Learn English Grammar: The 2nd Conditional: WOULD & COULD

The second conditional allows us to talk about possible future results. In this lesson, you will learn how to use "would" and "could" to express a desired outcome for the future. There is a famous song that says, "If I were a rich man, I would..." These lyrics will allow you to easily remember the formula to express yourself in the second conditional. Now, if I were you, I would watch this video and do the quiz at www.engvid.com/...
Don't forget to watch my other conditional videos:
FIRST CONDITIONAL:
• Learn English Grammar:...
SECOND CONDITIONAL (this video):
• Learn English Grammar:...
THIRD CONDITIONAL:
• Learn English Grammar:...
ZERO CONDITIONAL:
• Learn English Grammar:...
TRANSCRIPT
"If I were a rich man, yibby dibby dibby dibby dibby dibby dibby dum." Good afternoon, good evening, good morning. Welcome back to www.engvid.com. Today we are doing the second conditional. It's my favourite conditional, because it's the conditional we use when we're talking about possible, but things that are dreams. The conditional for the dreamer. So, what are we going to talk about? This is a tense where it's kind of... It's saying: "If I had this, I would go and do this." We're going to run through the formula of how to use the tense, we're going to look at a popular song that uses this tense, and then we're going to start using it for ourselves. I hope that's clear. Let's get cracking.
Now, I like playing cricket. I want a £200 cricket bat, but unfortunately, I only have £100. Hmm, that's where I use the f-word. So, I write: "If I had £200 I would buy the bat." Okay? If I had £200, I would definitely buy the bat. No decision. I have already made my decision. But right now I do not have £200. I'm saying if I did have it. If I had £200, this is what I would do, I would buy the bat. Another way of saying it would be... A different meaning: "If I had £200 I could buy the bat." So, this way, buying the bat, it's an option, it's something I could decide to do, but I haven't definitely committed to buying it. If I had £200, sure, I could buy the bat, but I'm not saying that I will buy it. There's more power here in the "could".
So, how does this tense work? What's the magic formula? "If" plus the past simple, your verb in the past simple... So, here, we had: "If I had", so that's a past simple tense of "have", yeah? "Avoir" in French. "If I had" and then the conditional tense. And here, we're looking at sort of: "could", "would", "should", plus your verb in the infinitive. So: "If I had £200, I should buy the bat. You know, it'd be rude not to, really, wouldn't it?" Or: "I could buy the bat, but I might not, too." Or: "I would buy the bat." Yeah? So, "would" is kind of a little bit more desperate. "Could" is like: "Yeah, you know, maybe." And "should" is like: "Yes, that's the right thing to do." Okay? And then you've got your verb in the infinitive. "I would buy", okay? So we've got the verb "to buy" the bat, but we don't need "to". You don't need "to", so it's just the form of the verb in the infinitive without "to". "If I had I would".
Now, you kind of flip this on its head and put it in a slightly different word order. You could have your conditional tense followed by "if", followed by past simple. So, here, it would be: "I could buy the bat if I had £200." Yeah? So you're just flipping it around. It works, obviously, with: "could", "would", and "should". "I should buy the bat"... No, it doesn't really work with "should", that's crap. "I would buy the bat if I had £200." Okay? So you can use it this way or this way; the choice is yours. "If" plus a condition gets a result. "If", past simple, "I would". Okay?
Now, you kind of flip this on its head and put it in a slightly different word order. You could have your conditional tense followed by "if", followed by past simple. So, here, it would be: "I could buy the bat if I had £200." Yeah? So you're just flipping it around. It works, obviously, with: "could", "would", and "should". "I should buy the bat"... No, it doesn't really work with "should", that's crap. "I would buy the bat if I had £200." Okay? So you can use it this way or this way; the choice is yours. "If" plus a condition gets a result. "If", past simple, "I would". Okay?

[@MrNoomiali]

Johnny depp thanks for teaching

[@marilovett2696]

LOL I was thinking in the same actor!

[@engvidBenjamin]

Thanks for watching

[@hesamvazife5073]

@@engvidBenjamin hello Benjamin. Can I use ( might ) as well as ( could ) and ( would ) in second conditionals ? Thank you so much .

