The Second Conditional
1. Form
We form the second conditional the following way:
| Main clause | If clause |
| Would + infinitive
I would buy a sports car |
Past simple
if I won the lottery. |
| If clause | Main clause |
| Past simple
If I won the lottery, |
Would + infinitive
I would buy a sports car. |
2. Meaning
We use the second conditional to talk about imaginary or improbable situations.
If you had more time, would you stay longer?
If I had a hot air balloon, I would fly around the world.
If she didn’t like her job, she wouldn’t work here.
3. If clause + modals / past continuous
In the if clause, we can use the past continuous, could or was/were to.
If I were to travel round the world, I would start in New York.
If you could change your name, what would you choose?
If we were driving too fast, the police would arrest us.
4. Main clause + modals
In the main clause, we can use the modals could and might.
If we finished work early, we could go out in the evening.
If we had time, we might meet up without friends.
Ready to test your knowledge?
Put the grammar rules above into practice with the challenge below.
