Grade 9 ESL Lesson Plan: First and Second Conditionals

Learning Objectives

• Form the first conditional (If + present simple, will / won't + verb) and use it for real future possibilities.
• Form the second conditional (If + past simple, would / wouldn't + verb) and use it for imaginary or unlikely situations.
• Use "If I were you, I would…" to give advice, and "unless" to mean "if … not".
• Choose the correct conditional for a situation and explain the difference in meaning.
• Use correct punctuation: a comma after the if-clause when it comes first.
• Use both conditionals in speaking and in a short written paragraph.

Lesson Procedure

• Read the overview and success criteria before teaching.
• Lesson 1 — The first conditional (50 min): follow the stage table (warm-up, teach, practice, exit ticket).
• Lesson 2 — The second conditional (50 min): follow the stage table (warm-up, teach, practice, exit ticket).
• Lesson 3 — First or second? (50 min): follow the stage table (warm-up, teach, practice, exit ticket).
• Lesson 4 — Speak and write (50 min): follow the stage table (warm-up, teach, practice, exit ticket).
• Use the matching PowerPoint, worksheet and assessment from this pack — the plan refers to their slide and part numbers.

Differentiation

Support: Give a formula card: 1st = If + present, will + verb. 2nd = If + past, would + verb. Challenge: Mixed and third conditionals as an extension: "If I had studied, I would have passed." English language learners: Teach "I'll" and "I'd" contractions with pronunciation practice.

Teacher Tips

Ask "How likely is it?" — this is the key question for choosing first or second conditional. Personalize it: students' own plans (first) and dreams (second) make the grammar memorable.

What's Included

• Lesson Plan (PDF)
• Lesson Plan (DOCX)

Additional Files

• Grade 9 ESL Lesson Plan: First and Second Conditionals (DOCX)

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