Civil Rights Movement/What if …?
Do you sometimes think, what would have happened, if …?
Racism isn't getting worse, it's getting filmed. Will Smith
- Do the interactive exercises.
If you want, you can look at If-sentences to check how they are done.
How it is today
Complete the sentences. Write the correct form of the verb in brackets.
0. If people see racism, they won't report (not report) it.
1.If everyone treated (treat) each other equally, racism would become less common.
2. If somebody records an unfair situation, more people would learn (learn) about it.
3. If I saw (to see) someone being treated unfairly, I would try to help.
4. If schools teach more about racism, young people will understand (to understand) each other better.
5. If more people spoke out against racism, society would become (to become) fairer.
6. If you witness discrimination, what would you do (you / do)?
If-Clauses (Type 3) – A Racist Incident
Imagine a racist incident was recorded on a mobile phone.
Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verb in brackets.
1. If nobody had recorded the incident, the police wouldn't have investigated (not/ investigate).
2. If the video had not been shared online, fewer people wouldn't have heard|wouldn't have heared (not, hear) about the case.
3. The victim would have gotten less support if the witnesses had stayed (stay) silent.
4. If more people had spoken up immediately, the situation would have calmed (calm) down sooner.
5. The incident wouldn't have happened, if the officer had acted (act) differently.
6. If the video had been unclear, the court would have found (find) it much harder to convict the officer.
7. If the community had worked together earlier, people would have trusted (trust) each other more.
8. If everyone had been treated equally, the protests wouldn't have taken (not / take) place.
If George Floyd's arrest hadn't been (not / be) filmed, many people might never have heard about his case.
What do you think?
Complete the sentences with your own ideas.
- If people speak up against racism, …
- If someone records an unfair situation, …
- If I saw a racist comment online, …
- If schools taught more about discrimination, …
- If George Floyd had not been filmed, …
- If more witnesses had spoken out, …
- If everyone were treated equally, …
- If social media had not existed, …
