LoginConditional II for intermediate learners
Type 2 conditional sentences talk about situations that are hypothetical. There is a possibility that the condition will be fulfilled.
What Are Second Conditionals?
The second conditional is used to describe an impossible or unlikely situation in the present or future. It includes an 'if-clause' that presents a hypothetical condition and a 'main clause' that indicates the hypothetical result.
Second Conditional: Structure
Conditional type II sentences consist of an 'if-clause' that expresses the condition and a main clause that expresses the consequence of the condition being met. The structure of the second conditional is as follows:
(Dependent clause) ['if' + simple past tense] + (main clause) [conditional tense (would/could/should + base form of the verb)]
If I
If I
Was or Were?
The verb to be normally has two forms when used in the past tense which are:
- 'Was' (used for first person and third-person singular)
- 'Were' (used for second person singular and all forms of plural)
However, in the second conditional, 'were' is used with all singular and plural nouns and pronouns. Look at the examples below:
If
If
Punctuation
When the 'if clause' is at the beginning of the sentence, it is followed by a comma which separates it from the main clause. For example:
When the 'if clause' is placed after the result clause, there is no need for a comma between the clauses.
They would live in Africa
Warning!
In the second conditional, the verb tense in the if-clause is always in the past tense, but it does not necessarily mean that the situation actually occurred in the past. The past tense is used to indicate that the situation being described is not currently true or is unlikely to happen in the future.
Uses
The second conditional statement is used when we want to talk about an impossible event, or an unreal and imaginary situation or idea that is not likely to happen. For example:
If I
If we
First Conditional vs. Second Conditional
The first conditional is used to state a possible, real event that is likely to happen now or in the future, while the second conditional is only used when we want to talk about an unreal, hypothetical situation that is unlikely to happen. Pay attention to the examples:
If they
First conditional
If you
Second conditional
Furthermore, the simple present and simple future forms are commonly used in the first conditional sentences, while in the second conditional simple past tense and modals are used to indicate the condition and the result.
If I
Here you can see that this is about a real-life event.
If I
As you can see, here we are talking about an unreal situation.
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