Unit 8 · Lesson 2 | Take Responsibility for a Mistake

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Lesson Reference Page

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1

Lesson Beginning · Warm-up

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Start here

Think about a time you forgot something, missed something, or made a small mistake. Then answer the questions below.

What is the best thing to do after a mistake?

Which phrase means “It is OK; there is no serious problem”?

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Conversation Model

Audio 25 · Conversation

Part 1 · The mistake

A: Sorry I’m late. I thought the meeting was tomorrow.

B: What happened?

A: I’m ashamed to say I just forgot to put it on my calendar.

B: Don’t worry. That can happen to anyone.

Part 2 · Taking responsibility

A: Well, if I had written it down, I wouldn’t have forgotten.

B: No harm done. We were just getting started.

Conversation Check

What mistake did speaker A make?

Why did speaker A make the mistake?

What should she have done?

Which response shows that the mistake was not serious?

3

Grammar · The Past Unreal Conditional

Use the past unreal conditional to talk about past situations that did not happen and their imagined results.
If + past perfect + would have / could have + past participle

Example

If I had written it down, I wouldn’t have forgotten.

Real past: I did not write it down, so I forgot.

Careful

Do not use would in the if-clause.

Correct: If Jonas Salk hadn’t invented a vaccine, many more people would have gotten the disease.

Understand the Grammar

“I wouldn’t have gone to class if I had known I had the flu.” What really happened?

“If we had used our GPS, we wouldn’t have gotten lost.” What really happened?

“If they hadn’t planted that new variety of tomatoes, they would have lost this year’s crop.” What really happened?

“The airline wouldn’t have canceled the flight if the weather had been better.” What really happened?

Grammar Practice

What ___ if you ___ the train?

We ___ this digital video conference if an Internet connection ___ available.

If our huge old camcorder ___, we ___ this smaller one.

If she ___ her smart phone, she ___ her flight.

If they ___ good weather, they ___ in Alaska this morning.

If the weather ___ better, we ___ to the beach.

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Case Studies · Apply the Grammar

Read each situation and choose the best past unreal conditional sentence.

The car advertisement was misleading. What should the buyer say?

Someone forgot to close the windows before a storm. What is the best sentence?

There was a big sale, but you went shopping somewhere else. What should you say?

The repellent label said not to use it on children under 12. What is the best sentence?

Apply the grammar to the Photo Story.

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Pronunciation · Contractions with 'd

Audio 27 · Pronunciation practice

In speech, 'd can mean had, would, or did. Choose the full form.

Where’d you go?

Who’d you see?

It’d be OK.

If we’d had a map, we wouldn’t have gotten lost.

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Listening Comprehension

Audio 28 · Listening comprehension

Listen and choose the sentence you hear. Use full, not contracted, forms.

1. Choose the sentence you hear.

2. Choose the sentence you hear.

3. Choose the sentence you hear.

4. Choose the sentence you hear.

5. Choose the sentence you hear.

6. Choose the sentence you hear.

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Useful Language Practice

Mistakes

forgot to do somethingmissed a meetingdidn’t call someoneforgot someone’s birthdaygot too busy

Apology pattern

Sorry I’m late.

What happened?

I’m ashamed to say I just forgot.

No harm done.

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Final Quiz

Final Quiz stays vertical for easy checking.

Which grammar form talks about unreal past situations?

Choose the correct sentence.

When you make a mistake, you should usually...

Complete: She ___ called if she had had your number.

What does “Where’d you go?” mean?

Amazing!

You’ve completed the second lesson.