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Second conditional

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  • Second conditional: Grammar chart

    Second conditional grammar chart showing sentence structure for hypothetical situations with examples like "If I won the lottery, I would buy a yacht."

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    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. 

    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 can often use could + infinitive instead of would + infinitive in the main clause.

    • If you spoke English, you could get a better job.

    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.

    First conditional vs Second conditional

    First vs second conditionals - grammar chart

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    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.)