The Grammaring Guide to English Grammar with Exercises

Second conditional

IF + PAST SUBJUNCTIVE | WOULD + INFINITIVE (SIMPLE OR CONTINUOUS)

The second conditional can describe an unreal situation with reference to the present. We imagine a hypothetical situation which contrasts with reality:

If I

knew

the answer, I'

d tell

you.

Here If I knew the answer means that I don't know the answer.

In the if-clause, we use the past subjunctive form of the verb, which is identical to the past simple tense except in the case of the verb be. Traditionally, the past subjunctive form of be is were for all persons including the first and third person singular. However, nowadays I/he/she/it was is more common, while were is mainly used in formal styles and in the set phrase if I were you:

If I

lived

by the sea, I would be lying on the beach right now.

If he

was/were

taller, he would make a good basketball player.

If I

were

you, I'd stop smoking.

The second conditional can also express a theoretically possible but unlikely future situation. In the following examples, the conditions in the if-clause are possible but are not likely to be fulfilled:

If the Third World War

broke out

, it

would

probably

mean

the end of humankind.

If you

missed

the 6 o'clock train, you

wouldn't get

here before 7.

If I

lost

my job, I

would be

in serious trouble.

Compare the first and second conditionals when they refer to possible future actions:

If you

miss

the 6 o'clock train, you

won't get

here before 7.

(first conditional, the condition is probable, you may miss the train)

If you

missed

the 6 o'clock train, you

wouldn't get

here before 7.

(second conditional, the condition is possible but unlikely, you probably won't miss the train)

Sometimes a sentence may look like a second conditional, but in fact it is not:

If he

was

angry, he

would

always

shout

and

slam

doors.

This is actually a zero conditional that refers to past time. Here was in the if-clause is not a past subjunctive but the past tense of be, while would in the main clause expresses repeated past actions.

Quotes:

What would I do if I had only six months left to live? I'd type faster. - Isaac Asimov

If it weren't for the fact that the TV set and the refrigerator are so far apart, some of us wouldn't get any exercise at all. - Joey Adams

If people behaved like governments, you'd call the cops. - Kelvin Throop

If cats could talk, they wouldn't. - Nan Porter

The soul would have no rainbow if the eyes had no tears. - Native American proverb

How old would you be if you didn't know how old you were? - Satchel Paige

We would accomplish many more things if we did not think of them as impossible. - Vince Lombardi

Related topics:

Past subjunctive

The modal WOULD to express unreal situations

Wishes about the present

IT'S (HIGH) TIME

AS IF / AS THOUGH

WOULD RATHER / WOULD SOONER + simple or continuous infinitive

WOULD RATHER / WOULD SOONER + clause with the past subjunctive

Past continuous subjunctive in the second conditional

The past continuous subjunctive can be used in the if-clause of a sentence in the second conditional to express an unreal action in the present which is imagined as continuous:

If it

wasn't raining

, we would have lunch outside.

(it is raining)

If we

were staying

at the other hotel, we wouldn't have such a nice view of the river.

(we are not staying at the other hotel)

If the kids

weren't shouting

all the time, perhaps I wouldn't feel so stressed.

(the kids are shouting all the time)

Modals in the second conditional

Main clause

We can use modals other than would in the main clause of a sentence in the second conditional:

If no one was late, we

could start

the meeting on time.

(ability)

If you asked George, he

might be

able to help you.

(possibility)

If-clause

We can use could in the if-clause to express ability, possibility or permission:

I'd go to the beach with you if I

could swim

.

(ability)

If you

could be

a famous person, who would you be?

(possibility)

I wouldn't go to bars if people

could smoke

inside.

(permission)

Were to in the if-clause makes the condition even less likely:

If he

were to propose

to you now, what would you say?

We can use would in the if-clause to express requests. Sometimes, the main clause is omitted:

If you

'd

just

fill in

this form, please.

Related topics:

Modals to express ability: CAN, COULD, BE ABLE TO

Modals to express permission / prohibition: CAN, COULD, MAY, MIGHT, BE ALLOWED TO, MUSTN'T, BE TO

Modals to express possibility: MAY, MIGHT, CAN, COULD