When we are thinking about a situation in the present or future that is 

hypothetical, unlikely or
impossible, we use:

If + Past Simple, ...Would + Verb

We use a past verb though are imagining the present or the future to be different.

The second clause of subject + would + verb (conditional verb) is conditional to the first clause
happening (or will only happen if the first part/clause happens).

Example: If I won the lottery, I would travel around the world.

= It is unlikely that I will win the lottery, but I'm going to hypothetically imagine that I did win. In that
situation I would travel around the world. So in order for me to travel around the world, I would need
the first clause (the condition or situation) to happen, that is, for me to win the lottery first.

 If I won the lottery, I would travel around the world. (Though I am unlikely to win the lottery)
 If I knew his name, I would tell you.
 If I didn't have a headache, I would go to the party.
 If I became President, I would reduce the salaries of all politicians. (Though it is unlikely I will
become President)

Notice how we use a comma after the past tense clause.

We can also reverse the order and use:

Conditional verb (would + verb) + If + Past Simple

 I would be happy if I had more free time.
 I would tell you the answer if I knew what it was.
 There would be fewer accidents if everyone drove more carefully.
 We would have a lot of money if we sold our house.
 Would she come if I paid for her flight?
 Would you accept the job if they offered it to you?
 What would you do if you won the lottery?
 What would you do if you saw a U.F.O?

Notice how the comma is not necessary with this word order.

If I were ...
Note that with the verb To Be we use IF + I / HE / SHE / IT + WERE

The reason we use WERE instead of WAS is because the sentence is in the Subjunctive mood.

 If I were not in debt, I would quit my job.

 If he were taller, he'd be accepted into the team.
 She would still be correcting my grammar if she were still alive.

Though in informal English, you will hear some people say If I was... If he was... etc. This usage
doesn't sound good though unfortunately is common.

See our grammar notes about IF I WERE YOU...

Could in Second Conditional sentences
COULD can be used instead of WOULD to make the hypothetical present or future more likely.

 If he trained every day, he could represent his country

 If I had a little more money, I could buy a car.

The Second
Conditional
25 Mar 2019
As we’ve seen in the previous articles about
the Zero Conditional and the First Conditional,
there are four types of conditional sentence in
English. For many students, the second type is the
most challenging and tricky to learn to use. Read
on to find out when and how we use it, then
practice with a fun quiz.

When to use the second conditional

The second conditional is used to express the consequence of an
unrealistic action or situation in the present or future. The situation can be:

 Very improbable (1-5% probability)

 Completely unrealistic (with a 0% probability)
For example,

If I won the lottery, I would travel around the world.

There is a very low probability (1% chance) that the first part of this
sentence (winning the lottery’) will happen. But if it happens, the second
part is 100% certain.

If I had more free time, I would play more sport.

I don’t have a lot of free time (0%), but in that case, the second part is
100% certain.

How do we create the Second

Conditional?
To make a sentence in the second conditional, we use,

If + past simple, would/wouldn’t + verb.

If I lived in a big city, I would go out more often.

If I lived in a big city, I wouldn’t need a car.

As with all conditionals, you can also invert this structure:

Would + verb if + past simple.

I’d go out more often if I lived in a big city.

I wouldn’t need a car if I lived in a big city.

As an alternative to would,  we can complete the second part of 

a second conditional sentence with could. For example,

If we lived in the city we could use the public transport.

An exception about the verb ‘to be’

When we use the verb ‘to be’ in the second conditional, the past form is
always were and not was for the subjects I, he, she  and it.  For example,
If I were rich, I’d spend all my time travelling.

If he were my boss, I’d look for another job.

If it weren’t so cold, we could go for a walk.

Nowadays you can often hear young native speakers use was instead

of were,  especially in an informal context. But the correct form is were.

Understanding the second

conditional
It can be tricky to understand when it’s right to use the second conditional
instead of the first. I think it helps to remember that we normally use the
second conditional when we talk about imaginary situations, dreaming
about possible situations and how we would act consequently. For
example,

If we were rich, we could buy a big house near the sea.

What would you do if your company offered you a promotion in another

country?

He wouldn’t come to the party even if we invited him.

Here are some other examples of the second conditional:

If she studied harder she’d pass her exams easily.

What would you do if you won a lot of money?

I wouldn’t give up my job if I won a lot of money.

If we could ski we’d come with you to the mountains.

If people drove more carefully, there’d be fewer accidents.

I’d be amazed if he arrived on time. He’s always late.

 Would they agree if we offered them a short delivery time?

If I found a burglar in my house I wouldn’t know what to do.

You could save time if you worked from home. 

Polite requests
We also use the second conditional to make very polite requests. For
example,

Would you mind if I used your computer?

Would it be ok if we sat here?

Would it bother you if I closed the window?

The best way to become confident in using the second conditional is by

practicing it. So start now by doing a short quiz.

Form
 If I had more money, I could buy a car.

Meaning
Second conditional is used in situations/actions in the present or future which are
not likely to happen or are imaginary, hypothetical or impossible.

 If I won the lottery, I would travel around the world and buy a castle.

I think it is very unlikely that I will win the lottery. However, in this unlikely
condition, I will travel and buy a castle.

 If I wasn’t watching TV now, I would be playing football.

I am watching TV, but I am imagining an alternative activity I would be doing if I

wasn’t watching TV.
 If I were an alien, I would be able to travel around the universe.

It is impossible for me to be an alien. However, I am imagining what I would do in

this situation

Additional points
Other modal verbs can be used in place of would:

 If I had more money, I could buy a car.

Buying a car would be possible.

 If I won the lottery, I might give all the money to charity.

Giving the money to charity is only a possibility.

Here are 20 Sentences of Second Conditional Type 2, Second Conditional Examples;

1. If I were you, I would want to be a doctor.

2. If I knew the answer, I would tell it to you.
3. If Mary had time, she would visit her boyfriend.
4. If I understood what the teacher said, I could tell you.
5. If she weren’t ill, she would go to the school.
6. If I were a chairman, I would offer new and different ideas.
7. If I were 22, I would travel the world.
8. If I were you, I would not do this.
9. If you participated in the election, people would choose you.
10. If I didn’t have to work, I would come to the amusement park with you.

11. If I were rich, I would travel around the world with you.
12. If I knew some Spanish, I could help you with your Spanish assignment now.
13. If tomorrow weren’t a holiday, we couldn’t/wouldn’t be able to go to the cinema
together.
14. If it were wet now, we couldn’t go out for a walk.
15. If my mother knew that I’d come back from holiday, she would come to see me
tonight.
16. If the baby weren’t sleeping now, I would go out with you.
17. If I had a map, I would lend it to you.
18. If sea water weren’t salty , we would water the plants with it.
19. You would get wet if it rained.
20. If I was a plant, I would love the rain.