What is the Second Conditional?
We use the second conditional to talk about
imaginary or unreal situations in the present or
future. These are things that are not true now,
but we imagine them.
What would you do if you
had a lot of money?
Structure of the Second
Conditional:
IF + past simple, would + base verb
Part Example
If + past simple If I won the lottery
Would + verb I would buy a house
If clause and main clause
We use if + past to talk about an imaginary present
or future situation (although the verb is in the
past, the meaning is present or future). And we
use would + infinitive to talk about the result or
consequence of that imaginary situation.
If we had a mansion in the country, we’d go there
every weekend.
Would you travel around the world if you won the
lottery?
Comma
When the if clause comes first, we usually put
a comma after it. We don’t use a comma when
the main clause comes first and the if clause comes
second.
If I won the lottery, I’d buy a mansion.
I’d buy a mansion if I won the lottery.
When do we use the second
conditional?
Use Example
Unreal situations now If I had wings, I would fly.
Things that probably won’t If it snowed in Nicaragua, I
happen would be surprised.
If I were you, I would
Advice
apologize.
Note: Even though we use the past
tense, we're not talking about the past.
It's just a grammar rule for unreal
situations.
Imaginary situations:
If I had a car, I would drive to the beach.
If she were taller, she would play basketball.
If we lived in Paris, we would eat croissants every day.
Impossible or unlikely things:
If I were rich, I would travel the world.
If he knew her name, he would talk to her.
Giving advice (with if I were you):
If I were you, I would study more.
If I were you, I wouldn’t go there.
Special Note: “If I were”
Even though “I” goes with “was” in the past, in the second
conditional we say:
If I were you...
If I was you...
("Were" is more formal and grammatically correct here.)
Would
Would/wouldn’t is the same for all persons.
I/you/he/she/it/we/they would/wouldn’t do that if it
was possible.
Contracted forms are wouldn’t= would
not and ‘d= would
I‘d never tell anyone if you told me your secret.
I wouldn’t tell anyone if you told me your secret.
Could
We use could to express possibility or ability in
imaginary situations.
We can often use could + infinitive instead
of would + infinitive in the main clause.
If you spoke English, you could get a better job.
If I had a bike, I could go to school faster.
If he knew how to swim, he could enter the pool.
If I had time, I would help you, and we could finish
faster.
Was or were?
In the second conditional, we can use if I/he/she/it
were (more formal) instead of if I/he/she/it
was (spoken English).
If I were/was fit, I would run a marathon.
We wouldn’t have any problems if he were/was more
reasonable.
But we use were (NOT was) when we give advice with
the expression if I were you.
If I were you, I would stay home and rest.
I wouldn’t pay any attention to what he says if I were
you.
We use the first conditional to talk about possible future
situations and the second conditional to talk
about hypothetical or imaginary future situations.
If I don’t have a meeting tomorrow morning, I’ll have lunch with
you. (It’s possible. Maybe I don’t have a meeting.)
If I didn’t have a meeting tomorrow morning, I’d have lunch with
you. (It’s hypothetical. I have a meeting tomorrow, so I won’t be
able to have lunch with you.)
UNREAL CONDITIONALS
SO…
What would YOU do if you won
the lottery!?
Maxine would buy a new house for
herself and her parents if she won
the lottery.
If Paul won the lottery, he’d
take a trip around the world.
John and his wife would buy a
piano if they became rich.
We use unreal conditionals in
English to talk about:
A situation that is not real, but that we imagine . . .
If I had a million dollars . . . I would …
If I lived in Italy . . . I would . . .
If I got a job as a chef . . . I would . . .
Are these real situations?
• Do I really have a million dollars?
• Do I really live in Italy?
• Do I really work as a chef?
NO! these are imaginary situations
How do we make this type of conditional
grammar? Look at these examples:
1. If my friend asked me for money, I
would lend it to her.
2. Tomas would be happier if he got a less
stressful job.
3. Speaking in English would be easier if you
practiced more frequently.
simple past
After the IF, use ______________________ tense.
would + verb
In the other clause, use __________________.
Form & Meaning:
When you imagine a future happening like
this, you use a past tense form after IF;
However, the meaning is NOT past.
Ex. If I moved to a big city, I’d sell my
car.
The meaning here is NOT past tense . . .
I didn’t move away and I didn’t sell my car.
I’m imagining a future possibility.
Notice that you can start these
sentences with the If-clause or with
the Would-clause:
If Marta moved abroad, she would learn
another language.
Marta would learn another language if she
moved abroad.
Try these examples:
had
1. If we ____________would
(have)
take
more time
and money, we ________________ (take) a
vacation to Hawaii.
2. The world ______________
would be
(be) a better place if everyone
______________
helped
(help) others.
More Practice . . .
got
3. If you ____________ (get) more
would feel
exercise,
I’m sure you ________________ (feel)
healthier and happier.
would do
4. Jack ______________ (do) better
in school if he _____________
slept
(sleep) more each night.
Important Note!
Formal grammar requires that when making these kinds
of conditional sentences, we use WERE for the past
tense of be for
all subjects (including I, he, she).
Ex. -If I were you, I would buy that house.
-She would buy a mansion if she were wealthy.
What would YOU do if . . .
• you became rich?
• you found a wallet on the street?
• your house caught on fire?
• your best friend moved far away?
• your child failed a test?
• you could be invisible for a day?
• you met a famous person on the street?
• you saw a ghost?
Share Your Responses with the class . . .
