Method of teaching conditional sentences to the students of class 10a2 at quan son 2 upper secondari shool

Table of content
Page
I. Introduction……………………………………..........................
2
1.1.

Rationale…………………………………………………………

3

1.2.

Research scope………………………………………………… … 3

1.3.

Aim of the study………………………………………………….. 3

1.4.

Methods of the study………………………………………………. .3

II. Literature review…………………………….... …………….3
2.1. An overviewon Language Teaching Methods…………………………3
2.2. The Process of teaching conditional sentences………..………………4
III. The application of process approach
in teaching conditioanal sentences to the students of
class 10A2 at Quan Son 2 Upper Secondary
school……………………………………………………………….….14
3.1. The purpose………………………………………………………… .14
3.2. The participants……………………………………………………… 14

3.3. Time and the process of this application……………………………….15
IV.
Conclusion....................................................................
...................16
References

1


I. Introduction
1.1 Rationale for the study
English may not be the most spoken language in the world, but it is the
official language in a large number of countries. It is estimated that the
number of people in the world that use in English to communicate on a
regular basis is 2 billion!
English is the dominant business language and it has become almost a
necessily for people to speak English if they are to enter a global workforce,
research from all over the world shows that cross-border business
communication is most often conducted in English. Its importance in the
global market place therefore cannot be understated, learning English really
can change your life.
In the National curriculum, English is one of the core subjects, which are
complusory in the high school final examination. Therefore, students have to
study all the English skills for their tests. However, there still exist many
difficulties facing teachers in teaching English to students, especially those
from ethnic minorities.
Quan Son is one of the mountainous districts of Thanh Hoa province.
The living condition and studying condition are poor and restrict. Most of
the students of Quan Son 2 upper – secondary school are ethnic minorities
such as Thai, Muong, Mong. Ethnic minority students mainly use their

mother tongue to communicate inside their families and small communities.
As a result, ethnic minority students fail to make progress in learning
English. Especially, they have many difficulties in learning English
grammar. One of the most difficult grammar parts that students have to face
is comparatives and superlatives.
For these reasons, I would like to choose the topic “method of
teaching Conditional sentences to the students of
2


class 10A2 at Quan Son 2 upper- secondary school” in
the hope of supplying upper-secondary students, especially the students of
class 10A2 at Quan Son 2 upper- secondary school with enough knowledge
of conditional sentences.
1.2. Reseach scope
The study focuces on applying process approach in teaching coditional
sentences to the students who are in grade 10 so that they can have enough
knowledge to do exercises related with conditional sentences.
1.3. Aim of the study
The study is aimed to teach conditional sentences for the grade-10students.
1.4. Methods of the study
In order to achieve the above aim, the teacher supplies or teaches the
necessary knowledge about process approach and an overview of conditional
sentences to the students. After that, students will have time to practise them
and get feedback as well as correction from their friends and teacher.
II. Literature review
2.1. An overview on Language Teaching Methods
In the discussion of the history of Language Teaching Methods, it can be
understandable that a teaching method which may be effective at one point of
time in history may still be ineffective at the other point. This dynamic

character of the language teaching goals make the history of foreign language
teaching ever-changing, ever-adapting. Moreover, one method is replaced by
another it does not mean that the former is worse than the latter and will be
thrown into the wastebasket of history. It only means that the replaced method
fails to correspond to a certain need at a certain time in history. As a result, the
history of foreign language teaching method is not the history of replacement
of one method by another. Rather, it would be the history of adapting one new
method to the treasury of existing methods. A number of methods have been
3


envolved for the teaching of English and also other foreign language in the
past; howerver in Viet Nam three method which enjoy significant use and
dominate the language teaching are the Grammar – Translation, the Audio –
lingual method and the Communicative language teaching.
2.2.The process of teaching conditional sentences
Theory of conditional sentences
Conditional tenses are used to speculate about what could happen, what
might have happened, and what we wish would happen. In English, most
sentences using the conditional contain the word if. Many conditional forms in
English are used in sentences that include verbs in one of the past tenses. This
usage is referred to as "the unreal past" because we use a past tense but we are
not actually referring to something that happened in the past. There are five
main ways of constructing conditional sentences in English. In all cases, these
sentences are made up of an if clause and a main clause. In many negative
conditional sentences, there is an equivalent sentence construction using
"unless" instead of "if".
Conditional
sentence type

Usage

If clause verb
tense

Main clause

Zero

General truths

Simple present

Simple present

Type 1

A possible
condition and its
probable result

Simple present

Simple future

Type 2

A hypothetical
condition and its
probable result

Simple past

Present
conditional or
Present
continuous
conditional

Type 3

An unreal past
condition and its
probable result in
the past

Past perfect

Perfect
conditional

4


Mixed type

An unreal past
condition and its
probable result in
the present

Past perfect

Present
contditional

THE ZERO CONDITIONAL
The zero conditional is used for when the time being referred to is now
or always and the situation is real and possible. The zero conditional is often
used to refer to general truths. The tense in both parts of the sentence is the
simple present. In zero conditional sentences, the word "if" can usually be
replaced by the word "when" without changing the meaning.

