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Would you sell lemonade to save bees? Second conditional questions and If I were you

This B1 ESL lesson plan teaches If I were you for advice and questions with would, built around Mikaila Ulmer's lemonade for the bees.

Grammar
Questions with would before the subject (What would you do if it rained?), short answers (Yes, I would. No, I wouldn't.) and advice with If I were you, I'd…, with were for every person.
Topic
A lemonade stand in Austin, Texas, honeybees and Lemonade Day, with words such as recipe, ingredient, beekeeper and flavor.
Activities
Jade's story to read, Darius's interview at a market stand and a dog walker's question to hear, self-checking drills, an advice chat and open boxes.

What's inside

  1. Chapter 1Warm-up: when life gives you lemons…

    • PictureUnlock
    • Spin the wheel and answerSpin the wheelUnlock
    • Study the words: a lemonade businessVocabularyTry it
    • Look at the pictures and choose the wordChoose by pictureUnlock

  2. Chapter 2Let's read: lemonade for the bees

    • Look at the photo: a lemonade stand for the beesPictureUnlock
    • Read Jade's story on the show's websiteArticleUnlock
    • Read and mark true or falseTrue or falseUnlock
    • Read again and choose the correct answerQuizUnlock

  3. Chapter 3Let's listen: lemonade at the market

    • Listen to Darius and SandraListeningTry it
    • Transcript, for the teacherUnlock
    • Listen and choose the correct answerQuizUnlock
    • Listen to The Listener's Take: BryceListeningUnlock
    • Transcript, for the teacherUnlock
    • Listen and mark true or falseTrue or falseUnlock

  4. Chapter 4Grammar: What would you do? If I were you…

    • Study the scheme: questions and If I were youGrammar schemeTry it
    • Choose the correct optionChoose the optionUnlock
    • Fill in the gaps: make questions with wouldFill in the gapsTry it
    • Fill in the table: questions and short answersFill in the tableUnlock
    • Choose the correct answer: which sentence is correct?QuizUnlock
    • Put the words in the correct orderUnjumbleUnlock

  5. Chapter 5Let's talk: what would you do if you were me?

    • Choose the right replies: give your friend adviceChatTry it
    • Open a box and answer: what would you do?Open the boxUnlock

  6. Chapter 6Homework

    • Match the words and the meaningsMatchUnlock
    • Unscramble the wordsAnagramUnlock
    • Fill in the gaps with the lesson's wordsFill in the gapsUnlock
    • Find the matching pairs: words and meaningsMemory gameUnlock
    • Choose the correct option: new sentencesChoose the optionUnlock
    • Fill in the gaps: give advice with If I were youFill in the gapsUnlock
    • Put the words in the correct orderUnjumbleUnlock
    • Choose the correct answer: the right replyQuizUnlock
    • Drag the words into the gaps: Darius answers BryceDrag and dropUnlock
    • Choose the correct option: an advice columnChoose the optionUnlock

32 exercises in 6 chapters. Start a 7-day free trial to open all of them, copy any part into your own lessons, and teach the lesson live.

Vocabulary

12 words and phrases from the lesson, each with a picture and audio in edio.

+9 more with pictures and audio in the lessonMore words

  • lemonade stand
  • recipe
  • ingredient
  • dog walker
  • flavor
  • honeybee
  • beekeeper
  • terrified
  • advice

Grammar: second conditional questions and If I were you

Here the second conditional asks and advises. Questions put would before the subject: What would you do if it rained? Short answers end in would or wouldn't: Yes, I would. And If I were you, I'd… gives advice by imagining yourself in the other person's place. Around a lemonade stand that helped bees, learners use all three.

What would you do? If I were you, I'd…

Ask about an imagined situation with would + subject + base form. Answer Yes, I would / No, I wouldn't. Give advice with If I were you, I'd… / I wouldn't…

Yes/no questions and short answers

Start the question with would: Would you sell it? Would they buy it? A short answer ends with would or wouldn't: Would she say yes? No, she wouldn't. There's no 'd at the end, so it's Yes, I would, not Yes, I'd.

QuestionYesNo
Would I like it?Yes, you would.No, you wouldn't.
Would you sell it?Yes, I would.No, I wouldn't.
Would he help us?Yes, he would.No, he wouldn't.
Would she say yes?Yes, she would.No, she wouldn't.
Would it work?Yes, it would.No, it wouldn't.
Would we need more cups?Yes, we would.No, we wouldn't.
Would they buy it?Yes, they would.No, they wouldn't.

