Review &Decisions Lab
Review Lab · 'what if' chains
CEFR Pathway · You are here
Review Lab
A checkpoint, not a test.
Get talking · Section 1
5 minWarm up — no pressure
Start a chain: 'If I won the lottery, I'd...' Partner continues from your result.
Tell your partner one rule from your job/school using 'as long as' or 'unless'.
Say one certain plan (when) and one uncertain one (if) for next month.
Grammar recap · Section 2
8–10 minConditionals toolkit recap
Unit 7 gave you four conditional tools: ZERO (If + present, present) for facts and habits; FIRST (If + present, will) for real future possibilities; WHEN vs IF to show certainty vs possibility; and UNLESS / AS LONG AS / PROVIDED THAT for exceptions and conditions.
→ If you heat metal, it expands. (Zero — fact)
→ If it rains tomorrow, we'll stay in. (First — real possibility)
→ When I get home, I'll relax. (certain)
→ You can come as long as you're on time. (condition)
More detail
Strong speakers mix these naturally depending on how certain or general the idea is.
Challenge 1.Water ____ at 100°C. (Zero)
Challenge 2.If it rains, we ____ home. (First)
Challenge 3.____ I finish work, I'll call you. (certain)
Challenge 4.I'll go ____ it rains. (= if it doesn't)
Challenge 5.You can stay ____ you're quiet.
Vocabulary recap · Section 3
5–7 minRecycle your toolkit
Don't just read these — say one out loud, then use it about your life.
a possibility
something that might happen
"There's a real possibility we'll move abroad."
Name a possibility for your future.
certainty
something 100% sure
"One certainty: the meeting starts at 9."
Name a certainty in your week.
a dealbreaker
a condition that ends an agreement if broken
"Lateness is a dealbreaker for me."
Name a dealbreaker for you.
hypothetically
imagining an unreal/unlikely situation
"Hypothetically, what would you do with a million pounds?"
Answer a hypothetical question.
to weigh up
to consider pros and cons before deciding
"I need to weigh up my options."
Something you're currently weighing up.
a scenario
a possible situation
"Let's imagine a scenario: you lose your phone abroad."
Describe a work/travel scenario.
Discuss with a partner
- →What's a dealbreaker for you when choosing a job?
- →Weigh up two options for your next holiday using conditionals.
Finish the sentence about you
- Hypothetically, if I... …
- One certainty is... …
- As long as..., I'd... …
Pronunciation polish · Section 4
3–4 minFast, connected conditional chains
- • If I win, I'll travel, and if I travel, I'll see Japan.
- • When I finish, I'll relax, unless something comes up.
- • As long as it's sunny, we'll go, and if not, we'll stay in.
- • If it rains, we'll cancel, unless it clears up by noon.
How to say it
In real conversation, conditional chains flow fast with linking and weak forms: 'If I win, I'll travel, and if I travel, I'll finally see Japan.' Practise chaining 2–3 conditionals in one breath, keeping stress only on key content words.
Reading challenge · Section 5
8–10 minThe decision tree
Zara is trying to decide what to do after finishing her course. If she gets the internship she applied for, she'll move to Manchester for six months. If she doesn't, she has a backup plan: she'll stay home and freelance instead, as long as she can find enough clients. When she gets the internship result next week, everything else will fall into place quickly. Unless the internship falls through completely, she's fairly confident about her direction. Her friend Ali has a very different, more certain path: when his contract ends in March, he's definitely moving to Spain — that part isn't up for debate. 'The only thing that's uncertain,' he says, 'is whether I'll rent or buy, and that depends entirely on the exchange rate.' Two very different approaches — one built on possibilities, one built on certainties — but both shaped by the same small conditional words.
Read carefully, then answer the detail questions. Underline the words in the text that gave you each answer.
Challenge 1.What will Zara do if she gets the internship?
Challenge 2.What is Zara's backup plan?
Challenge 3.What is certain for Ali?
Q1.Zara's plan depends on the internship result.
Q2.Ali is unsure whether he'll move to Spain.
Q3.Ali's only uncertainty is renting or buying.
Listening challenge · Section 6
8–10 minWhat if...? — a fast decision game
Listening audio
Tap play to listen. Replay as many times as you need.
