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Second Conditional

We use the second conditional (also sometimes called the "present unreal conditional") to talk about a situation that is not real or is unlikely to happen and what might happen as a result.

For example, I might say, "If I had a million dollars, I would go on a trip around the world." I don't have a million dollars. That situation is unreal. But if I did have a million dollars, an around-the-world trip might happen.

The second conditional is formed with two clauses. The first clause consists of if + subject + past tense verb, as in "If I loved her...." The second clause is formed with "subject + would + verb, as in "...I would marry her." All together, the sentence looks like this: "If I loved her, I would marry her."

Note that you can also use should, could, or might instead of would with the second conditional.

Second Conditional Grammar Quiz

  1. If she you, she would let you know.

  2. If I one million dollars, I would buy a big house.

  3. If my friend Ana saw Leonardo DiCaprio, she for an autograph.

  4. If my parents a present, I would be very happy.

  5. If John know so many good jokes, he would not be such a good comedian.

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Second Conditional Lessons:

Gambling

Triplets

Autographs

Sweets

Our Song

Costume Parties

Dream Job

Source Code

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Comments

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bon_fighter

Japan

I have a question;

 "I wish I lived in a hot country."

 Is this Second Conditional too?

12:40 PM May 12 2009 |

mallik1185

mallik1185

Palestinian Territory, Occupied

if she  loved me iwould mary her  unfortunatly she hadnt ….....

03:51 PM May 10 2009 |

RadistkaAnn

Russian Federation

nice… in my book of Grammar everything is rather more complicated….But as far as I remember, there are more details, because conditional clauses are very difficult by themselves.

Thanx, everything is clear )

09:27 AM May 09 2009 |

clarinet

clarinet

Cambodia

hello, i am clarinet , i want to ask u that when we can use the Fisrt , second and thirt conditional. how can we know that the sentence that we use is correct or not. May u give me more exercise of all the lessen that we study? i think the exercise is very little , i want to get more exercise .Smile

06:47 AM May 04 2009 |

yawar

yawar

Pakistan

i understand a little one,

08:05 PM Apr 27 2009 |

ron1245

Israel

It's "If I were tall" in conditional and wish. I think.

12:32 PM Apr 22 2009 |

buramo326

Mongolia

if i was tall i would be a model

08:30 AM Apr 22 2009 |

mosii

Myanmar

 if you informed me more english. i would reach my aime that is speaking english fleuntly

09:12 PM Apr 20 2009 |

ron1245

Israel

My main question is what do you do if you want to say that If something in the present happend, you would do this and that – but what tense I would use if I wanted to say that if this situation happened, after it does something else will happend, and after that… I mean, the future of this hypothetical situation, how can I describe it?

03:40 PM Apr 20 2009 |