If clause

Main clause

If + simple present

simple present

If this thing happens

that thing happens.

If you heat ice

it melts.

If it rains

the grass gets wet.

TYPE 1 CONDITIONAL
The type 1 conditional is used to refer to the present or future where
the situation is real. The type 1 conditional refers to a possible condition and
its probable result. In these sentences the if clause is in the simple present, and
the main clause is in the simple future.

If clause

Main clause
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If + simple present

simple future

If this thing happens

that thing will happen.

If you don't hurry

you will miss the train.

If it rains today

you will get wet.

TYPE 2 CONDITIONAL
The type 2 conditional is used to refer to a time that is now or any time,
and a situation that is unreal. These sentences are not based on fact. The type 2
conditional is used to refer to a hypothetical condition and its probable result. In
type 2 conditional sentences, the if clause uses the simple past, and the main
clause uses the present conditional.
If clause

Main clause

If + simple past

present conditional or present
continuous conditional

If this thing happened

that thing would happen. (but I'm not
sure this thing will happen) OR
that thing would be happening.

If you went to bed earlier

you would not be so tired.

If it rained

you would get wet.

If I spoke Italian

I would be working in Italy.

TYPE 3 CONDITIONAL
The type 3 conditional is used to refer to a time that is in the past, and a
situation that is contrary to reality. The facts they are based on are the opposite
of what is expressed. The type 3 conditional is used to refer to an unreal past
6


condition and its probable past result. In type 3 conditional sentences, the if
clause uses the past perfect, and the main clause uses the perfect conditional.
If clause

Main clause

If + past perfect

Perfect conditional or perfect continuous
conditional

If this thing had happened

that thing would have happened. (but
neither of those things really happened) OR
that thing would have been happening.

If you had studied harder

you would have passed the exam.

If it had rained

you would have gotten wet.

If I had accepted that
promotion

I would have been working in Milan.

MIXED TYPE CONDITIONAL
The mixed type conditional is used to refer to a time that is in the past,
and a situation that is ongoing into the present. The facts they are based on are
the opposite of what is expressed. The mixed type conditional is used to refer to
an unreal past condition and its probable result in the present. In mixed type
conditional sentences, the if clause uses the past perfect, and the main clause
uses the present conditional.

If clause

Main clause

If + past perfect or simple past

present conditional or perfect
conditional

If this thing had happened

that thing would happen. (but this thing
didn't happen so that thing isn't happening)

If I had worked harder at school

I would have a better job now.

If we had looked at the map

we wouldn't be lost.
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If you weren't afraid of spiders

you would have picked it up and put it
outside.

Remember!
- The conditional construction does not normally use will or would in ifclauses. EXCEPTION: If will or would express willingness, as in requests, they
can be used in if-clauses.
e.g. If you will come this way, the manager will see you now.
I would be grateful if you would give me a little help.
(= ± please, come this way; please, give me...)
- For the second conditional, were replaces was:
If I were a rich man...
- After if, we can either use "some(-one, -where...)" or "any(-one, -where...).
If I have some spare time next weekend....or :
If I have any spare time...
- Instead of if not, we can use unless.

e.g. I'll be back tomorrow unless there is a plane strike.
He'll accept the job unless the salary is too low.
- There is a "mixed type" as well, for the present results of an unreal condition
in the past:
If + Past Perfect - would + inf.
If you had warned me [then], I would not be in prison [now].
REVISION EXERCISES.
Exercise 1 : Put the verbs in correct forms using conditional sentences
1. If we meet at 9:30, we (have) _________________plenty of time.
2. If you (find) _________________ a skeleton in the cellar, don't mention it to
anyone.
3. The zookeeper would have punished her with a fine if she ( feed)
_________________ the animals..
4. If you pass your examination, we (have) _________________a celebration.
5. Lisa would find the milk if she (look) _________________ for it in the
fridge.
6. What (happen) _________________if I press this button?
8


7. The door will be unlocked if you (press)_________________ the green
button.
8. I should have voted for her if I (have) _________________ a vote then.
9. If you go to Paris, where you (stay) _________________?
10. If you (swim) _________________ in this lake, you'll shiver from cold.
11. If someone offered to buy you one of those rings, which you (choose)
_________________?
12. The flight may be cancelled if the fog (get) _________________thick.
13. If the milkman (come) _________________, tell him to leave two pints.
14. I (call) _________________ the office if I were you.

