Second Conditional: unreal possibility or dream
The second conditional is like the first conditional. We are still thinking about the future. We are thinking about a particular condition in the future, and the result of this condition. But there is not a real possibility that this condition will happen.
STRUCTUREIf + Simple Past + Modal + Base Verb
IF | condition | result |
past simple | WOULD + base verb | |
If | I won the lottery | I would buy a car. |
The Second Conditional is used to talk about 'impossible' situations.
- If we were in London today, we would be able to go to the concert in Hyde Park.
- If I had millions dollars, I'd give a lot to charity.
- If there were no hungry people in this world, it would be a much better place.
- If everyone had clean water to drink, there would be a lot less disease.Some examples:
- If I won the lottery, I would travel around the world.
Si ganara la lotería, viajaría por todo el mundo. - If I were in Brazil, I would go to Rio de Janeiro.
Si yo estuviese en Brasil, iría a Río de Janeiro. - If I were you, I would buy that car.
Si yo fuese tú, compraría ese auto. - If he were in my place, he wouldn't do this.
Si él estuviese en mi lugar, no haría esto. - If I had more money, I would buy a nice apartment.
Si yo tuviese más dinero, me compraría un lindo apartamento. - If she had more time, she would travel more often.
Si ella tuviera más tiempo, viajaría más a menudo. - If it were not raining, we could go out.
Si no estuviese lloviendo, podríamos salir. - If we didn't have to work today, we could have a picnic.
Si no tuviésemos que trabajar hoy, podríamos tener un picnic.
- If I won the lottery, I would travel around the world.
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Important:
Notice that we are thinking about a future condition. We use the past simple tense to talk about the future condition. We use WOULD + base verb to talk about the future result. The important thing about the second conditional is that there is an unreal possibility that the condition will happen.
Here are some more examples:
IF | condition | result |
past simple | WOULD + base verb | |
If | I married Mary | I would be happy. |
If | Ram became rich | she would marry him. |
If | it snowed next July | would you be surprised? |
If | it snowed next July | what would you do? |
result | IF | condition |
WOULD + base verb | past simple | |
I would be happy | if | I married Mary. |
She would marry Ram | if | he became rich. |
Would you be surprised | if | it snowed next July? |
What would you do | if | it snowed next July? |
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