Second Conditional
Conditional Form Use:
There are four common conditional forms in English; zero, first, second and third. The conditional communicates what happens, will happen, might have happened, or would have happened if we do, will do, or did do something. The situation described can be real or imaginary; in all the cases, an action depends on something else (a condition). For this reason, most English sentences in the conditional form include a dependent clause if.
The second conditional is used to talk about something hypothetical in the present, it could happen but the the possibilty is very remote. The second conditional explains that if (X) were to happen, then (Y) will become true. The second conditional speaks about the possibility but doesn’t refer to a specific time.
Example: If I won the lottery, I would buy a Maserati.
I would buy a Maserati if I won the lottery.
Form
If + Past Simple + Would/Could + Present Simple
| Conditional Type | Use | If clause verb tense | Main clause verb tense |
| Zero | Basic truths | Simple present | Simple present |
| Type 1 | Possible condition with probable result | Simple present | Simple future |
| Type 2 | Hypothetical condition with probable result | Simple past | Present conditional or present continuous conditional |
| Type 3 | Unreal past condition with probable result in the past | Past perfect | Perfect conditional or perfect continuous conditional |
| Mixed | Unreal past or present condition with unreal past or present result | Past perfect or simple past | Present conditional or perfect conditional |