Second conditional | Unreal conditionals

The second conditional describes an imaginary, impossible or unlikely situation in the present or future.
The situation is unreal or hypothetical.
The condition takes the past simple tense to reflect a distance from reality but the time is NOT in the past.
When we use the verb "to be" as a main verb, the tense is the past simple, subjunctive mood and not the usual indicative mood.
The structure of the result part of the sentence is:
subject + would + the base form of the verb.
"would" is a type of modal. We can use other modals in the second conditional, such as "might" and "could". I explain their meaning with clear examples in this video.
ESL students often ask the question: "What is the difference between the first conditional and the second conditional?" - Well I answer that question with a clear example and explanation.
The accent is a British English accent.
Here are some other related English lessons:
Videos:
Past simple tense: • Past simple tense | En...
Hear and listen vocabulary: • Hear and listen - Diff...
Playlists:
All English conditionals : • Conditionals in Englis...
Grammar: • learn English grammar
General advice: • How to improve your En...
Listening practice: • English listening prac...
Vocabulary: • learn English vocabulary
Private English lessons & speaking practice: goo.gl/YjZXpT
Andrew,
Crown Academy of English
www.crownacademyenglish.com
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Photo credits:
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[@CrownAcademyEnglish]

Other conditionals (5 videos): kzbin.info/aero/PL6BDo90oiwpQfYtR_YtNSnZ0ghrRqJ9xE How to improve your English (5+ videos): kzbin.info/aero/PL6BDo90oiwpQiPot5bKFKZ2wQAk_ESR6_ Listening tests, quizzes and practice (over 30 videos): kzbin.info/aero/PL6BDo90oiwpRdmnAzmYwdc0Az0ZOG2XNA Vocabulary lessons (over 20 videos): kzbin.info/aero/PL6BDo90oiwpTlYAYSitjwWn29BEdCBi9j IELTS tips and preparation (3 videos): kzbin.info/aero/PL6BDo90oiwpTCFeePtilR5rz0f7dr8GE9 Please tell other English students about my channel and give them the link below: kzbin.info Andrew Crown Academy of English

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[@MarS-bo9dp]

Thank you! From Mexico. I like your videos. Nice voice and good explanation.

[@miguellopez1374]

One of the best "second conditional" videos I've found. Thank you very much for sharing your knowledge

[@rafasoma1]

Very good. I've been waiting impatiently for this video, but it was worth it. I'm already waiting for the third conditional. Thank you.

[@mohitukey]

Rafael Soto "I had* been."

[@bbffilm2514]

The words can't describe how much I loved this video . Thank you so much Andrew, you made this complicated lesson so easy and clear to me. I really appreciate it.

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[@gaga982]

Your explanation,Andrew is amazing! Thank you!

[@adambakheet9394]

Thank you so much, it's a superb lesson and great teacher. Actually I was struggling with second conditional' first conditional and finally I watched your lesson it helped me a lot.

[@sinukg9447]

Super explanation. All my doubts have been clarified. Thanks a lot sir. No one has not yet explained why second conditional is used in past tense. But this video explained it very well.

[@learnerlearner2189]

Such a amazing tip.GREAT. Like it. "A past tense is indicating a distance from reality."

[@shriramparanjape5817]

"Living English Structure" by Allen calls this kind of construction "Imaginary past tense"Thanks for a very clear video. Indian students will greatly benefit from it.

[@frogindisguise8231]

Wow, there are so many things to learn in English! You explain very well and clear, I love your lessons. Good job👏🏼

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I love your explanation. What a perfect teacher you are for me!

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[@wendyzhang9089]

Thank you, Andrew. It's very helpful for me to tell all these conditionals.

[@gemacontreras3819]

thanks for the explanation helped me with my doubts of a second conditional in order to be able to express myself best when want to talk.

[@masterjellyovjoshrules9063]

You are the best English teacher ever.

[@CrownAcademyEnglish]

Excellent, I am glad that you like my lessons. Thanks for the comment. I upload new lessons every Monday morning. Best wishes, Andrew

[@MarS-bo9dp]

Nice video lesson. Thank you Andrew. Do you have a video about subjunctive mood?

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Your lessons are the best!

[@ivandejesusvazquezlopez4582]

I loved this video is highly recommended, it has all the information of the second conditional and this information is very detailed. I also learned a lot more about this topic, although I still have questions, but thanks for all the information

[@samiaessawy9188]

Thanks a lot. The explanation is great and it will be more useful for me if you add some answered exercises at the end of the lesson to deepen and check our understanding .

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Native English teacher thank you for explaining and pronunciation (especially).

[@User1272.]

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very very like this video!!! Thank you so muchh. The best "second conditional" videos i've found. Luv uuuu teacherrrr

[@giusyocchipinti598]

Great lesson, as usual! Can you make any lessons about imperative and passive structure? Thanks in advance

[@bettyhernandezg]

In this video I understood more about the subject, and also how to use modal verbs, very well explained, thank you very much, greetings!

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[@CrownAcademyEnglish]

Hello. Thanks for your comment. I am happy that you like my lessons. I make new videos every Tuesday. I have been on summer holiday but I am now back. The next video will be published next Tuesday 4th September 2018. Here is the full list: kzbin.infovideos Best wishes, Andrew

[@paolabove6662]

Thank you professor. I would like to know if I can also use should in the second part: "If you spent your free time taken photographs, you should have a good catalog". Can I consider this sentence as a second conditional? I already know I can use " would and might"... But... What other words can we use in the second part? Thank you so much professor.

