Unit 17: Imagined Situations — The Second Conditional

What would you do?

We often imagine a different situation and say what we would do. Compare these two sentences:

If I have enough money, I'll buy a bicycle.
A real future possibility.

If I had enough money, I'd buy a bicycle.
An imagined or more remote situation.

This unit helps you understand the difference and use both patterns to talk about your own life and ideas.

Step 1

Compare the two conditionals

Read each pair. The first sentence presents a real possibility. The second imagines a situation that is less real or more remote.

If I have time this evening, I'll cook dinner.
I may have time.

If I had more time, I'd learn Japanese.
I don't have enough time now, or I think it is unlikely.

If Nadia gets a pay rise, she'll move to a bigger flat.
This could happen.

If Nadia got a pay rise, she'd move to a bigger flat.
We are imagining the possibility.

Choose the best meaning

1. “If I win the lottery, I'll buy a house.”

2. “If I won the lottery, I'd buy a house.”

3. Which sentence uses the second conditional?

Step 2

The basic second conditional

If + past simple, would + base form

If I lived by the sea,
past simple form

I'd swim every day.
would + base form

We can put the result first, too: I'd swim every day if I lived by the sea.

The past form here does not normally refer to past time. It shows that the situation is imagined or more remote from reality.

✓ If she worked fewer hours, she would have more free time.
✗ If she would work fewer hours, she would have more free time.

Complete the sentences

Use the base verb in brackets. Write the correct form in each gap.

1. If I ______ (live) in Spain, I would learn Spanish.

2. If Leo had a car, he ______ (drive) to work.

3. If we ______ (not / have) so much work, we'd come with you.

4. If Marta ______ (know) the answer, she'd tell us.

5. They'd travel more if they ______ (have) more money.

Notice the pattern

In the if-clause, use the past simple. In the result clause, use would plus the base form: would go, would be, would have.

Step 3

The unreal present

We can use the second conditional to talk about a present situation that is not true, or that we imagine to be different.

If I were rich, I'd travel around the world.
If I knew the answer, I'd tell you.
If I lived nearer, I'd visit more often.
The speaker imagines a different situation now.

Why “were”?

In careful standard English, If I were you, … is a common expression for giving advice. You may also hear if I was in informal speech, but practise were in this expression.

If I were you, I'd talk to the manager.
If I were you, I wouldn't spend all my money.

Complete the sentences

1. If I ______ (be) you, I'd apologise.

2. If she ______ (know) his number, she'd phone him.

3. If I lived in the countryside, I ______ (have) a bigger garden.

Step 4

Questions, negatives and advice

Use would to ask what someone would do in an imagined situation.

What would you do if you lost your job?
I'd look for another one.
What would you do if you found a wallet in the street?
I'd try to find its owner.

Build the sentence

Use the prompts to write a complete sentence. Remember the past simple in the if-clause and would + base form in the result.

1. if / I / have / more free time / I / learn / Italian

2. what / you / do / if / you / see / a ghost?

3. if / he / not be / so busy / he / help / us

Give advice

Work with a partner. Student A chooses a problem and asks for advice. Student B begins If I were you, I'd… or If I were you, I wouldn't…

I've got too much work to do.
I want to learn English faster.
I'm thinking of buying an expensive phone.
I'm nervous about speaking English.

Step 5

Imagination and problem-solving

These questions invite you to imagine a situation. There may be many good answers.

Imagine that you could change one thing about your life, your town or the world. What would you change? Why?

Choose a prompt and speak

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live?
If you met a famous person, who would you like to meet?
If you were the head teacher of your school, what would you change?
If you could learn any new skill, what would you learn?
If you had an extra day off every week, what would you do?
If you found a bag of money in the street, what would you do?

Ask follow-up questions: Why would you choose that? Who would you go with? How would you spend your time?

First or second conditional?

Choose the form that best matches the meaning given.

1. You think there is a good chance you will have time tomorrow: “If I ______ time tomorrow, I'll help you.” (have)

2. You are imagining a different life: “If I ______ in a big city, I'd use public transport.” (live)

3. You are imagining a remote possibility: “If I ______ the manager, I'd give everyone a longer lunch break.” (be)

Step 6

A story: If things were different

Read the story and notice how Sam imagines a different life. Some sentences describe real possibilities; others describe imagined situations.

Sam lives in a small flat and works in a busy office. He likes his job, but he often dreams about living somewhere quieter.

“If I lived by the sea,” he says, “I'd go swimming before work. If I had a garden, I'd grow vegetables. And if I didn't have to travel to the office every day, I'd have much more time.”

His friend Aisha asks, “What would you do if you could change your job?”

“I'd like to work outdoors. If I were a park ranger, I'd spend my days in the countryside. But I know I'd need training first.”

Aisha says, “You could look into a course. If you find one that suits you, you can apply. If you applied and got a place, you'd be able to start next year.”

Sam smiles. “That's true. If I have time this weekend, I'll look at the course website. If I were more organised, I'd have done it already!”

“You're organised enough,” Aisha says. “If you really want to change something, you should take the first step.”

Check your understanding

1. What would Sam do if he lived by the sea?

2. What would Sam like to do for work?

3. What real possibility does Sam mention at the end?

Find the examples

Find one second conditional sentence and one first conditional sentence in the story. Explain why each form is used.

Pairwork

Student A asks: What would you do if…? Student B answers and gives a reason. Then change roles.

…you could take a year off work or study?
…you lived in another country?
…you could change one thing in your town?
…you had a million pounds?

Write about an imagined situation

Write six sentences about what you would do if your circumstances were different. Use at least three second conditional sentences and include one sentence beginning If I were you… with advice for someone.

Remember

First conditional: If + present simple, will + base form. If I have time, I'll call you.
Second conditional: If + past simple, would + base form. If I had time, I'd call you.
The past form in the second conditional usually expresses an imagined or more remote situation, not past time.
If I were you, I'd… is a useful way to give advice.

Teaching notes

Keep returning to paired examples from Unit 16 and this unit. Ask learners what the speaker thinks about the possibility before they choose the tense. Mime, pictures and personal examples can help establish the imagined situation before learners work with the sentence form.

In open speaking and writing, accept any answer that is grammatically sound and fits the imagined situation. The controlled exercises guide learners towards the intended contrast; they should not suggest that every real-life situation has only one possible wording.