ESLSongs

Practice the first and second conditional in your ESL class with this song, I’ll Sail This Ship Alone by The Beautiful South. There are 7 examples of the first conditional and four examples of the second conditional in these song lyrics.

There is a suggestion on how to use this song in your ESL classes below, but for more ideas, click here.

Lyrics

If, if you choose that we will always lose
Well then I’ll sail this ship alone
And if, if you decide to give him another try
Well then I’ll sail this ship alone

Well they said if I wrote the perfect love song
You would take me back
Well I wrote it but I lost it
And now will you take me back anyway?

Now if, if you insist that this is for the best
Well then I’ll sail this ship alone
And if, if you swear that you no longer care
Well then I’ll sail this ship alone

I’ll sail this ship alone between the pain and the pleasure
I’ll sail this ship alone amongst the sharks and the treasure
If you would rather go your way then go your way
I’ll sail this ship alone

If, if you’re afraid that I won’t make the grade
Well then I’ll sail this ship alone
And if, if you agree to him instead of me
Well then I’ll sail this ship alone

Well they said if I wrote the perfect letter
That I would have a chance
Well I wrote it, and you burnt it
And now do I have a chance anyway now?

I’ll sail this ship alone between the pain and the pleasure

I’ll sail this ship alone amongst the sharks and the treasure
If you would rather go your way then go your way
I’ll sail this ship alone

Well they said if I burned myself alive
That you’d come running back

Suggested activity: choose the correct word/fill the gaps

Download this exercise (PDF)

For the 1st conditional phrases, choose the word that you hear. Also, fill the gaps with the correct form of the 2^nd conditional

If, if you ¹decide/choose that we will always lose
well then I’ll sail this ship alone
And if, if you decide to give him another ²try/chance
well then I’ll sail this ship alone

Well they said if I ³__________ (write) the perfect love song
you ⁴__________ (take) me back
Well I wrote it but I lost it
and now will you take me back anyway?

Now if, if you ⁵insist/believe that this is for the best
well then I’ll sail this ship alone
And if, if you ⁶swear/insist that you no longer care
well then I’ll sail this ship alone

I’ll sail this ship alone between the pain and the pleasure
I’ll sail this ship alone amongst the sharks and the treasure
If you would rather go your way then go your way
I’ll sail this ship alone

If, if you’re afraid that I won’t ⁷get/make the grade
well then I’ll sail this ship alone
And if, if you ⁸agree to/go out with him instead of me
well then I’ll sail this ship alone

Well they said if I ⁹__________ (write) the perfect letter
that I ¹⁰__________ (have) a chance
Well I wrote it, and you burnt it
and now do I have a chance anyway now?

I’ll sail this ship alone between the pain and the pleasure

I’ll sail this ship alone amongst the sharks and the treasure
If you would rather go your way then go your way
I’ll sail this ship alone

Well they said if I ¹¹__________ (burn) myself alive
that you ¹²__________ (come) running back

The Beautiful South

The Beautiful South were an English pop rock group formed in 1988 by Paul Heaton and Dave Hemingway, two former members of the Hull group the Housemartins, both of whom performed lead and backing vocals. Other members throughout the band’s existence were former Housemartins roadie Sean Welch (bass), Dave Stead (drums), and Dave Rotheray (guitar). The band’s original material was written by Heaton and Rotheray.