LISTENING SKILL - PRACTISING THE SIMPLE PAST TENSE WITH A SONG

LISTENING ACTIVITY

You are going to watch a music video in order to practise how to form the Simple Past tense of regular and irregular verbs.

Tasks:

- First, fill in the gaps with the Simple Past form of the verbs in brackets. 

- Second, check your answers when you watch the video which contains the lyrics of the song.


“THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY" by KATY PERRY

Summer after high school when we first _________________ (meet)
We ______________ (make)  out in your Mustang to Radiohead
And on my 18th birthday we ______________ (get) matching tattoos
________________ (use) to steal your parents' liquor and climb to the roof
Talk about our future like we ____________________ (have) a clue
Never _______________ (plan) that one day I'd be losing you

In another life I would be your girl
We keep all our promises, be us against the world
And in other life I would make you stay
So I don't have to say you ________________ (be) the one that _______________ (get) away
The one that ___________ (get) away!

I _______________ (be) June and you ____________ (be) my Johnny Cash
Never one without the other, we _______________ (make) a pact
Sometimes when I miss you, I put those records on, (whoa)
Someone _____________ (say) you _______________ (have) your tattoo removed
_________________ (see) you downtown singing the blues
It's time to face the music, I'm no longer your muse

In another life I would be your girl
We keep all our promises, be us against the world
And in another life, I would make you stay
So I don't have to say you ________________ (be) the one that ________________(get) away
The one that __________________ (get) away

The o-o-o-o-one   The o-o-o-o-one   The o-o-o-o-one The one that got away

All this money can't buy me a time machine, (Nooooo)
Can't replace you with a million rings, (Nooooo)
I should've told you what you _________________ (mean) to me, (whoa)
'Cause now I pay the price

In another life I would be your girl
We keep all our promises, be us against the world

And in another life, I would make you stay
So I don't have to say you ___________________ (be) the one that ____________ (get) away
The one that _______________ (get) away (TWICE)!

GRAMMAR - CONDITIONALS & I WISH / IF ONLY

FIRST CONDITIONAL

USE - TO DESCRIBE REAL AND POSSIBLE FUTURE SITUATIONS // PROMISES, THREATS.

A. IF + SUBJECT + V (PRESENT SIMPLE), SUBJECT + WILL + V.

If you reveal this secret, I won’t talk to you again.

If the Maths teacher is angry, he will scold his students.

B. SUBJECT + WILL + V +  IF + SUBJECT + V (PRESENT SIMPLE).

I won’t talk to you again if you reveal this secret.

The Maths teacher will scold his students if he is angry. 

C.  IF + SUBJECT + V (PRESENT SIMPLE), IMPERATIVE.

- If you miss the train, get the bus.

I. REPLACING “IF” WITH OTHER CONNECTORS

→ IF = AS LONG AS, PROVIDING THAT / PROVIDED THAT (formal): “siempre y cuando”, “siempre que”.

You will continue to pass the exams as long as you study every day.

 You will continue to pass the exams providing that you study every day.

- “As long as” and “providing that” are emphatic, they mean “ONLY IF”.

- Also emphatic: “EVEN IF” (“incluso si”): Even if he apologised to me, I wouldn’t forgive him.

→ IF … NOT = UNLESS

You will not pass the exams if you don’t study every day.

You will not pass the exams unless you study every day.

II. USING MODALS IN THE FIRST CONDITIONAL

- “Will” in the result clause can be replaced with modals:

1. Permission: Can. If you need to correct that exam, you can use my red pen.

2. Possibility: May, might. If you call him, he may/might come.

3. Obligation: Must. If you accept that job offer, you must leave your current job.

4. Suggestion: Should. If you are in love with Jane, you should ask her out.

SECOND CONDITIONAL

USE - TO DESCRIBE IMAGINARY PRESENT OR UNLIKELY FUTURE     SITUATION // HYPOTHETICAL FUNCTION.

A. IF + SUBJECT + V (PAST S.), SUBJECT + WOULD// COULD/ MIGHT (- probable) + V

If I won the lottery (improbable situation), I would/could/ might buy a huge house.

If Mary decided to accept that job (improbable situation), she wouldn’t inform you about it.

B.  SUBJECT + WOULD // COULD/MIGHT + V +  IF + SUBJECT + V (PAST SIMPLE)

I would/ could/ might buy a huge house if I won the lottery.

Mary wouldn’t inform you about her new job if she decided to accept it.

→  TO BE: IF I/HE/SHE/IT  +  WAS (informal) / WERE...

If I was/were older, I would buy a car.

If he was/were a good student, he wouldn’t fail all the subjects.

 → IF I WERE YOU…. (ONLY TO GIVE ADVICE)

If I were you, I would go on a diet.

If I were you, I would be more patient with your little sister.

THIRD CONDITIONAL

USE - TO DESCRIBE IMPOSSIBLE SITUATIONS BECAUSE THEY ARE PAST  EVENTS (Regret over a past action).

A. IF + SUBJECT + V (PAST PERFECT S.), SUBJECT + WOULD//COULD/MIGHT HAVE + Past Participle.

If I had listened to my parents, I would/could/might have been more successful in life.

If I had applied for that job, I would/could/might have got it.

B.  SUBJECT + WOULD// COULD/ MIGHT HAVE+ Past Participle , IF + SUBJECT + PAST PERFECT SIMPLE.

I would/could/might have been more successful in life if I had listened to my parents.

I would/could/might have got that job if I had applied for it.

ATTENTION - HAD (’D) / WOULD (’D). Example: If I’d applied for that job, I’d have got it.

"WISH" / "IF ONLY"

USE – WISH FOR A CHANGE, REGRET FOR A PRESENT OR PAST SITUATION

1. WISH / IF ONLY + PAST SIMPLE/ COULD: PRESENT WISH / REGRET

I wish I had a car!   He wishes he could go on holiday. If only we were on the beach.

2.  WISH / IF ONLY + WOULD: DISATISFACTION WITH SOMEBODY’S ACTIONS (NOT OUR OWN) IN THE PRESENT

I wish he would stop talking. I wish my neighbours wouldn’t disturb me.

3. WISH / IF ONLY + PAST PERFECT SIMPLE: PAST REGRET

I wish I had studied harder at school.   If only my mother hadn’t punished me!  

                                                            SUMMARY 

I.  IF + S + V (PRESENT SIMPLE), S + WILL + V

II. IF + S + V (PAST SIMPLE), S + WOULD// COULD/ MIGHT (- probable) + V

III. IF + S + V (PAST PERFECT SIMPLE), S + WOULD//COULD/MIGHT HAVE + PP.