Conditional sentences

Today I will be adapting 3 types of activities focusing on practicing conditional sentences to involve our language assistant –ChatGPT- to, in turn, engage and provide extra motivation for our students live in class.

Clause completion

We can ask ChatGPT to provide a skeleton structure –either the main clause of the ‘if’ clause- for students to complete the conditional sentence. Then, students, in pairs or small groups, can complete the sentences logically and share their answers. Afterward, we can ask Gen.AI to complete the sentences for us and compare by looking at the answers displayed on the whiteboard/IWB/digital board at the front.

Here’s the prompt: I want you to provide either the ‘if’ clause or the main clause of a type 1 conditional sentence (for instance, ‘If you don’t hurry…’ or ‘… you won’t regret it’). Then, when I type ‘ok’, I want you to complete the conditional sentence in three possible ways. After that, I will type ‘next’ for you to generate another partial 0 type conditional sentence, and we will follow the same procedure 10 times. Take an outside-the-box approach and try to come up with original and exciting clauses for great engagement.

Got it! Here’s the first partial type 1 conditional sentence:

If you forget your umbrella tomorrow,

Let me know when you’re ready to see the completions!

ok

ChatGPT said:

Here are three possible completions:

you’ll probably get soaked in the rain.

you might have to borrow one from a friend.

you’ll regret it when the storm starts.

Type next for the next clause!

next

ChatGPT said:

If you win the school talent show,

ok

ChatGPT said:

Here are three possible completions:

you’ll get a trophy and a big round of applause.

your friends will throw you a surprise celebration.

you might inspire others to join next year.

Type next for the next clause!

next

ChatGPT said:

You’ll be amazed if you open the mystery box.

ok

ChatGPT said:

Here are three possible completions:

it’s filled with things you’ve never seen before.

you discover the secret hidden inside.

there’s a map leading to a treasure.

Type next for the next clause!

ChatGPT didn’t actually follow the precise instructions for number 3, as it provided both the main and the ‘if’ clause. The students would have to add another sentence to it, which is perfectly fine. I am also very pleased with the versatility of the answers. They aren’t just limited to using the modal verb ‘will’; the modal verb ‘might’ is also in use, as well as the adverb ‘probably’. Of course, we can try this prompt out with mixed, zero, type 2 and type 3 conditionals. I just tried type 2 with this prompt: let’s try type 2 conditionals this time with the same instructions as before. Remember the outside-the-box approach for added fun and critical thinking. Next.

Here’s your first partial type 2 conditional sentence:

If I could time travel,

ok

ChatGPT said:

Here are three possible completions:

I would visit ancient Egypt to see the pyramids being built.

I might meet my future self and ask for advice.

I’d go back and prevent a big historical mistake.

Type next for the next clause!

next

ChatGPT said:

If animals could talk,

ok

ChatGPT said:

Here are three possible completions:

we would finally understand what our pets are thinking.

they might give us some interesting advice on how to live.

the world would be full of surprising conversations.

Type next for the next clause!

So the students would be given time to confer and come up with a few possible ways to start or end the sentences. We would then elicit their favourite completion of the clauses, and then we would type ‘Ok’ using the computer connected to the board for everyone to see ChatGPT’s completions.

Unlikely actions

In this activity students have to think of unlikely actions for the question ‘Why might you…?’ For instance, Why might you choose to travel alone?’ We can follow the same procedure as before to have students share their answers using conditional sentences (e.g., ‘I might choose to travel alone if I had no friends to go with’ or ‘if I broke up with my partner’), and then ask ChatGPT to provide three alternatives. In this case, I actually asked GPT to create ten questions for me. Prompt: Complete the question in 10 different possible ways. Why might you…?

Here are 10 possible ways to complete the question “Why might you…?”:

  1. Why might you choose to travel alone?
  2. Why might you prefer tea over coffee?
  3. Why might you be interested in learning a new language?
  4. Why might you want to change your career?
  5. Why might you decide to start a new hobby?
  6. Why might you skip breakfast today?
  7. Why might you enjoy watching documentaries?
  8. Why might you want to visit a country with a different culture?
  9. Why might you need to get a new phone?
  10. Why might you avoid going to the gym this week?

So our next prompt is: Can you answer the first question in three possible and unlikely ways for me? Use ‘if’ conditional sentences.

Here are three possible and unlikely answers to “Why might you choose to travel alone?” using if conditional sentences:

  1. If I were trying to escape from a group of secret agents, I’d travel alone.
  2. If I had just won a fortune in the lottery, I might choose to travel alone for some peace and quiet.
  3. If I were conducting an undercover investigation, I would travel alone to avoid drawing attention.

I think these would be very exciting answers for the students to read on the board. I can see an element of surprise and excitement building up. I am curious about GPT’s answers for number ten. Prompt: great answers! Can you do the same for question number 10, please?

I’m glad you liked the answers! Here are three possible and unlikely answers to “Why might you avoid going to the gym this week?” using if conditional sentences:

  1. If I were allergic to dumbbells, I’d definitely avoid the gym this week.
  2. If I had just discovered a secret passage leading to a hidden treasure, I might skip the gym to explore.
  3. If I were planning to break a world record for laziness, I would avoid going to the gym this week.

It’s never a bad idea to congratulate our language assistant when it has done a good job, as it learns from our feedback. This way, it will produce content that is more aligned with our expectations in future interactions. I really like answer number 3 and I can see students giggling as they are reading those answers.

Would You Rather

This is actually my favorite of the three activities I am sharing today because there is more room for elaborating on answers and, therefore, more speaking practice. Even if students are not familiar with this structure, it can always be adapted for lower levels. ‘Would you rather learn French or German?’ could be worded as ‘Is it better to learn French or German?’ or as ‘Would you prefer to learn French or German?’ So students, again, in pairs or small groups, are presented with two options, and they have to talk about what they would do. Then, we ask ChatGPT and read its answers. We can type our own questions or ask ChatGPT to generate the questions. This time I will be asking a question borrowed from Cosmopolitan magazine. You can find 250 ‘Would You Rather’ questions on its site HERE. Prompt: Let’s play a game of ‘Would You Rather’. Pretend you are 26 years old. I will ask you the question, and then you will tell me what you would prefer and give me two reasons explaining why. Here’s the first question: Would you rather be stranded on a desert island with your ex or with your boss?

As a 26-year-old, I would rather be stranded on a desert island with my boss. Here’s why:

  1. Professional Growth: Being stuck with my boss might give me the chance to impress them, demonstrate my skills, and potentially strengthen my career opportunities once we’re rescued.
  2. Less Emotional Tension: With my ex, there could be emotional baggage or awkwardness, which would make the situation more uncomfortable. My boss, on the other hand, would likely stick to practical survival conversations.

I can see lively discussions, first in pairs or small groups, then in a plenary session, followed by more speaking engagement once ChatGPT’s answers are revealed. The element of added but safe unpredictability that leads to viewing answers on the screen is a real winner for us and for our students.

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