Second Conditional or Unreal Conditional If simple past

Second Conditional

or Unreal Conditional

If + simple past + would +verb(base form) Main Clause (would/could/might) + + If- Clause (simple past tense) We use the seconditional to express an unreal or unlikely situation in the present or in the future.

Explanation! • The Simple Past Tense and would, could, might in the seconditional don’t refer to past time. They refer to the present or future. • There is not a big difference in meaning between would, could, or might in the seconditional.

examples

If I had something to eat. .

…I would finish it in two minutes.

If I had three bananas, I would give you one of them.

If I had ten thousand dollars,

…I would buy a beautiful car.

If I had a helicopter, I’d fly to school, and wouldn't be late.

explanation I would or short form I’d I would fly to school or I’d fly to school

Situation: You are watching the stars one night with a friend. You start talking about aliens. You say:

If some aliens landed on the earth,

…I’d make friends with them.

What would you do?

. . if you were alone on an island.

If your teacher were in Turkey now,

…He would rest at the beach.

explanation We use were instead of was in the if-clause of the seconditional. Example: If he were here, …. . If I were there… Etc.

What are you doing? If I were you, I wouldn’t do that.

Exercises

Complete the sentences. • If you studied hard, … • If you had a driver’s license, … • If you were rich, … • If you found ten thousand dollars in a bag in the park, … • If you saw a thief robbing a store, …

• If you were on a ship and it started to sink, … • If somebody stole all your money, … • If your best friend told you a lie, … • If you met a hungry tiger in the jungle, … • If you were a teacher, … • If you had an opportunity to meet a great artist.

Complete the sentences. • The planet would be cleaner if… • Our city would be safer if… • Our school would be nicer if… • Our country would be richer if… • My house would be more beautiful if…

• People would be happier if… • My parents would be proud of me if… • My friends would like me more if… • I would be the best student if… • I would help poor people if… • It would be better if…

The End