Wh- questions: would before the subject

The question word comes first, then would, the subject and the base form: Where would you sell your lemonade? Keep would in front of the subject: What would you do?, not What you would do? And the verb after would stays simple: Would you sell it?, not sold.

Wh- questions

question wordwouldsubjectbase form(if + past simple)

What would you do if it rained?

Where would you sell your lemonade?

Which flavor would she choose if she had a stand?

Word order and the base form

In a question, would comes before the subject: What would you do? (not: What you would do?). After would, use the base form: Would you sell it? (not: Would you sold it?). After If I were you, use I'd or I wouldn't, never will: If I were you, I'd ask. (not: If I were you, I will ask.)

Advice with If I were you

If I were you + I'd or I wouldn't gives advice: If I were you, I wouldn't open the stand in the rain. Placed second, it takes no comma. After If I were you, use I'd, never will. Asking for advice: What would you do if you were me?

PatternExample
If I were you, I'd + base formIf I were you, I'd sweeten it with honey.
If I were you, I wouldn't + base formIf I were you, I wouldn't open the stand in the rain.
I'd + base form + if I were you (no comma)I'd squeeze the lemons the night before if I were you.
Ask for adviceWhat would you do if you were me?

Were for every person after if

After if, be becomes were for every person: if I were you, if she were here, if it were sunny. Some people say if I was in casual speech, but were is the form for writing and tests, and If I am you is always wrong.

After if: were for every person

Personif + wereExample
Iif I wereIf I were you, I'd add mint.
youif you wereIf you were me, what would you do?
heif he wereIf he were older, he'd open a store.
sheif she wereIf she were here, she'd love this lemonade.
itif it wereIf it were sunny, we'd sell more.
weif we wereIf we were rich, we'd help the bees.
theyif they wereIf they were hungry, they'd buy cookies.

Short answers, and why were

A short answer ends with would or wouldn't: Yes, I would. No, I wouldn't. Don't use 'd there: Yes, I would. (not: Yes, I'd.) After if, use were for every person: if I were you, if she were here. In casual speech, some people say “if I was”, but were is the form for writing and tests.

At Sandra's lemonade stand

  • What would you do if it rained on a Saturday?
  • Would you say yes to a big store? No, I wouldn't.
  • If I were you, I'd sell snacks with the lemonade.
  • If I were you, I wouldn't eat the profits!
  • Would you give part of your profits to the bees? Yes, I would.
  • If Bryce were older, would he take more dogs?

Common mistakes

  • What you would do if it rained?

    What would you do if it rained?

    would before the subject

  • If I am you, I'd add mint.

    If I were you, I'd add mint.

    always If I were you

  • If I were you, I will ask your parents.

    If I were you, I'd ask your parents.

    I'd / I wouldn't, not will

  • Yes, I'd.

    Yes, I would.

    no 'd in a short answer

More lessons on this grammar: Second conditional lessons and exercises

Try the if I were you exercises

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What's in the lesson

  • 17 auto-checked exercises
  • 6 games
  • 1 article
  • 1 grammar scheme
  • 1 set of word cards
  • 2 audio clips
  • 2 pictures
  • 2 transcripts

The main objectives of this lesson are to:

  • ask about imagined situations with would before the subject: What would you do if it rained on a Saturday? Where would you sell your lemonade?
  • answer with would or wouldn't: Would you say yes to a big store? No, I wouldn't. Yes, I would, never Yes, I'd
  • give advice with If I were you: If I were you, I'd sweeten it with honey. If I were you, I wouldn't eat the profits!
  • use were after if for every person: If she were here, she'd love this lemonade. If we were rich, we'd help the bees.

Lesson 2 is the second step of Start-up stories, unit 1 of English B1.2 · Changemakers. It builds on lesson 1, where If I had…, I'd… described imagined situations, on the yes/no questions and short answers of A2.1 lesson 6, and on advice with should from A2.1 lesson 26. Lesson 3 then sets the first and second conditionals side by side. A young seller's lemonade stand is a natural place to ask what someone would do and to say what you'd do in their place.

Students spin a wheel of questions about summer drinks, family recipes and selling things, then learn twelve words, from sweeten to advice, with pictures and audio. They read Jade's story about Mikaila Ulmer, from two bee stings at age four to a lemonade company, then hear Darius interview Sandra at her farmers market stand and Bryce, a teen dog walker from Texas, ask for advice, both AI-voiced. Five self-checking drills follow the scheme, with a table of questions and short answers at the center. In the speaking chapter, students advise a friend who wants to sell cookies, then open boxes of What would you do? questions.