[@oleenoleen9265]

Thank you so much for this lesson! But I'm confused about situation when the verb "to be" is a main verb. "If he were rich, he would buy an expensive car" - It's correct. But if we want to say "When he was rich, he bought an expensive car" - Is it correct? Or we need to say "When he were rich, he bought an expensive car"? Because in the first part of sentence the verb "to be" is main verb?

[@Analy25]

The information is very complete.Thank you for teaching us.

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The best explanation because it's complexity. Thanks.

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The most clear explication, thank you

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Thank you so so much for helping us ... Your job is awesome and I've learned a lot... :)

[@lyudmylasakharova1005]

It’s a great explanation! Thank you so much!

[@eustaquiorodolfo9785]

Thank you so much Mrs! I love your lessons!😉

[@CrownAcademyEnglish]

Hello and thanks for the comment. Small correction: We only say "Mrs" for a married woman. :) Best wishes, Andrew

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An amazing video. Very useful tips.

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The best teacher ever

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Splendid lesson dear prof Andrew. Thank you kindly. Ciao Andrea

[@xeonn01]

Hi Andrew, can "should" be used in the 2nd conditional? e.g. If you played tennis together, he should win. The reason I'm asking is because "should" here is used more like a modal of possibility like might, could, or would. So it should be possible to use it as well, right?

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[@CrownAcademyEnglish]

Yes, very good, your sentence is correct. Thank you very much for your comment. I am very pleased that my lessons are helping you. Best wishes, Andrew

[@allyfakhi]

thanks too, it is more than usefully Mr Andrew, I always appreciate on Crown Academy of English. Your learner, Ally

[@jaavantha]

A good explanation Andrew.i can well understand the first conditional and the second conditional👍👍

[@tsegayhagos5285]

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[@CrownAcademyEnglish]

Hello and thanks for your comment. I am happy that you like my lessons. Here is the full list of my lessons: kzbin.infovideos Best wishes, Andrew

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[@CrownAcademyEnglish]

Thank you very much for your comment. I am very pleased that my lessons are helping you. Best wishes, Andrew

[@aguilarcast]

Thanks a lot! In minute 13:40 when talking about Hillary shouldn't it be If she were speaking?

[@AnastasiaShanueva]

Can we use 'when' in the second conditional? For example, 'they would let us know when they heard the news'?

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[@mgdmhd8172]

Great lesson. I couldn't pause the video even for a few seconds. incredibly fun. But I have a question teacher Is there any place other than conditional sentences we can use subjunctive form of the verb be? Thanks in advance.

[@CrownAcademyEnglish]

Hi Thanks for your comment. There are a few other situations. Another situation is to express "wishes": "I wish I *were* in London with my friends." Best wishes Andrew

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[@johannessipayung5947]

you have made example "if i had a lot of money, i would buy an expensive car". right. as we know that second conditional also talks about impossible things. you see, from the example, isn't it possible to have a lot of money and then buy expensive car? so what if i say that we should make that example as 1nd conditional, because that is possible, i know that the example states that the "i" isn't rich, but still, it is possible. what do you say about it? emphasizing the present condition? please, respond!

[@discoveryvisionDxr]

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It's really useful

[@mfarooq1981]

Hi, I think. Mr. Andrew you forgot to cover an area of this conditional. Like you know some times, we do not say conditional part and we say just result part. Could you explain it please? I need to ask a question and for this writing below. This dialogue is taken from "FLIP OR FLOP" have been watching on HULU. If I were doing that, I would probably put it at $590000. So, why would not it be a good idea to put it at $590000? Please, let me know. Why did speaker use "WOULD NOT" in the second sentence? Please, explain this concept? Thank you

[@riyadhalshahrani4348]

dear , what about the negative form in " if condition "sentence ?

[@rohitkumar-rh6pv]

Thanks, I have been waiting for this video

[@CrownAcademyEnglish]

Hello and welcome. Thanks for your comment. I am happy that you like my lessons. Here is the full list: kzbin.infovideos Best wishes, Andrew

[@Raven_Ian]

Si profe dago.... valla con este video...

[@nassermo7sen2]

thanks Mrs for ur lesson it is very easy :0

[@mfarooq1981]

Would you mind teaching us about "WOULD" in detail please?

[@mahshidebrahimi9482]

Super useful. Thanks a lot

[@user-fq1nr4wm4w]

great lessons) your explanation is excellent! Can you make a video on passive voice?

[@CrownAcademyEnglish]

Excellent, I am glad that you like my lessons. Thanks for the comment. Passive voice is on my (long) list of future videos. :) Best wishes, Andrew

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Crown Academy of English tell us when you make a video about passive voice. Thank you for helping us. You are the best teacher. Love you

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[@bhojraj7941]

sir can we use "should" in second conditional

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Thank you so much, very useful :)

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Thank you so much for helping us....

[@rashidqazi7581]

sir , do we use word "wish" in second conditional ? , for instance , i wish i had a lot of money . is it right to use wish in second conditional ??

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[@CrownAcademyEnglish]

You're welcome. I'm delighted that you like my lessons. Thanks for the comment. 🙂 Andrew

[@mscarmnescence]

My question help :) : I don't get it when it comes to verb to-be. Some other examples used "WAS" just like what I saw in other websites. Ex : If I was the President, I'd reduce taxes. If I was still working in Brighton, I would commute by train. How to identify the Verb to-be there? Thank you in advance.

[@EnglishToPass]

Hiya! I always teach my students to use 'were' instead of 'was' in the second conditional and other hypothetical structures. This is the structure they want in Cambridge exams. However, native speakers often use 'was' instead of 'were' when speaking. I would recommend only using it in informal situations or just using 'were' for all situations. Your examples are all correct in an informal situation but not if you are doing a formal exam. Hope this helps!

[@mscarmnescence]

Oh my, thank you very much for that. :)