The conditionals are often tricky for many students but, as soon as you learn their structure and meaning, you will score higher in your grammar tests and you will be able to use them fluently with the time! Here you can find the most essential information about the 2nd conditional, as well as a quiz and a fill the blank exercise to supplement your practice. The second conditional can also be found in coursebooks as the type 2 conditional, the hypothetical conditional or the unreal conditional. Let´s see why.
If we lived closer, we would see each other more often.
(We don’t live close to each other, so this situation is impossible in the present)
I would buy a house if I won the lottery.
(It is very unlikely to happen in the future.)
We use the second conditional to refer to situations that are impossible or very unlikely to happen in the present or in the future.
Let’s take our example and see how we’ve formed it.
If we lived closer, we would see each other more often.
If + Subject + Past Simple, Subject + would + infinitive
Of course, it can also be the other way round.
I would buy a house if I won the lottery.
Subject + would + infinitive + if + Subject + Past Simple
(Notice that in the second case we don´t use a comma)
You might find that was is not accepted in some 2nd conditional grammar tests, and were is used instead. Currently, there are English speakers who use was, especially in informal situations, but keep this in mind for your formal writings and your English exams.
Finally, when giving advice in English, you can use this 2nd conditional structure:
If I were you, I would see a doctor.
Do you feel ready to practise? You can start with a quiz and move on to a slightly more difficult fill the gap activity. Good luck!
Difficulty: Easy
Multiple choice : choose the correct option to make 2ND contitional sentences.
Score : /
Question : /
Difficulty: Medium
- If I (have) more money, I (stop) working and start travelling.
- Amelia (join) a rock band, if she (can) play the electric guitar.
- What (you/do) if you (live) for 300 years?
- If they (win) the lottery, they (buy) a house.
- If my friends (need) my help, I (not ignore) them.
- We (meet) up more often, if we (live) closer.
- If I (can) give myself any skill, it (be) the ability to communicate fluently in every language.
- If people (think) more compassionately, the world (be) a better place.
- He (not buy) a new car if he (win) the lottery.
- Pablo (run), if he (see) a cockroach.
If I had more money, I would stop working and start travelling.
Amelia would join a rock band, if she could play the electric guitar.
What would you do if you lived for 300 years?
If they won the lottery, they would buy a house.
If my friends needed my help, I wouldn't ignore them.
We would meet up more often if we lived closer.
If I could give myself any skill, it would be the ability to communicate fluently in every language.
If people thought more compassionately, the world would be a better place.
He wouldn't buy a new car if he won the lottery.
Pablo would run if he saw a cockroach.