All ten homework tasks check themselves: four for the words (a match, an anagram, a gap-fill and a memory game), then a choice of forms, advice gaps with If I were you, word order, a quiz on the right reply, Darius's answer to Bryce with words to drag in and a school advice column with gaps.

Grammar:
second conditional questions · short answers with would · If I were you · giving advice
Topic:
Mikaila Ulmer · Austin, Texas · lemonade stands · bees · Lemonade Day · kid entrepreneurs · start-ups · Stories That Travel

Teaching tips

  • Ask the title question first: Would you sell lemonade to save bees? Collect quick Yes, I would and No, I wouldn't answers around the room, then ask each student for one reason.
  • Before Jade's story, ask about childhood fears. Then read to find out what Mikaila's parents did about her fear of bees: they took her to the library.
  • Pause the market interview after each of Darius's questions and let students answer first as themselves, If it rained, I'd…, then play Sandra's answer and compare.
  • Make a class problem box: each student puts in a small worry about school, work or a hobby, and a partner pulls one out and answers with If I were you, I'd… and I wouldn't…

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The whole course: English B1.2 · Changemakers

32 lessons for adults at B1 in American English, about people and ideas that changed things: start-ups, future cities, food, memory, customs, art, volunteers and adventure. The podcast team of English B1.1 is back for a season called Changemakers. Learners use the second conditional, the passive, reported speech, the past perfect, relative clauses and verb patterns, and the practice exercises check themselves.See the course

  1. Unit 1 Start-up stories

    the second conditional, If I were you, the first vs the second conditional, also, too, as well and besides

    1. Lesson 1The garage where Silicon Valley beganThe second conditional for imagined situations
    2. Lesson 2 · you're hereWould you sell lemonade to save bees?Second conditional questions and If I were you
    3. Lesson 3Pitch it to the Sharks!First vs second conditional: a real plan or a dream?
    4. Lesson 4A bakery that hires anyone?Adding ideas: also, too, as well, either and besides

  2. Unit 2 Cities of tomorrow

    the passive in the present simple and the past simple, with modals, and in the present perfect and present continuous

    1. Lesson 5Can you cross a city without going outside?The present simple passive
    2. Lesson 6A park on top of a freeway?The past simple passive
    3. Lesson 7Can a desert city catch the rain?The passive with modals
    4. Lesson 8Can an old railroad become a park?The present perfect and present continuous passive

  3. Unit 3 Food for the future

    comparative and superlative adverbs, the future passive, verbs with prepositions, phrasal verbs with up, away and out

    1. Lesson 9Why did Carver tell farmers to plant peanuts?Comparative and superlative adverbs
    2. Lesson 10Lettuce from space?The future passive with will be
    3. Lesson 11Why do corn, beans and squash grow together?Verbs with dependent prepositions
    4. Lesson 12What happens to dining-hall leftovers?Phrasal verbs with up, away and out

  4. Unit 4 Memory and learning

    reported statements with say and tell, tense changes, time and place words, reported questions, requests and commands

    1. Lesson 13Can you train your memory?Reported statements with say and tell
    2. Lesson 14He got better but never rememberedReported statements about the past
    3. Lesson 15Can a TV show teach the alphabet?Reported questions
    4. Lesson 16Can you learn a new skill at 70?Reported requests and commands

  5. Unit 5 Customs and manners

    degree adverbs such as quite and pretty, the past perfect, the past perfect vs the past simple, make vs do

    1. Lesson 17To tip or not to tip?Adverbs of degree before adjectives and adverbs
    2. Lesson 18They'd already started without me!The past perfect: had + past participle
    3. Lesson 19What should you do at a powwow?Past perfect vs past simple
    4. Lesson 20How do you accept a lei?Make vs do: collocations to learn

  6. Unit 6 Art and design

    relative clauses with whose, non-defining relative clauses, relative clauses without a pronoun, when and why

    1. Lesson 21Art that moves in the airRelative clauses with whose
    2. Lesson 22A heart that sells a stateNon-defining relative clauses
    3. Lesson 23What would you paint on a city wall?Relative clauses without who, which or that
    4. Lesson 24Why does the sign say Hollywood?Relative adverbs: when, why and where

  7. Unit 7 Volunteers and changemakers

    verb + -ing or to, -ing as a subject and after prepositions, stop, remember, try and forget, prefer and would rather