[@saragomaa5521]

I got another 100 in the quiz Your definitely a good example for a professional teacher A lot of respect to your loyal personality

[@berkaysonmezsk3163]

Benjamin, I've just realized that most of the people don't mention about could and should part of this grammar. Thanks for the detailed information that you gave us.

[@engvidBenjamin]

No probs

[@alejandrocoronado2610]

This is a great video for learn second conditional Thanks for the video

[@paveltsi9487]

Hello! The right thing you are doing, our beloved teacher! We would like to get more teaching videos from you about for example adverbials(the difference between an adverb and an adverbial ). Thank you very much, your videos are always helpful and fun!!!

[@engvidBenjamin]

OK, thanks

[@Myztery97]

Thank you so much, I'm very excited to learn more English while I see your videos because you explain very well and it's easy to me understand you

[@engvidBenjamin]

:)

[@dylancinco1041]

Good explanation teacher, thank you!!

[@2difficult2do]

Thank you so much for your lessons. You are really the best teacher I have ever seen.

[@engvidBenjamin]

:)

[@oguzkaya1988]

I have watched so many lesson about this topics, but when I watch you I understood finally :) thanks a lot! you are the best!

[@engvidBenjamin]

:)

[@gabrieladiaz7395]

Thank you for the video Now I understand how use second condicional

[@user.xitado]

excellent video professor, it saves me a lot of time with your explanation.

[@engvidBenjamin]

Glad it helped!

[@musictrance7013]

You one of the greatest teacher i've ever heard of. smooth explanation if the expression exists . keep going great work and thanks a million Benjamin for your interesting classes

[@mjshaheed]

one of the greatest 'teachers'

[@ilya0885]

Yep he is a good teacher but not the greatest. He didn`t explain that could,should,would are modal verbs and after them we ALWAYS put verb into infinitive. That's can explain the structure of sentences.

[@engvidBenjamin]

Good point Ilya

[@dipperpines6701]

Simple, direct to the point and replied to all my questions, as always. Thanks teacher.

[@engvidBenjamin]

Glad to hear that!

[@anapaulaamavizca3533]

easy to understand, thanks teacher!!✌🏼✌🏼

[@fabmcmillan9715]

If I had watched your videos before, I would have learned more. You are the best.

[@engvidBenjamin]

Thanks for watching Fab :)

[@luisangeldelacruzperez4739]

The second conditional I understood it very well, thanks for the explanation, it was great your video!!!

[@engvidBenjamin]

:)

[@carlotaarm]

thank you, this help me so much!

[@saravananneother4868]

I'd like to ask you something, sir. In your first example, the comma was put before 200. Was it right? In my opinion,we should put the common after the first phrase.

[@engvidBenjamin]

Good point

[@blitzkriegtwo]

My one of the favorite funny song lol. Thx the game Sir. God bless you and your family Mr Boss. Greetings from Toronto, On.

[@engvidBenjamin]

:)

[@nailatp8238]

This funny way of teaching makes me learn best teacher ever

[@engvidBenjamin]

Cheers. Thanks for watching Naila.

[@profcesar4155]

HI Benjamin - I´m english teacher in Brazil and I´d like to know one thing. May we use other verbs like (should, could replacing - would )in the 2º conditional? Thanks!

[@engvidBenjamin]

No, use would.

[@ummhalil766]

Thank you so much, I'm really excited to find lessons about conditionals !!!!!!!! I'm so happy now, thank you, teacher!!!! Really appreciate your work for us and hope to see more and more your English lessons!!

[@engvidBenjamin]

:)

[@samahezaldeen8195]

يا ولد وهمي

[@RajRaj-vd7qh]

I have seen many videos about this topic but finally I understood from your video so thanks a lot !!!!!

[@engvidBenjamin]

:)

[@Wawan-gn5hd]

if she/ he ( were or was) a millionare she/he could... which one is the correct one, using were or was??thank you Benjamin

[@engvidBenjamin]

were + would

[@michellemorales5106]

Nice video, it helps me understand the topic a little more.

[@engvidBenjamin]

Glad it helped!

[@bladimirluna]

My favorite teacher 😘

[@engvidBenjamin]

:)

[@ernestovasquez8612]

A very interesting and very understand video, thanks you teacher 😎

[@engvidBenjamin]

I'm glad it was understandable!