Show transcript
Host:OK, quick round — what if you won a free trip anywhere?
Mia:If I won that, I'd go to New Zealand, no question.
Host:And what if you had to move city tomorrow?
Leo:Unless it was somewhere freezing, I'd probably say yes.
Host:Last one — what if your boss asked you to work weekends?
Mia:As long as I got paid extra, I'd consider it.
Leo:Honestly, unless it happened every week, I wouldn't mind occasionally.
Listen once for the whole picture, then again for the details before you answer.
Challenge 1.Where would Mia go if she won a trip?
Challenge 2.What condition does Leo set about moving?
Challenge 3.What condition does Mia set about weekend work?
Skills challenge · Section 7
5 minCambridge PET — Speaking Part 3/4 (discussing hypothetical decisions)
Task
Discuss 'what if' scenarios fluently, mixing conditional forms accurately.
Strategy
Examiners reward range: don't just use one conditional type all the way through. Mix a fact (Zero), a real plan (First), a certainty (when) and a condition (unless/as long as) across the same answer for a noticeably higher score.
Example
'If I get the job, I'll move to the city. When I arrive, I'll look for a flat straight away, as long as rent isn't too high — unless prices are impossible, in which case I'd share with someone.'
Fluency builder · Section 8
8–10 minQuick-fire practice
Challenge 1.Metal ____ when it's heated. (Zero)
Challenge 2.If I ____ time, I'll help you. (First)
Challenge 3.____ I get home, I'll relax. (certain)
Challenge 4.I'll come ____ it's too late. (= if it isn't)
Challenge 5.You can join ____ you're on time.
Q1.Write a Zero Conditional fact.
Q2.Write a First Conditional real plan.
Q3.Write a sentence with 'unless'.
Writing challenge · Section 9
5 minShow what you can do
Write your own version first, then open the model and compare — what would you change?
Your task
Write a 150-word piece called 'My decision tree for next year', mixing Zero, First, when/if and unless/as long as at least once each.
Compare with the model
Making decisions is easier if you break them into small conditions. Generally, if I plan carefully, things tend to work out — that's just true for most people. This year, if I save enough money by summer, I'll finally book the trip I've been dreaming about. When I get my exam results next month, I'll know exactly what my options are for further study. Unless something unexpected happens, I'm fairly confident I'll pass. As long as I keep practising a little every day, I know my English will keep improving too. If I don't get everything I want immediately, that's fine — as long as I'm moving in the right direction, I'll consider it a good year. In the end, small, honest conditions like these make big decisions feel much less overwhelming.
Communication lab · Section 10
10–15 minTalk it out
DECISIONS LAB · Groups of 3. Round 1: 'What if' rapid-fire questions (30 seconds each). Round 2: negotiate a shared plan using unless/as long as. Round 3: describe one certain (when) and one uncertain (if) plan for the year. Teacher gives final feedback on range of conditional forms used.
Useful phrases
- • If I..., I'd/I'll...
- • Unless..., I'd...
- • As long as..., I'm happy to...
- • When I..., I'll definitely...
Role-play & swap
Role-play the scenario once. Then swap roles and change two details so the second run is not a repeat.
- AWhat would you do if you had a free year?
- B_______________
- AWould you come back after?
- B_______________
Optional · Teacher-led
Teacher Activities
Unit 7 checkpoint — prioritise fluent mixing of conditional types over isolated drilling. ~32 min total
Keep it going · Section 11
Take-homeExtend it at home
Record a 90-second 'decision tree' monologue mixing all four conditional types from the unit.
Write a 150-word 'my decision tree' text for next year.
Review your Unit 7 notes and write 5 example sentences, one for each conditional type.
Checkpoint reflection · Section 12
2–3 minWhat you've reviewed
- Zero: facts and habits (If + present, present).
- First: real future possibilities (If + present, will).
- When = certain; if = possible.
- Unless = if not; as long as/provided that = only if.
- Fluent speakers mix all four naturally in the same conversation.
Extra Practice
Grammar · Vocabulary · Speaking · Review
Found this lesson tricky? Practise the language from Lesson 35 again.
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