15. Someone (sit) _________________on your glasses if you leave them there.
16. You would hear my explanation if you (not talk) _________________so
much.
17. What I (do) _________________if I hear the burglar alarm?
18. If you (read) _________________the instructions carefully, you wouldn't
have answered the wrong question.
19. If Mel (ask) _________________ her teacher, he'd have answered her
questions.
20. I would repair the roof myself if I (have) _________________a long ladder.
21. Unless they turn that radio off, I (go) _________________mad.
22. If you were made redundant, what you (do) _________________?
23. We'll have a long way to walk if we (run) _________________out of petrol
here.
24. If you shake that bottle of port, it (not be) _________________ fit to drink.
25. If you spoke louder, your classmates (understand) _________________
you.
26. I'll probably get lost unless he (come) _________________with me.
27. You (not have) _________________ so many accidents if you drove more
slowly.
28. If you (wear) _________________ a false beard, nobody would have
recognized you.
29. If she (leave) _________________ the fish here, the cat will eat it.
30. You (have) _________________ no trouble at school if you had done your
homework.
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31. Unless you (tell) __________________ the truth, I won’t help you.
32. You'll get pneumonia if you (not change) _________________ your wet
clothes.

33. If I had known that you couldn't eat octopus, I (not buy)
_________________ it.
34. If they (hang) _________________ that picture lower, people would be able
to see it.
35. She (be) _________________able to walk faster if she didn’t have such
high-heel shoes.
36. I (bring) _________________ you some beer if I had known that you were
thirsty.
37. If you had touched that electric cable, you (be) _________________
electrocuted.
38. If the story hadn't been true, the newspaper (not print) _________________
it.
39. I (not buy) _________________ things on the installment system if I were
you.
40. Dan (arrive) _________________ safe if he drove slowly.
Exercise 2: Choose the best answer for each of the following sentences
1. If I __________the same problem you had as a child, I might not have
succeeded in life as well as you have.
A. have
B. would have
C. had had
D. should have
2. I __________you sooner had someone told me you were in the hospital.
A. would have visited
B. visited
C. had visited
D. visit
3. __________more help, I would call my neighbor.
A. needed
B. should I need

C. I have needed

D. I should need

4. __________then what I know yesterday, I would have saved myself a lot of
time and trouble over the years.
A. had I known
B. did I know
C. If I know
D. If I would know
5. Do you think there would be less conflict in the world if all people
__________the same language?
A. spoke
B. speak
C. had spoken
D. will speak
6. If you can give me one good reason for your acting like this, __________this
incident again.
A. I will never mention
B. I never mention
10


C. will I never mention

D. I don’t mention

7. If I had known you were asleep, I __________so much noise when I came in.
A. didn’t make
B. wouldn’t have made

C. won’t make

D. don’t make

8. Unless you __________all of my questions, I can’t do anything to help you.
A. answered
B. answer
C. would answer
D. are answering
9. Had you told me that this was going to happen, I __________it.
A. would have never believed
B. don’t believe
C. hadn’t believed

D. can’t believe

10. If Jake __________to go on the trip, would you have gone?
A. doesn’t agree
B. didn’t agree
C. hadn’t agreed
D. wouldn’t agree
11. J: “John went to the hospital alone”,
K: “If __________,I would have gone with him”.
A. had he told me B. he had told me C. he has told me D. he would tell me
12. If you __________, I would have brought my friends over to your house
yesterday to watch T.V, but I didn’t want to bother you.
A. had studied
B-studied
C. hadn’t studied
D. didn’t study

13. Peter: “Did you need help with your Math last night?”.
Mary: “If I had needed, I __________you”.
A. would call
B. called
C. would have called

D. will call

14. If someone __________ in to the store, smile and say, “May I help you?”
A. comes
B. came
C. come
D. should come
15. “Here’s my phone number”.
“Thanks. I‘ll give you a call if I __________some help tomorrow”
A. will need
B. need
C. would need
D. needed
16. If I didn’t work for an accounting firm, I __________in a bank now.
A. work
B. will work
C. have worked
D. would work
17. The death rate would decrease if hygienic conditions __________improved.
A. was
B. is
C. were
D. had been
18-The education in Japan __________if the basic principles of education had

not been taken into consideration.
A. would go down
B. would have gone down
11


C. went down

D. had gone down

19. If there __________, the rice fields could have been more productive.
A. had been enough water
B. were enough water
C. would be enough water
D. are enough water
20. The patient will not recover unless he __________ an operation.
A. had undergone
B. would undergo C. undergoes
D. was undergoing
21. If she __________ him, she would be very happy.
A. would meet
B. will meet
C. met

