B1 · grammar

Second Conditional Exercises (B1) — Free

Second conditional: imaginary or unlikely situations

Use the second conditional to talk about situations that are imaginary, unlikely or not true now, and their result. The form is: if + past simple, would + base verb (If I had more time, I'd learn the guitar). The past form doesn't mean the past here: it shows that the situation is unreal. A common mistake is to put 'would' in the if-clause: we say 'If I knew', not 'If I would know'. With the verb 'be', 'were' is the more formal and standard choice for all subjects (If I were you, If it were warmer), although 'was' is also common in everyday English after I, he, she and it. Compare it with the first conditional: 'If I win, I'll buy a car' sees winning as possible; 'If I won, I'd buy a car' sees it as a dream. The short form of 'would' is 'd, and the negative is wouldn't. 'Could' or 'might' can replace 'would' when the result is possible rather than certain (If it were warmer, we could eat outside).