[@faojiafariha119]

Is 2nd conditional refers the situation between now and future or past and now ..???

[@atakanorgan3386]

it's lovely. thank you very much for your fluent teaching 👍

[@engvidBenjamin]

:)

[@marielatello1825]

When i use could o would, in your 1 first example is correct use both ??

[@samanthamary9879]

Thanks Rami Malek

[@engvidBenjamin]

That guy's a great actor.

[@michellebulawan8560]

thank you so much I enjoy your ways of teaching

[@engvidBenjamin]

Thanks

[@jianweizhang9529]

thanks and you are so fun that I can keep learning English with you

[@engvidBenjamin]

:)

[@alexa_rmz]

Happy Easter teacher!! This was such a good lesson!! See you on Monday :)

[@siverf3285]

Love your way of explaining!

[@engvidBenjamin]

:)

[@vanesaescalante1765]

IT IS EXPRESSED VERY WELL AND THAT FACILITATES THE LEARNING

[@engvidBenjamin]

:)

[@ricardoruvalcabar74]

It is a subject that is very easy to understand. the esxlicaion is very good and it is understood

[@engvidBenjamin]

:)

[@gulfidangulver2187]

Kurban olsunlar 😍 A perfect teacher ! Thanks a lot..

[@engvidBenjamin]

:)

[@alexiamurrieta7931]

Excellent explanation and very interesting=D

[@jos-al13]

I love your accent!!

[@engvidBenjamin]

:)

[@asmaaalshihri5586]

Thanx a lot, could you please do more videos?

[@engvidBenjamin]

I have done

[@smilelol9737]

thankyou sooo much very helpful today there is a test for me

[@jednorazowy1000]

Your English sounds really good.

[@engvidBenjamin]

:)

[@espill2010]

If I were a millionaire, I would live without working and I could buy a house by de sea. Benjamin, it's lovely to see you. I like your lessons.

[@leonid3617]

"... by THE sea"

[@engvidBenjamin]

Thanks

[@florenciatapiola5941]

hello benjamin! i would like to watch a video about phrasal verbs and prepositions! thanks a lot!

[@engvidBenjamin]

Search on engvid there are loads

[@GabinoFree]

Is it obligatory to use the comma in one direction or another?

[@musictrance7013]

yes grammaticaly speaking .though its conventional

[@engvidBenjamin]

If clause before main clause = comma after the if clause Main clause before if clause = no comma necessary

[@ludwingguate]

wow!! that jacket!! Great lesson, thanks a lot!!

[@engvidBenjamin]

:)

[@pedroluzdivina2355]

Thank you, Benjamin. Very easy and very well explained. Someday, if you want, I can explain you this type of conditional in Spanish... It is not as easy as in English. Si tuviera (o tuviese) 200€ compraría / podría comprar el murciélago. And, by the way, why do you need a bat? 😁Thanks again.

[@engvidBenjamin]

Thanks, Pedro. I'd love to speak really good Spanish.

[@pedroluzdivina2355]

@@engvidBenjamin I´m glad to hear you say this. I offer to you my humble knowledges. And thank you very much for your time responding to your students. 😃😃😃

[@gemacontreras3819]

this topic is one of my favorite mainly when I want to talk about that could happen, thank you for the kid.

[@engvidBenjamin]

kid??

[@AvengersIronMan]

Thank you, Benjamin, for uploading a series of your Grammar: Conditional videos. Much love to your channel. P/s: am I doing well for my grammar in this comment? :D

[@engvidBenjamin]

a grammar series on the conditionals...

[@d-landjs]

Thanks u so much for ur lessons !!!

[@engvidBenjamin]

No probs

[@marielatello1825]

When i use could or would ? I'm secondconditional

[@farrymjd7148]

Thnks for the explanation ..

[@engvidBenjamin]

You're welcome 😊

[@nurhaidah7729]

hello, what's the difference using between could and would? I still don't understand..

[@engvidBenjamin]

Could expresses possibility - the root verb is can. Would expresses intention - the root verb is will.

[@UmmMunira]

Great lesson!!!

[@engvidBenjamin]

:)

[@Ale333CS]

Great Benji!

