F2F Class Notes November 29th (Ben)

cover yourself with/in something

I have many things to cover myself with.

add up = make sense

He said his car had gotten stolen and the next day, he claimed he had a flat tire. It doesn’t add up.

in common

We have many hobbies in common: shopping and movies.

Conditional

REAL SITUATIONS (1st conditional) = IF + 现在时

If you want to go to China, you need a visa.

You cannot get fit if you eat so much.

How can you get fit if you eat so much?

Tomorrow, if I have time, I will to go to the movies.

THEORETICAL SITUATIONS 虚拟情况 (2nd and 3rd conditionals) : IF + 过去式

will, can, shall –> would, could, should

I would never cheat on my wife.

I could never date a stupid girl.

You could never become the next Jack Ma without working hard.

I don’t know what I’m going to do next year. I guess I could find a new job, or maybe open a company.

Could you help me? Yes, I guess I could.

Next year, I should go to America, but that’s not sure yet.

Where is Carol? I don’t know, she should be here.

How would life be without smartphones? Life would be the same as 20 years ago, we couldn’t buy stuff online so often and we should go to shops to buy things.

IF + 过去式

If you were an animal, what animal would you be? I would be an eagle. I wish I could be a dolphin.

If I wanted a watch, I would have one.

If I only liked nice things, I wouldn’t be with you.

/!\ If I was –> If I were

The Chain Game !

If I would be flying / If I were flying / If I flew

If I flew all the time, I would be tired

If I were tired, I would take a long bath

If I took a long bath, I would look fresh.

If I looked fresh, I could attract more people.

If I attracted more people, I would have more friends.

If I had more friends, my social life would be more active.

If my social life were/was more active, my husband would say that’s good for me.

The 2nd conditional is useful for house fights !

You wouldn’t do that if you cared about me ! (= you don’t care)

hang up on someone 突然挂电话

You wouldn’t hang up on me if you loved me !

How could you do that to me?

If I wanted a boyfriend, it would be you. But my career comes first.

If you wanted me to be happy, you could ask if I like it.

3rd conditional: REGRETS 后悔 / ACCUSATIONS 控告

IF + WOULD HAVE / COULD HAVE / WOULD HAVE  过去式

I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have done that.

You should have told me.

You could have told me that you wanted to go to the zoo (instead of saying nothing).

Yes, I could have told you, but I was angry.

I would have told you, but I was really busy working.

If you wanted me to help you, you should have told me.

If you wanted me to come, you shouldn’t have called me at the last moment.

If I knew that you behaved like that, I would never have invited you to the party.

Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t have helped you yesterday. My mother was sick.

If you had told me that you wanted a divorce, I would have let you go.