Dream On

Hear what people would do if they were rich or famous.
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Second Conditional (Lesson Plan)

ESL students can hear real people speaking natural English using the second conditional. Recommended study plan:

  • Watch the video
  • Take the quiz
  • Listen again and read the script
  • Learn the grammar with the notes

Mixer 111 A Million Dollars


Listen as a group of people talk about what they would do if they had a million dollars.

Cheryl / Guam
speakerIf I had a million dollars what would I do? Well first, I would take a portion of that money and put it into savings. That way I would not be able to spend that moneylater. Secondly, I would probably take some money and go traveling around the world. I would do everything that I've always wanted to do on my to do list in life. And lastly I would give money to charities and churches and the rest would be given to my family and friends and everyone I love would be given an amazing present.

Jake / United States
speakerI would buy an expensive house on a tropical island somewhere and a yacht and I would buy a very, very nice car and a private jet. I don't know if a million dollars would buy all this stuff now. But I would just spend my days enjoying life.

Nydja / United States
speakerIf I won a million dollars I personally would ... I would probably quit work and apply to a better university. You need money to get into college in the states so that would really help me out. I think I'd definitely buy a new house, maybe not a huge mansion but I wouldn't be renting anymore that's for sure.

Jonathan / Canada
speakerIf I won a million dollars what would I do? I don't have the need to have any special large possessions such as a house or expensive car. I think that I would put the million dollars somewhere safe where there is no risk of anything, like the stock market, and I would live off the interest for the rest of my life. Even in a very safe circumstance, the return would probably be three or four percent being thirty or forty thousand dollars a year and I think that I could comfortably live off of that which would allow me to travel and see the places in the world that I haven't been to yet.

Mauro / Brazil
speakerWow! This question's really great. What would I do with a million dollars? Wow! I would probably invest all this money, but invest in my own businesses. These days I just think about making business, starting a business, so I just want to work for myself, so I would probably invest my money creating businesses and working for myself. It would be something really like that.

Nick / Australia
speakerA million dollars! If I won a million dollars, I'd go around the world. I haven't been to Africa and I'd really like to go. Secondly, I'd buy a really big house with a really big television. Then after, if I had any money left, I would invest. Maybe give some to my parents.

Mixer 36 Famous Life


Six people discuss if they would rather be a famous athlete, movie star, musician, or politician.

Jeff, Canada
speakerWould I like to be a politician, athlete, a movie star or a musician? Oh, that's an easy one. I definitely would like to be a musician. I'd hate to be a politician, and I'd hate to be a movie star, and there's not much difference between a politician and a movie star because they're both great actors. Politicians just act. They're not too honest and a pro athlete would be fun but you can only do it when you're young. A musician, you can do it until you're old and gray and you can keep wailing on your guitar, your saxaphone, and I'd like to be a musician.

Jeyong, Korea
speakerI'd like to be a movie star and that's because I like acting and I think it's be interesting if I can act for a scene like crying, I can drop tears very easily and laugh, and give a big smile to the audience and if there's like an eating scene, I think I can eat very well.

Martin, The United States
speakerWhat would I rather be, a movie star, a politician, a pro athlete, or a musician? I'd have to say, I'd wanna be a movie star cause I love movies and I'd like to be in them. I can make direction decisions and hopefully make better movies than are out there right now. I wouldn't really want to be a politician because I don't really want to have my life raked over the coals, but a movie star will be OK.

Ruth, England
speakerI think I'd most want to be a movie star. I'd like to be glamorous and able to dress up on the red carpet. I'd least like to be a politician because I think a lot of people complain about them all the time and they're never viewed very well.

Simon, Canada
speakerSo, I think I'd want to be a pro athlete. I love the outdoors. I love sports. I wouldn't mind being idolized like many pro athletes are, and basically you get to play a game for a living and you make a lot of money. Something that I wouldn't want to do would be to be a politician. I don't like politics and I heard somewhere that someone says that once you become a politician you just inherently lie, and I wouldn't want to do that every day.

Todd, The United States
speakerYeah, I think I'd want to be a politician because if you're a politician you can make changes, you can influence people's lives. I know a lot of politicians are dishonest but I think you have the chance to do good and make changes. If you're a movie star or a singer, you're gonna get old and when you get old, you won't be popular and an athlete you have a very short career. You can't have a very long career either, so I think the best bet is to be a politician and influence people and be productive your entire life.

Second Conditional - Grammar Notes

Point 1: The second conditional refers to the future, when there is little chance of the action happening.
  • What would you do if you won the lottery?
  • I would quit my job. What would you do?
  • I would move to the beach.
  • I would do that too if I could swim!
Point 2: The 'if' clause can start the sentence or come at the end of the independent clause.
  1. I would be very happy if I saw a full eclipse.
  2. If I saw a full eclipse, I would be very happy.
  3. If I were tall, I would try out for the basketball team.
  4. I would try out for the basketball team if I were tall.
Point 3: Instead of would in affirmative sentences, you can use 'd instead.
  1. I'd be very happy if I saw a full eclipse.
  2. If you saved your money, you'd be rich.
  3. If they came to class more often, they'd pass.
  4. If we practiced more, we'd be pretty good.
Point 4: We can use 'could' instead of 'would'.
  1. I could travel the world if I were a billionaire.
  2. If I spoke Spanish, I could work in Costa Rica.
  3. If you tried harder, you could get an A in the class.
  4. If you saved your money, you could afford to travel.
Answer the following questions about the interview.

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