Difficulty
| Low | Medium | High | |||
| A1 | A2 | B1 | B2 | C1 | C2 |
Let’s have a look at the form and meaning of the second conditional:
Form:
if + past tense + would + (without ‘to’)
If | Future condition | Future result |
If | past tense | would + infinitive (without “to”) |
If | I won the lottery, | I would buy a car. |
If | James became rich, | she would marry him. |
If | it snowed next July, | would you be surprised? |
If | you came in the summer, | you could stay with us. |
If | you came in the summer, | you might even get your own room. |
If | she bought the villa, | she should build a swimming pool in it. |
Future result | if | Future condition |
would + infinitive (without ‘to’) | if | past tense |
I would buy a car | if | I won the lottery. |
She would marry him | if | he became rich. |
Would you be surprised | if | it snowed next July? |
You could stay with us | if | you came in the summer. |
You might even get your own room | if | you came in the summer. |
She should build a swimming pool in the villa | if | she bought it. |
Note: Sometimes, we change would with should, could, or might.
Meaning:
We use the second conditional to express an unlikely connection between one imaginary event (if + past tense) and another imaginary event (would + infinitive [without ‘to’]). This conditional is known as the ‘hypothetical’ conditional, because it is used to talk about ‘impossible’ situations in the future. Therefore, we are using a past tense to speak about the future condition, and the would + infinitive (without ‘to’) to speak about the future result.
Use the following exercises to test yourself.
example – 1+2) If I were (be) you, I would get (get) a new job.
3+4) If he ______________ (be) younger, he ______________ (travel) more.
5+6) If we ______________ (not/be) friends, I ______________ (be) angry with you.
7+8) If I ______________ (have) enough money, I ______________ (buy) a big house.
9+10) If she ______________ (not/be) always so late, she ______________ (be) promoted.
11+12) If we ______________ (win) the lottery, we ______________ (travel) the world.
13+14) If you ______________ (have) a better job, we ______________ (be) able to buy a new car.
15+16) If I ______________ (speak) perfect English, I ______________ (have) a good job.
17+18) If we ______________ (live) in Mexico, I ______________ (speak) Spanish.
19+20) If she ______________ (pass) the exam, she ______________ (be) able to enter university.
[watupro 14]
If you have any questions about the second conditional, please leave a comment below.