Module 5: Conditionals - Lesson 5.3: Second Conditional (Unreal or Hypothetical Situations in the Present or Future)

Lesson 5.3: Second Conditional - Unreal or Hypothetical Situations in the Present or Future

Welcome to Lesson 5.3 on conditionals! Today we are focusing on the Second Conditional. This conditional is used to talk about unreal or hypothetical situations in the present or future. It describes situations that are unlikely or imaginary, and we are considering what *would* happen if things were different from how they actually are. The Second Conditional is about imagining alternative realities.

When to Use the Second Conditional

The Second Conditional is used for situations that are:

Unreal or Hypothetical: The condition in the 'if' clause is not true in the present, or is very unlikely to happen in the future. We are imagining a situation that is contrary to reality or improbable.
Imaginary Outcomes: We are talking about the hypothetical or imagined result if the unreal condition were true. It's about exploring "what if" scenarios that are not based on real possibilities.
Present or Future Time Frame (Unreal): Although it refers to unreal situations, the timeframe is usually related to the present or future. We are imagining a different present or future.

Structure of the Second Conditional

The Second Conditional uses this structure:

Formula: If + Past Simple, Would + Base Verb

The 'if' clause (condition) is in the Past Simple tense, and the main clause (result) is formed with Would + Base Verb.

Examples of Second Conditional in Use:

Unreal or Hypothetical Present/Future Situations:
- "If I won the lottery, I would travel the world." (Unreal/hypothetical - unlikely to win lottery, imagined result is world travel) - Speaker probably hasn't won and it's not very likely.
- "If I had more time, I would learn to play the guitar." (Unreal/hypothetical - speaker doesn't have much time now, imagined result is learning guitar) - Speaker is currently busy.
- "If she were rich, she would buy a big house." (Unreal/hypothetical - she is not rich, imagined result is buying a big house) - Fact is she is not rich.
- "If they lived in a bigger city, they would go out more often." (Unreal/hypothetical - they don't live in a big city, imagined result is going out more) - Fact is they live in a smaller place.
- "If we didn't have to work, we would spend all day at the beach." (Unreal/hypothetical - we do have to work, imagined result is beach day) - Fact is work is required.
Giving Advice (Politely and Tentatively):
- "If I were you, I would talk to him about it." (Advice - speaker is not the listener, hypothetical situation of being the listener, advice to talk) - Common idiom for giving advice.
- "If you wanted my advice, I would suggest you try again." (Advice - making it clear it's just a suggestion in a hypothetical scenario of wanting advice) - Polite way to offer advice.
- "If I were in your shoes, I would apologize." (Advice - idiom for empathy and suggesting action, hypothetical situation of being in their situation) - Idiomatic way to give advice.
- "If you asked me, I would say it's a good idea." (Opinion/advice - making it conditional and less forceful) - Tentative way to give opinion.

Variations and Key Points about Second Conditional:

'Were' for 'be' in the 'if' clause (especially with 'I' and 'he/she/it'): Although "was" is grammatically correct Past Simple for "I" and "he/she/it," it is very common and often considered more correct in formal Second Conditional sentences to use "were" instead of "was," especially with "I" and "he/she/it." (e.g., "If I were you..." is more common than "If I was you..."). "Was" is also often used in informal speech.
'Could' or 'Might' instead of 'Would' in the main clause: Instead of "would," you can use "could" or "might" in the main clause to express possibility or reduced certainty of the result in the hypothetical situation.
- could: expresses possibility or ability in the hypothetical situation (e.g., "If I had a car, I could drive to work.")
- might: expresses weaker possibility or less certainty of the outcome (e.g., "If I went to bed earlier, I might feel better.")
Continuous forms can be used: You can use Past Continuous in the 'if' clause or Conditional Continuous ("would be + -ing") in the main clause to describe ongoing actions in the hypothetical situation. (e.g., "If it were raining, we would be staying inside." "If I had more free time, I would be travelling more.")

Examples with Modal Verb Variations in the Main Clause:

"If I had wings, I could fly." (Hypothetical ability - using "could")
"If I won the lottery, I might buy a yacht." (Hypothetical possibility - using "might" - less certain than "would")
"If she studied harder, she could get better grades." (Hypothetical ability - using "could")
"If they had more money, they might move to a bigger house." (Hypothetical possibility - using "might" - less certain than "would")
"If it were snowing, we would be sitting by the fire." (Past Continuous in 'if' clause, Conditional Continuous in main clause - ongoing actions in hypothetical situation)

Negative Forms in Second Conditional:

You can use negative forms in either or both clauses of a second conditional sentence using "didn't" with the Past Simple clause or "would not/wouldn't" in the conditional clause.

Examples of Negative Forms:

"If I didn't have to work, I would travel more." (Negative condition - not having to work, hypothetical result of more travel)
"If she weren't so shy, she would make more friends." (Negative condition with "were not" - not being shy, hypothetical result of more friends)
"If we didn't live so far away, we would visit more often." (Negative condition - not living far, hypothetical result of more visits)
"If I didn't eat so much chocolate, I would lose weight." (Negative condition - not eating chocolate, hypothetical result of weight loss)
"If they didn't sell their house, they wouldn't have any money." (Negative result - not selling house, hypothetical negative consequence for finances)

Key takeaway: The Second Conditional (If + Past Simple, Would + Base Verb) is used for unreal or hypothetical situations in the present or future. It expresses imagined outcomes if things were different. Remember the structure: Past Simple in the 'if' clause and Would + Base Verb in the main clause. Be aware of variations using 'were' for 'be', 'could'/'might' instead of 'would', and continuous forms. Next, we will explore Lesson 5.4: Third Conditional!