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Use the second conditional for imaginary, unlikely or unreal present and future situations.
Overview
Use the second conditional for imaginary, unlikely or unreal present and future situations.
Form and rules
Form it with if + past simple, would + base verb: If I had more time, I would travel more.
The past form shows distance from reality, not past time.
Use were for all persons in formal or careful English with be: If I were you.
Do not normally use would in the if-clause.
Could can replace would to express ability or possibility in the imagined result.
A closer look
Do not normally use would in the if-clause.
Could can replace would to express ability or possibility in the imagined result.
Examples
If I won the lottery, I'd buy a house.
If I were you, I'd apologize.
She would travel more if she had more money.
If we lived nearer, we could meet more often.
What would you do if you lost your phone?
Common mistakes
The second-conditional if-clause uses a past form.
The result/question clause uses would + base verb.
Ready to practise?
The test combines multiple choice, gap completion, error correction, and sentence building so students have to recognise and produce the grammar, not simply reread the rule.