IELTS Grammar: opinion + conditional

Try this useful technique for IELTS writing and speaking:

Give an opinion, then follow it with a conditional sentence.

Look at these examples:

1. In my opinion, governments should invest more money in public transport. If rail and bus services were more reliable, fewer people would need to drive.
2. Schools have an important role to play in children's health. If schools banned junk food, they would help to reduce the problem of childhood obesity.
3. In the future I think more people will do their shopping online. But if Internet shopping becomes more popular, many traditional shops will lose customers.

I've underlined the conditionals. Examples 1 and 2 are second conditionals, while 3 uses the first conditional.

Practice:
Prepare your own "opinion + conditional" ideas for different topics. Having a few of these ideas ready could help you in the writing and speaking tests.

Comments

[Hang]

In my opinion, people are working in tourism industry will have a great opportunity to meet many interesting foreigners. Especially if your city is popular for tourists, you will learn many things from them, such as cultures languages, cuisines.

[Ly]

Alternative energy sources such as wind, wave, solar power are now getting more and more attention of both government and researchers as their advantages.Especially, If this "green energy" completely replaces fossil fuels, it will help reduce large amount of exhaust emission to environment.

[Jagdeep kaur]

In my opinion Cctv cameras are necessary for security purpose .if public place such as railways had surveillance cameras it would minimise criminal activities and providing material evidence.

[Jagdeep kaur]

Parents are the first role modal of a child. Children behave, react and imitate same as their parents. If they spend extra time with them,it will promotes emotional health in kids, which is linked to a greater likelihood that they will avoid risky behaviours such as drug use, or suffer from depression.

[paul]

In my opinion, ATO should reduce the tax on middle class. If lower tax rates were implemented, more people would like to spend.

Parents play an important role in children's behaviours. If parents set good examples at home, they would less likely to be trouble markers in school.

In the future I think more people will go to American for sightseeing. But if VISA application becomes more strict, many tourists will choose to other destinations.

[Jojo]

In my opinion, goverment should invest more money in poverty eradication program. If economic and school more reliable, fewer people would life under poverty line

[ilkin]

TRADITIONAL MEDICINE:

In my opinion, traditional medicine comeback is unnecessary. If traditional medicine becomes more popular, efforts to tackle modern health problems will be undermined.

[Terry]

To Simon,

In my opinion, Simon should provide online course extensively. If the courses were provided for long time ago, fewer IELTS takers would need to take their second attempt even the fifth attempt.

Just kidding.

[Simon]

Nice suggestion Terry :)

[Harry Vo]

In my opinion, teachers should introduce pronunciation course to their pupils in their English class. If learners know how to pronounce correctly, they will be more confident in speaking.

Thanks,

[Ul]

Listening to music for studying is good habit to enhances improvement of learning. If everybody learns with music, they will boost their learning.

[K.T.]

It is in people's best interest to save some money for the future. If individuals were more careful about their spending, they could enjoy a variety of higher level entertainment throughout their lifespan.

Children should not spend much time on social media. If parents were more serious about their children's unrestricted access to social media, less teenagers might suffer from online bullying.

In my opinion, grandchildren should spend more time with their grandparents. If parents arrange some time during each week to reunite them, both parties would emotionally benefit from it.

From my point of view, clothing plays a significant role in how people are perceived by others. If individuals become more sophisticated about their garment selection, chances are they will be given more opportunities in their workplace.

[[email protected]]

In my opinion, Good hand washing techniques is paramount for the prevention of diseases, if the government can put everything in place, it will go a long way in the reduction of feaco-oral illness.

[somayeh]

From my point of view, most people prefer to study in universities which have located in big cities. If the small cities had more facilitates, they would choice small cities as much as big cities.

[Han]

Hi Simon, could you please explain why you used second conditionals in examples 1 and 2, while the first conditional was used for example 3. I'm confused. Thank you so much for you help!

[Debbie]

In my view, Brazil should follow Canada`s example and legalize the use and commercial distribution of cannabis. If the government assumes this role, the black market will lose its power and the violence in the favelas will decrease.