You have probably heard about conditional sentences in English and thought it was a complex topic. Well, it doesn’t need to be. And here’s what the second conditional (also called conditional type 2) is and how it works.
What Conditional Sentences Are
It is said that the English language has 4 different types of conditional structures: zero conditional, first conditional, second conditional, and third conditional. However, to be completely honest, we have to add one more: the mixed conditional. Click here for a summary of all conditional sentences!
Second Conditional
This structure is used to talk about situations that aren’t real, either because they are not true or not possible, in the present or the future. Thus, the situation is only imaginary. It’s hypothetical.
Let’s understand how the second conditional is formed.
| Type of clause | If-clause (condition) | Main clause (result) |
| Verb tense | Past simple | Would + base form of the verb |
| Example | If I won the lottery, | I would travel around the world |
In the example given above, you can notice that the situation of winning the lottery is not real. It is imaginary.
More examples of this structure are shown below.
| If you had more free time, you would be less stressed out (I don’t have more free time; it’s unreal) |
| If I had more money, I would buy a new cellphone (I don’t have more money; it’s unreal) |
| I wouldn’t always lose my keys if I paid more attention (I don’t pay enough attention; it’s unreal) |
| They would love us if we lived next to them (We don’t live next to them; it’s unreal) |
| If my dog spoke, he would be very talkative (He doesn’t speak; it’s impossible) |
Attention!
The verb form that we use in the if-clause is not exactly the past simple, it is rather a subjunctive (a verb form that expresses something imaginary, desired, and thus not real). The good news is that this form is the same as the past simple for most verbs, except the verb be.
For be, use were for all persons (I, you, he, she, it, we, they) when we are in a formal context and we need to use the language in a more formal style, such as when we are writing a formal document. In everyday conversation, it’s common to use was for I, he, she, and it (as we would normally do for the past simple).
Examples are shown below.
| If I were rich, I would buy a big house (I’m not rich; it’s unreal) |
| If he were here, I would take him to the movies (He’s not here; it’s unreal) |
| I would go swimming if it were sunny (It’s not sunny; it’s unreal) |
| They would sell much more if they were creative (They’re not creative; it’s unreal) |
| If she were my friend, she wouldn’t do that (She’s not my friend; it’s unreal) |
Other Modal Verbs You Can Use
Besides would, you can also use other modal verbs in the main clause of a second conditional. These modal verbs include could, might, and should. These modal verbs express different levels of certainty, permission, or recommendation.
Examples are shown below.
| If I were free, I could give you a ride |
| He might come if he knew about the party |
| If I won that money, I should put it into my savings account |
Using the comma
As you can notice in the examples given above when you use the order if past simple + would base form of the verb you use a comma (,) to separate the if-clause from the main clause.
However, when you use the order would base form of the verb + if past simple you don’t need to use a comma to separate them.
Mastering the second conditional
Now you have all the information you need to master the second conditional in English. It’s not that complicated, is it? Remember that for you to master this structure, use it confidently and never forget it anymore, you should try and use it whenever possible.
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