Second conditional – unreal situations

Second conditional – unreal situations

Exercise 1

Choose the correct form to complete the sentences below.

1 I'd give you her number if I hadhavewould have it.

2 If I won the lottery, I think I wouldn't give updidn't give uphadn't given up my job.

3 Who had youdid youwould you date if you could date anyone in the world?

4 If everybody in the world donatedonatedwould donate one dollar, we'd finish the world's problems.

5 If you would bedidwere my wife, I'd make you the happiest woman on earth.

6 I wouldn't worrydidn't worryhadn't worried about that if I were you.

7 If you told grandpa the truth, he hadmight havewill have a heart attack.

8 I wouldn't call unless I hadwill havewould have a real emergency.

9 You didn't havehadn't hadwouldn't have to spend so much time tidying your house if you didn't have so much stuff.

10 If you wouldn't makewon't makedidn't make so much noise, I could concentrate.

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Second conditional – Grammar chart

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If clause and main clause

We use if + past tense 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 normally 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. 

Unless = if (not)

We can also use unless in conditional sentences to mean if … (not)

• I wouldn’t live in a big city unless I had a lot of money.
• = I wouldn’t live in a big city if I didn’t have a lot of money.

Would, could, might

In the main clause, we can use could or might instead of would.

• If there was a fire, it would be difficult to escape.
• If you were a bit taller, you could be a basketball player.
• We might save enough money if we both worked overtime.

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.

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