[@engvidBenjamin]

:)

[@augustocosta8065]

A explicação desse mano é tão boa, que até eu aqui no Brasil consigo entender sem legendas, slc

[@engvidBenjamin]

Please comment in English.

[@danielitopg]

great teacher!!

[@engvidBenjamin]

:)

[@mitchellmelendez188]

thank you so much :)

[@fannybastida780]

Is it correct to say : if I were offered a job a I would take it Or if I was offered a job I would take it

[@candela3293]

Both are correct because they are in their subjunctive forms but if you used those sentences with context saying something like "literally anytime", you wouldn't be able to say "I were".

[@engvidBenjamin]

Good answer from Fruhe

[@poblano2000]

Thanks teacher 👍👍

[@engvidBenjamin]

:)

[@forallidiomas9195]

Nice job..Benjamin...Luiza.

[@engvidBenjamin]

:)

[@hilalozdemir151]

great teacher 👍

[@engvidBenjamin]

:)

[@CVNKPOPENT]

I love this video

[@engvidBenjamin]

:)

[@ВасилийКалинюк-к1ж]

Thank you soo much, for this fantastic videos.)

[@engvidBenjamin]

:)

[@luoyong498]

thanks you teacher !

[@engvidBenjamin]

:)

[@HelloWorld-ci4ri]

You're fantastic

[@engvidBenjamin]

Thanks for watching

[@ahmedhisham1062]

profffff!! thx bro i could understand this ..

[@engvidBenjamin]

:)

[@crisjim3789]

Great class !! Thank you so much :D

[@engvidBenjamin]

:)

[@abutterfly.journey]

Thank you!!

[@engvidBenjamin]

:)

[@larisajaaskelainen7137]

Best! Perfect!

[@engvidBenjamin]

:)

[@felipearroyo8260]

thanks you are very original

[@engvidBenjamin]

:)

[@gilsonjuniorpro]

great! tks

[@engvidBenjamin]

:)

[@ahmedmashal9682]

Thanks

[@engvidBenjamin]

:)

[@didilou7468]

"7. If I had studied earlier, I would not have to stress out the night before my big test." Sorry but I didn't understand this question. the third conditional is: If + sub + past perfect + sub + modal + present perfect. Isn't it?

[@engvidBenjamin]

Yes, that's the third conditional - sorry.

[@binaypictures1496]

Some folks use 'if i was ..." please explain ..

[@engvidBenjamin]

Some people use was instead of were, but were is more grammatically correct.

[@KArenaChannel]

U helped alot

[@engvidBenjamin]

Cheers

[@azalwesam4182]

Thank you very much 😭♥️🙏🏻

[@engvidBenjamin]

:)

[@manu-jn9hr]

thankz benjamim sir from india

[@engvidBenjamin]

:)

[@hichamtribak1944]

if you flip the sentence you must remove comma e.g if i had enough money, i would go to Paris. if w flip the sentence the comma must be removed, hence the sentence becomes i would go to Paris if i had enough money.

[@engvidBenjamin]

Yes, thank you

[@goldmaster1o143]

Woooowwwww that jact is awsome

[@engvidBenjamin]

awesome

[@jeffreyhill7990]

A biker, and a linguist! Too Cool for School.

[@engvidBenjamin]

:)

[@faarhaannkhan-kb3vh]

Ok I have question because here is the confusion starts.( if I had 200$ I would buy this or that) why can't we use ( if I had 200$ I would bought or I will buy. Would is the past form of will, how can we say would then use the present or future form which > buy . Are we creating this grammar confusion because it's conditional if yes then English is fed up

[@kirkquinlat7848]

faarhaann khan he's talking about past simple..and it's more polite to use would,could and should if it's conditional 😊😊😊😊

[@faarhaannkhan-kb3vh]

Kirk Quinlat I understand that it's polite, but would is the past form of will, if we are talking about past simple, then why not use >( bought) why using >( buy). Example: tomorrow I will buy a car. I can't say, tomorrow i would buy a car.

[@ilya0885]

stop! we can say If I had 200$ I would bought a car, because could,should,would are modal verbs and after them we ALWAYS put verb into infinitive. And as for sense of sentences he meant that he could buy a car,not he will buy it tomorrow in reason he talks about past.