    1. Lesson 25A day on, not a day off?Verb + -ing or verb + to
    2. Lesson 26The house that welcomed a neighborhoodGerunds as subjects and after prepositions
    3. Lesson 27A walk that lasted 24 hoursStop, remember, forget and try + to or -ing
    4. Lesson 28Head, heart, hands and healthPrefer, would rather and would prefer

  8. Unit 8 Adventure and challenge

    possessive 's vs of, must and can't for deduction, might, may and could for possibility, the meanings of get

    1. Lesson 29Could you climb a fourteener?Possessive 's, s' or of
    2. Lesson 30It must be here somewhere!Must and can't for deduction
    3. Lesson 31How did Houdini get out?Might, may and could for possibility
    4. Lesson 32A capital with no road inThe meanings of get

Questions about this lesson

What does "If I were you" mean?
If I were you means imagine I'm in your situation, and it introduces advice: If I were you, I'd add more honey. It's a second conditional, so the result uses I'd or I wouldn't. In Would you sell lemonade to save bees?, a B1 lesson on edio.ai, a high school student at a market stand tells Darius, If I were you, I wouldn't eat the profits!
How do you give advice with If I were you?
Say If I were you, then I'd + base form, or I wouldn't for a warning: If I were you, I'd start with one flavor and a small table. The advice can come first too, with no comma: I'd squeeze the lemons the night before if I were you. To ask for advice, say What would you do if you were me?
What are some examples of If I were you?
If I were you, I'd sweeten it with honey. If I were you, I wouldn't open the stand in the rain. If I were you, I'd ask your parents first. Bryce, if I were you, I'd find a business partner. Each one answers a real problem, from sour lemonade to a dog walker with more dogs than time, in Would you sell lemonade to save bees? on edio.ai.
Is it "If I was you" or "If I were you"?
Write If I were you: were is the form for writing and tests, and it goes with every person after if, as in if she were here or if it were sunny. Some people say if I was in casual speech. If I am you is always wrong. The scheme in Would you sell lemonade to save bees? covers both points.
How do you ask questions in the second conditional?
Put would before the subject: Would you sell lemonade if it snowed? In wh- questions, the question word goes first: What would you do if it rained? Which flavor would she choose if she had a stand? Answer Yes, I would or No, I wouldn't. A fill-in table in Would you sell lemonade to save bees? drills all seven persons.
Who is Mikaila Ulmer?
Mikaila Ulmer is a young entrepreneur from Austin, Texas. When she was four, bees stung her twice in one week. Her parents helped her learn about bees, and in the summer of 2009 she opened a lemonade stand in front of her house, with honey and a flaxseed recipe from her great-grandmother's cookbook. Part of the profits helped bees, and the bottled lemonade became a company, now Me & the Bees Lemonade.
Are honeybees native to the United States?
No. Honeybees aren't native to the United States, but about 4,000 kinds of native wild bees live there, and they help crops grow too. Scientists estimate that about one out of every three bites of food depends on pollinators, the bees and other animals that carry pollen from flower to flower. Jade shares both facts in Would you sell lemonade to save bees?, a B1 lesson on edio.ai.
How do I teach If I were you to B1 students?
Start with a small, real problem: My lemonade is too sour. Students answer If I were you, I'd add more honey, then ask each other What would you do if…? questions. Would you sell lemonade to save bees? on edio.ai builds up the same way, from Jade's story and a market interview to the scheme, gap-fills, a table of short answers and an advice chat.
What's a good game for practicing If I were you?
Play pass the problem: one student reads a problem card, such as Nobody buys your lemonade because it's too sour, and the next three each give one piece of advice starting If I were you, I'd… or I wouldn't…. The open boxes in Would you sell lemonade to save bees? hold prompts like that one.
How do you practice If I were you one-to-one?
Swap worries and advice: the student describes a plan or a problem, the teacher answers with If I were you, I'd…, and then they switch roles. The chat in Would you sell lemonade to save bees?, a B1 lesson on edio.ai, gives the student a friend, Emory, who wants to sell cookies at a farmers market and keeps asking What would you do?
What's good homework for practicing If I were you?
Short problems that need one line of advice work well: It's going to rain on Saturday? If I were you, I wouldn't open the stand. The ten homework tasks in Would you sell lemonade to save bees? on edio.ai all check themselves, from gaps like that one to a quiz on the right reply and a school advice column.
Are there interactive exercises for If I were you?
Yes: a gap-fill, a table and a chat that check answers. With no account, this page plays three parts of the B1 lesson Would you sell lemonade to save bees? on edio.ai: Darius's interview with Sandra at the market, a gap-fill that builds questions with would, and the advice chat with Emory. Other parts need an account.
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