D. should meet

22-If he __________ a thorough knowledge of English, he could have applied
for this post.
A. had had
B. had

C. has
D. has had
23. If I had enough money, I__________ abroad to improve my English.
A. will go
B. would go
C. went
D. should have go to
24.The bench would collapse if they __________on it.
A. stood
B. stand
C. standing

D. stands

25-If it __________convenient, let’s go out for a drink tonight,
A. be
B. is
C. was
D. were
Exercise 3: Make conditional sentences.
1.

She got married at such an early age, so she isn’t at university now.

2.

She works in the evening. She has no time to play with her children.

3.

As she is often absent from class, she can’t keep pace with her friends.

4.

It’s very cold, so we can’t go swimming.

5.

You drink too much coffee; that’s why you can’t sleep.

6.

We don’t have a big house . We can’t invite friends to stay.

7.

The flats are not clearly numbered, so it is very difficult to find anyone.

8.

I couldn’t write to Alice because I didn’t know her address.

9.

We got lost because we didn’t have a map.

10.

The farmers didn’t have enough rain , so they could not grow rice .

11.

His friends were late, so they missed the train .

12.

Make me some coffee, and I’ll give you one of my biscuits.

13.

You won’t ask the teacher. He won’t explain the lesson to you.
12


14.

City life isn’t enjoyable because everything is very expensive.

15.

I didn't bring extra money with me because you didn't tell me we were
going to the dinner after the movies.

Answers:
Exercise 1:
1. will have

2. find

3. had fed

4. will

5. looked

6. will happen

7. press

8. had had

9. will you stay

10. swim

11. would you choose

13. comes

14. would call

15. will sit

16. don’t talk

17. will you do

18. had read

19. had asked

20. had

21. will go

22. would you do

23. run

24. won’t be

25. would have understand

26. comes

28. had worn

29. leaves

30. would have had

32. don’t change

33. wouldn’t have bought

35. would be

36. would have brought

38. wouldn’t have printed

12. gets

27. wouldn’t have
31. Tell

34. hung
37. would have been

39. wouldn’t buy

40. would drive

Exercise 2:
1. C

2. A

3. B

4. A

5. A

6. A

7. B

8. B

9. A

10. C

11. B

12. C

13. C

14. A

15. B

16. D

17. C

18. B

19. A

20. C

21. C

22. A

23. B

24. A

25. B

Exercise 3:
1.

If she hadn't got married at such an early age, she would be at university

now.
2.

If she didn't work in the evening, she would/ could/ might have time to

play with her children.
3.

If she wasn't/ weren't often absent from class, she could keep pace with

her friends.
4.

If it wasn't/ weren't very cold, we could go swimming.
13


5.

If you didn't drink too much coffee, you could sleep.

6.

If we had a big house, we could invite friends to stay.

7.

If the flats were clearly numbered, it would be very difficult to find

someone.
8.

I could have written to Alice if I had known her address.

9.

We wouldn't have got lost if we had had a map.

10.

If the farmers had had enough rain , they could have grown rice .

11.

If his friends hadn't been late, they wouldn't have missed the train .

12.

If you make me some coffee, I’ll give you one of my biscuits.

13.

If you ask the teacher, he will explain the lesson to you.

14.

City life would be enjoyable everything weren't/ wasn't very expensive.

15.

I would have brought extra money with me if you had told me we were

going to dinner after the movies.

III. The application of process approach in teaching
conditional sentences to the students of class 10A2 at
Quan Son 2 Upper Secondary school
3.1.The purpose
The application is aimed at teaching conditional sentences through
process approach for the students of class 10A2 at Quan Son 2 upper
secondary school then improving English grammar for them. From this, they
will prepare better for their tests and may get good mark for this part.
3.2. The participants
The application is carried out with 38 students of the class 10A2 who
have been learning English for 5 years( 4 years at lower secondary school
with English 6,7, 8, 9 and 1 years at upper secondary school with English
10). These students are from Quan Son 2 Upper Secondar School in Quan
Son, Thanh Hoa.

