seeing two, however, will bring good luck!).

• Putting new shoes on a table: This originates from the North of England and is related to coal mining. When a miner died, their family would place their shoes on a table as a tribute. Thus, placing shoes on a table was seen as a harbinger of death.

• Opening an umbrella inside: This dates back to the Victorian times, when umbrellas were made out of rigid steel spokes and opening one in doors could cause serious injury.

Superstitions....

Things that bring good luck 

What about these? from where do you think they originate? Do you believe they bring good luck?

• Getting pooed on by a bird: Even though there are a lot of seagulls in the UK, you’re apparently more likely to win the lottery than be pooed on by a bird. It is therefore seen as lucky when it does happen!

• Coming across a black cat: It is not completely clear where this particularly British superstition comes from, but it is known that sailors used to opt for black cats on their ships as they were thought to bring luck. Likewise their wives would keep black cats at home too, in the hopes that they would protect their husbands at sea.

• Finding a four-leafed clover: Again, it is very rare to find a four-leafed clover, so coming across one is a very lucky treat! What’s more, according to Irish tradition, each leaf represents the omens for faith, hope, love and luck for whoever finds it.

2) Vocabulary

We are going to read an article, but first do exercise 2 on your worksheet

Check your answers in pairs, then feed back as a group.

Key: 

• 1. d), 
• 2. f), 
• 3. a), 
• 4. g), 
• 5. b),
• 6. c), 
• 7. e)
  

3) Reading and comprehension check

Before  you read the article,  take two minutes to read the true/false statements in exercise three - Don't answer them yet ( of course : o)

Now read 

the text

When you have finished reading:

answer the true/false questions.

check their answers in pairs, then feed back as a group.

  Key: 

• a) false
• , b) true, 
• c) false, 
• d) true,
• e) true,
• f) false
  

4) Grammar practice

 “If the payment had gone through, they would have won the lottery”. 

This is a third conditional sentence. 

 Using this grammatical construction, we are describing a hypothetical, unreal thing in the past that did not really happen.

How to form the third conditional

if + past perfect, would + present perfect), 

 “would” can be replaced with “could” and “might”.

“If the payment had gone through, they would have won the lottery”. 

third conditional - contractions and the negative form. 

if + past perfect, would not + present perfect),  

contractions and the negative form. 

“If he'd (he had) gone to work in Australia, they would(n't)  not have won the lottery”. 

Worksheet:

Page three. Get into pairs complete exercise four, writing down as many third conditional sentences about the article as possible.

Which pair can think of the most sentences. Be as creative as possible. If you are stuck, maybe break away from the details of the article and add some details about the couple of your own!

Check your answers with another pair, then feed back as a group.

5) Activity

Get into groups of two or three and  think of a name for your team. 

I am going to complain about some problems I've have had recently  and I would like some advice. 

Each team has two minutes to write as many pieces of advice for me as possible. 

After the two minutes are up,  swap your papers with another pair/group for your answers to be checked. One point is awarded for each correct answer. Whoever has the most points at the end of the game wins!