Tonight’s song asks: what would you do if you were the opposite sex for a day? And would you understand the other side better?
Learn from Songs · Unit 9b: Second conditional · B1
If I Were a Boy
A thoughtful song about seeing things from the other side: the second conditional with If I were…, If I were you, I’d… for advice, would / could / might in the result, and questions (What would you do if…?), with Demetria and Marcos, who swap lives for a day.
SOPHIA
MARCOS
If I were a girl, I’d… hmm.
DEMETRIA
That’s exactly the problem, Marcos.
SOPHIA
Exactly. Let’s listen.
Before you listen: the song
Los Angeles, 2008
“If I Were a Boy” was written by the American singer-songwriter BC Jean and the producer Toby Gad, after a difficult break-up. Beyoncé recorded it for her 2008 album I Am… Sasha Fierce, and it became a hit all over the world.
In the black-and-white video, the roles are reversed: Beyoncé plays a police officer and her partner stays at home, and the audience sees how it feels when one person doesn’t listen or care.
In the song, the singer imagines what she would do if she were a boy for a day: she would do whatever she wanted. But she would also listen to her partner, and understand how it feels to be hurt, because she knows from her own experience.
If I were you…
Listen: imagining the other side
PHILO
Listen once. What would she do if she were a boy? What would she understand?
SOPHIA
Then listen for If I were and I would. Answer Section A.
🔄 Listen to the song: “If I Were a Boy” (BC Jean and Toby Gad, 2008), sung by Beyoncé.Watch the official video →
📜 Read the words while you listen: “If I Were a Boy”, Beyoncé.Read the lyrics →
If I were…: imaginary situations
DEMETRIA
If I were a boy, I would go to the gymnasium. If you were me, what would you do?
SOPHIA
If + were / past simple, would + verb for imaginary situations. Questions: What would you do if…? What would you do if you found a bag of gold?
If I were you: advice
MARCOS
If I were you, I’d say sorry.
SOPHIA
A very common way to give advice: If I were you, I’d… or just I’d…: If I were you, I wouldn’t worry. I’d talk to her.
Would, could, might
PHILO
If I had more time, I could learn to wrestle. If you tried reading, you might like it.
SOPHIA
In the result of a second conditional: would (certain result), could (= would be able to), might (= would perhaps). If I lived by the sea, I could swim every day.
Sophia’s comparison: Tiresias
SOPHIA
In Greek myth, the prophet Tiresias was turned into a woman for seven years, and then back into a man. So when Zeus and Hera argued about whether men or women were happier, they asked Tiresias, the only person who had been both.
PHILO
And our teacher Hillel said: do not judge your neighbour until you have stood in his place.
DEMETRIA
So the song is very old wisdom: try standing in the other person’s place.
Sophia’s summary
| Words and forms | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| If + were / past, would + verb | imaginary situations | If I were a boy, I would… |
| What would you do if…? | questions | What would you do if you were rich? |
| If I were you, I’d… | advice | If I were you, I’d apologise. |
| could / might in the result | would be able to / would perhaps | If I had time, I could help. |
| wouldn’t + verb | negative result | I wouldn’t worry. |
Practice
Listen to the song for Section A, then do the rest. Press “Check my answers” at the end. You can try again as many times as you like.
A · Listen: the song
Listen to the song and choose the best answer.
1. What does the singer imagine?
2. What would she understand?
3. What happens in the video?
4. Who wrote the song?
5. How does it sound?
6. What is the message?
B · Grammar and vocabulary
Write the missing word or words.
7. If I a boy, I would go to the gymnasium. (be)
8. What you do if you found a bag of gold?
9. If I were you, I’d sorry. (say)
10. If I had more time, I learn to wrestle. (would be able to)
11. If you tried reading, you like it. (perhaps)
12. If I were you, I worry. (negative)
C · Right or wrong?
Is the sentence correct English?
13. “If I am you, I would talk to her.”
14. “What would you do if you won a million?”
15. “If I would be a bird, I would fly.”
16. “If I lived by the sea, I could swim every day.”
Talk and write
Discussion and writing
Swap. In pairs: If you were me for a day, what would you do? What would surprise you?
Discuss. 1. Is it possible to really understand someone else’s life? 2. What would you do if you were the head of your school? 3. Are there things boys and girls are expected to do differently?
Write (100–120 words). If I were… Choose someone different from you (a teacher, a parent, a famous person) and write what you would do and understand if you were them for a day.
Now play the gamebook: Demetria and Marcos swap lives for a day.Play the gamebook →