Page 122 - Oxford_Grammar_for_Schools_4_SB_Neat 1

Second conditional

can use the second conditional to talk about unlikely or imaginary situations and results.

Second conditional

. (ifiwei-eyoiCN / In the second conditional we use the past tense in the
/ buuj this. J /
if clause, and would + the infinitive in the main clause.
Remember: although we use the past simple, we are
/ talking about a present or future situation.
V
Unlikely future
Result
condition

would Cd) / wouldn't +
lf+ past simple
the Infinitive

If he got a job in Beijing, he'd learn Chinese.

If 1 didn't eat any my mum would be
breakfast, worried.

1 wouldn't know what to
If 1 met the Queen,
say.

With personal pronouns, {I, you, he, she, etc.) we
We use the second conditional to talk about unlikely
normally use the contracted form'd for would.
situations in the present or future.The situation might
You'd earn more money if you worked harder.
happen but it probably won't.
If I became prime minister, I'd create more public holidays. We often use the phrase if I were you to give advice.
A lot of people would die if an asteroid hit the Earth. If I were you, I'd wear a sweater today.
I'd d o some more revision if I were you.
We can also use it to imagine situations that are not real.
If my room was bigger, I'd puta table tennis table in it. Note that we say if I were you, not

1 Circle the correct option. w
* * 2 Change would to the contracted form'd where
_
ÿ If Fred had / would have more money, hed buy a possible. If the contracted form is not possible,
write x.
new guitar.
1 If I swam / would swim every day, I would feel ÿ If they checked their work , they would find
better. some mistakes, they'd
2 If Jack cleaned his room, his mum was / would ÿ The plants would die if we didn't water them .
be happy. x
3 If he practised / would practise more, he'd be an 1 If my best friend moved away, I would cry.
excellent pianist.
4 If you asked / would ask Peter, he would help you. 2 Paul would spend less money if he didn't buy
5 If Gemma got up on time, she didn't / wouldn't coffee every day. _
miss the bus. 3 If he went to bed earlier, he would wake up
6 If people didn't / wouldn't use computers, earlier. _
everything would take longer. 4 If we didn't like football, we would play rugby.
7 If my sister wasn't annoying, I didn't / wouldn't
argue with her. 5 My parents would live near the sea, if they could
8 If it was sunny, I would wear / wore sunglasses. find jobs there. _
6 If the coach was better, the team would win
more matches. _

120 Second conditional