Predicting and conditional 1

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 3

Today

• Learn how we speculate / predict in English
• Avoid a common mistake! 

speculation

the act of forming opinions or theories about what has happened or what might happen without actual evidence

We can only speculate about the future of mobile phones!

...impossible

...100% certain

Which verb(s) do we use to express that something is...

...uncertain

won't

probably won't

may

might

could

will probably

will

Speculate about the events happening in the next five years using the verbs discussed

might

will

won't

probably won't 

probably will

could

may

In the next five years, how likely is it...

... you go to university?

"I probably won't go to university". 

... you go to university.

... you get married.

... that there's a (heavy) earthquake in the Netherlands?

... you learn to drive a car.

... the NL national football team wins the World Cup.

... the NL national football team wins the World Cup... IF Messi, Ronaldo and Mbappe assume a Dutch nationality.

IF

a condition: something that needs to happen before something else will / might / won't happen. 

Making predictions with 'IF'

[ If ] + [ condition] , [result/event].

CERTAINTY:

If you don't study for a math test, you will fail. 

POSSIBILITY:

If I click this button, the screen might pop up. 

BEWARE

We do not use WHEN to make conditionals.

When tourists stop coming, Amsterdam will lose a lot of money.

If tourists stop coming, Amsterdam will lose a lot of money.

Use an If-sentence to make a prediction about 2040. Don't forget the comma!

Solutions, Student Book, p. 45

exercise 5:

Match 1-6 with A-B and fill in the blanks with the correct forms. 

10 min, then check answers. 

Finished? Exercise 7 in pairs.