[@faarhaannkhan-kb3vh]

ilya0885 ok I got that, I understand what ur trying to say, but if he is not talking about future, actually talking about past, then why he is using the present and future form of word which is > (buy) My point is the word (but) not would.

[@Daniela-danielaH]

This grammar rules are for "conditional tense", don't forget it! (FUTURE) In this example "would" is not acting as a modal verb... Actually, "would" is forming the specific conjugation of a tense of the verb. "Would buy"--> are not two words!! you can't separate, it means "one word"... and the part "would" is telling you that part "buy" must be conjugated in "conditional tense"... conditional future... in spanish--> "would buy" means--> "compraría" --> is jut one word... Do you get the point now?

[@berdancifci698]

Thx

[@engvidBenjamin]

You're welcome.

[@ravisuvarna8398]

Please tell me the third form of conditional sentence "If I were a wealthy man, I wouldn't have to work so hard"

[@engvidBenjamin]

www.engvid.com/learn-english-grammar-how-to-use-the-3rd-conditional/

[@dilshodakenjaeva982]

Dibby, Dibby, Dibby made me laugh😁😁

[@engvidBenjamin]

:)

[@Ванек1-х6р]

why we use "were" If we say about (he,she,it)

[@engvidBenjamin]

Were is used in the second conditional for all subjects because it is dealing with things which are not real.

[@sandracristhelhernandezcer716]

In the second conditional, I understand that if the result is not re-set if you must put a comma in the sentence before ", I would ..." or "if I would"

[@engvidBenjamin]

That works

[@leenaltaweel5269]

why dont we have these kind of teachersat school 😭😭

[@engvidBenjamin]

There are some great teachers in schools. It's not an easy job, particularly with Covid restrictions.

[@ershadulislam3250]

The first part was so funny

[@engvidBenjamin]

:)

[@sakinakamali5794]

is it right if ate better i would become taller

[@engvidBenjamin]

If I ate better, I would become taller. Yes, but not sure if it's true!

[@byehoe7246]

If only english teachers in my school teach like this😧

[@gunnersamm]

For wishes, verbs must be in "past" as well.

[@engvidBenjamin]

Thanks and good point Samu

[@zahraradin1160]

Is it correct =if there were cheeses I would eat breakfast

[@engvidBenjamin]

No, because there are two uses for the second conditional - 1 to talk about events in the future which are unlikely to happen e.g. If I bought that house, I would paint it yellow. 2nd use: talking about something in the present which is impossible because it is not real e.g. if I had superpowers, I would wave my magic wand.

[@gunnersamm]

What happens when we want the condition to be negative? How can we make the sentence? "If I weren't poor...(?)

[@okhunoo]

If I weren't poor, I could buy a car

[@okhunoo]

If I weren't poor, I could buy a car

[@okhunoo]

If I weren't poor, I could buy a car

[@gunnersamm]

@@okhunoo Thanks, I had forgotten I'd made that question. 😂

[@engvidBenjamin]

If I weren't poor, I WOULD be able to buy a car.

[@vsemkotov90]

If I had permission to work in the UK I could stay here and live forever

[@engvidBenjamin]

would

[@animated6875]

plz correct this I would have gone there if I had known he would come...or he was coming

[@engvidBenjamin]

If I knew he was going to come, I would have gone there too.

[@animated6875]

@@engvidBenjamin plz explain to me this passage ..why the writer didn't use had been or would in this whole passage If that were not bad enough, some governors used the police powers available to them to enforce this decision even when, as in Kentucky, parishioners went to churches for service that would have been carried out while they remained in their cars. License plate numbers were taken down, citation threats were made and, were it not for the actions of a federal judge who knows the law means what it says and who stayed the governor's order, it is likely those who chose continually to disobey the governor's order would have been arrested for the alleged crime of worshipping in public.

[@NickyxD09]

1- If I had a lot of money, I would travel a lot! :) 2- I might speak better English if I lived in UK (hahah xd). 3- I could be a healthy woman if I ate better.

[@engvidBenjamin]

:)

[@peace4615]

If I were a millionaire, I would study in Finland 😊

[@Jotaopontes]

If I were a millionaire, i would travel around the world.

[@engvidBenjamin]

Perfecto

[@virskovskiy445]

If i were a billionaire I would buy engvid

[@engvidBenjamin]

:)