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Among 38 students who take part in the study, about one- third of them
has good knowledge in English and the rest are not interested in learning, so
they do not have enough vocabulary as well as structure to master English
grammar.
3.3.Time and the process of the application
The study is carried out on extra lessons on Thursday and Saturday
afternoons of the class 10A2 Each lesson last 45 minutes. The study lasts a
month ( from March,10th, 2017 to April,10th 2017) with 12 lessons.
The teacher teaches related knowledge ( as mentioned in Literature
review) and gets the students to practise the process,then give feedback and
correction.
The teacher followed these stages below:
+ Stage 1: The teacher used traditional method: providing the students
with the full theory of conditional sentences and then giving them examples
to illustrate.
+ Stage 2: The teacher asked the students to do lots of exercises and
checks their results.
• Students’ results based on the first survey:
Class

Number

10A2
38

Distinction
No
%

Credit
No
%

Pass
No
%

Weakness
No
%

0

7

19

12

0

18,4

50

31,6

+ Stage 3: Because of the students’ low results, the teacher was really
worried about the students’ study. The teacher disscussed the problem with

other teachers. Moreover, the teacher directly talked with the students about the
difficulty that they were facing with. The result showed that the method the
teacher used was not suitable. It was too fast that the students couldn’t catch up
with the entire theory of conditional sentences, which the teacher provided
them. The teacher realized that there might be a change in teaching method.

15


+ Stage 4 : During reviewing periods, the teacher tried to applied a new
teaching method. With the knowledge system as above, the teacher proceeded
as follows:
- Firstly, the teacher gave examples and analysted stuents understand.
- Secondly, the teacher draw the formula from the examples.
- Next, the teacher began to provide the theory of conditional sentences
for the students.
- After that, the teacher gave students another examples to help them
understand more.
+ Stage 5 : After applying the new teaching method, the teacher did survey
again and received better results as follows:
• Students’ results based on the second survey:
Class Number
10A2
38

Distinction
No
%

Credit

No
%

Pass
No
%

Weakness
No
%

1

14

18

5

2,6

36,8

47,4

13,2

IV. Conclusion
I have mentioned before, ethnic minority students of class 10A1 at Quan
Son 2 high school are not good at English. This makes students usually feel

tired and bored and don’t concern about this subject, so the teacher should
combine all activities to creat excitement for students and make stuents love
English.
This is my own experience in teaching conditional sentences to the
students of class 10A2 this school year. I believe that the students will have
more confidence in their study. I hope this method can be applied in our
school widely. Finally, I do hope to receive ideas from other teachers so as
to have the better study.
I ensure not to copy.
Quan Son, 5, 18th, 2017
16


XÁC NHẬN CỦA THỦ TRƯỞNG ĐƠN VỊ
HIỆU TRƯỞNG

NGƯỜI VIẾT SKKN

Nguyễn Mạnh Cường

Phạm Xuân Chiến

DANH MỤC
CÁC ĐỀ TÀI SÁNG KIẾN KINH NGHIỆM ĐÃ ĐƯỢC HỘI ĐỒNG
ĐÁNH GIÁ XẾP LOẠI CẤP PHÒNG GD&ĐT, CẤP SỞ GD&ĐT VÀ
CÁC CẤP CAO HƠN XẾP LOẠI TỪ C TRỞ LÊN

TT

Tên đề tài SKKN

1.

Câu bị động và các dạng bài
tập trắc nghiệm

2.

Phương pháp dạy câu trực
tiếp và gián tiếp phù hợp với

Kết quả
Cấp đánh
đánh giá
giá xếp loại
xếp loại
(Phòng, Sở,
(A, B,
Tỉnh...)
hoặc C)
Hội đồng
C
khoa học
ngành
Hội đồng
C
khoa học
ngành

Năm học

đánh giá xếp
loại
2011 - 2012
2013 - 2014

học sinh trường THPT Quan
3.

Sơn 2
Teaching comparaives and
superlatives to the students of

Hội đồng
khoa học
ngành

class 10A1 at Quan Son 2
upper secondary school in
Quan Son, Thanh Hoa
province

References

17

B

2015 - 2016

Hoµng V¨n V©n( Chñ biªn)( 2011) TiÕng Anh 10, Nhµ xuÊt b¶n
gi¸o dôc ViÖt Nam
Jeremy Harmer( 2008), How to teach English, Longman
Brow, H. Doughlas( 2001), Teaching by principles, New York Pearson
Education
Randolph Quirk (2003), A University Grammar of English, Nhà xuất bản Hải
Phòng
Raymond Murphy (2003), Essential Grammar In Use, Nhà xuất bản Giao
thông vận tải

18