19 Second Conditional
Conditional Clauses
A Conditional Sentence is usually composed by two parts: the if-clause (or conditional clause) that expresses the condition, and the Main Clause that expresses the consequence of that condition.
We use the Second Conditional to talk about situations that are unlikely or impossible to happen.
The Second Conditional clause can be expressed through two kinds of structures which differ in the order of words but not in the meaning:
| MAIN CLAUSE (consequence) | IF-CLAUSE (condition) |
| Would + infinitive (without to) | if + past simple |
or
| IF-CLAUSE (condition) | MAIN CLAUSE (consequence) |
| If + past simple | would + infinitive (without to) |
- If I was in love him, I would call him.
I would call him if I was in love him. - If I felt well, I would go to the party.
I would go to the party, if I felt well.
We use the Second Conditional to talk about:
- Things in the present which are impossible to happen;
- Things in the future that we think are unreal/unlikely to happen.
We use a Second Conditional to talk about situations that are unlikely or impossible to happen.
A Conditional sentence is usually composed of two parts: the “if-clause” (or conditional clause) that expresses the condition, and the Main Clause that expresses the consequence of that condition.
These are the possible structures:
- Subject + would +infinitive +if + subject +Past Simple (e.g. I would tell you the truth if I knew it);
- If + subject + Past Simple + subject + would + infinitive (e.g. If I knew it I would tell you the truth).
For example:
— “I would tell you the truth if I knew it” - “If I knew it I would tell you the truth” = I don’t know the truth, otherwise I would tell you.
Let’s revise this content within the [Form] section. Take a look at the [Example] section that shows its use within a context.