The second conditional is a structure used for talking about unreal situations in the present or in the future.
Use the second conditional when you want to imagine that the present, right now, is different than it really is.
The most common use is giving advice to people. You imagine what you would do if you faced the same decision or situation as someone else.
The second conditional can also be used to ask for advice or giving reasons why you can’t do something.
Like the other conditionals, a second conditional sentence consists of two clauses, an “if” clause and a main clause:
- If I wasn’t watching TV now, I would be playing football.
- I would tell you the answer if I knew what it was.
- If I ate less, I would lose weight.
If the “if” clause comes first, a comma is usually used. If the “if” clause comes second, there is no need for a comma.
This is the second conditional sentence structure.
Yes, use the simple past in this sentence even though you are talking about a present situation. That’s OK!
WHEN DO WE USE IT?
1) Giving Advice: “If I were you, I would … “
You imagine what you would do if you faced the same decision or situation as someone else.
2) Giving Reasons Why You Can’t Do Something
Sometimes we need to say no when someone asks us to do something. Saying no to people is difficult, however, so we soften our replies or make excuses why we can’t do something (why we didn’t, couldn’t, shouldn’t, or wouldn’t do something). When our lives do not go as we had expected, we tell ourselves the reasons why, or we make excuses.
- If my health were better, I would spend more time volunteering.
- If there were more hours in a day, I would gladly help with this project, but I have so much on my plate right now
- I would love to catch up if I didn’t have to work late this week. Let’s make plans for next week.
3) A Different Reality
You can use the second conditional to imagine a different life for yourself, or a different life for other people.
4) Asking Hypothetical Questions
When you ask a hypothetical questions (imaginary or not real), you ask someone to imagine what she or he would do in certain situations. These situations are not real, there may be no possibility that these situations will happen in the future.
- What would you do if you didn’t have to work?
- What would you do if you had a better job?
- If you won the lottery, what would you do with the money?
5) For situations that are not real at the moment
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