What is the second conditional?
The second conditional is a structure used to talk about impossible, imaginary, or extremely unlikely situations.
If I won a lot of money, I’d travel the world.
Where would you live if you could live anywhere in the world?
If he didn’t argue with everyone all the time, he would have a more relaxed life.
FORM:
If+past simple, would+infinitive + complement
Would+infinitive + complement if+past simple
COMPARE FIRST & SECOND CONDITIONALS:
If it’s a nice day tomorrow, we’ll go swimming. – THIS SITUATION IS POSSIBLE.
If I weren’t at work, I’d go to the beach. – THIS SITUATION IS IMPOSSIBLE – I’m at work.
Many conditional sentences use if + will/would. However conditional sentences can also use other words instead of ‘if’ – ‘when’ ‘as soon as’ ‘in case’. Other modal verbs can be used instead of ‘will/would’ – ‘can/could’, ‘may’ ‘might’.
