The document discusses the second conditional, which refers to hypothetical or unlikely situations in the present or future. It is formed using "if" with the past simple tense followed by "would/could" and the base verb form. Examples are given such as "If I won the lottery, I would buy a private plane" and "If your car broke down, where would you go for help?" The second conditional imagines present or future situations that are not real.

1. SECOND
CONDITIONAL
Elena Vázquez

2. CONDITIONAL II
O It refers to a situation in the present or
future which is hypothetical, unlikely or
unreal

3. SECOND CONDITIONAL
Second conditionals are formed as follows:
IF Past simple
Would/could
+
verb

4. CONDITIONAL II
If I won the lottery (unlikely), I would buy a
private aeroplane.
If your car broke down, where would you
go for help?

5. CONDITIONAL II
O We use a PAST verb but we are thinking about the
present or future.
Tim and Sally like travelling but they are poor. I say:
If Tim and Sally were rich, they would travel around
the world.
(They are NOT rich – we are imagining a situation in the present)
Sally writes books but not many people buy them. I
say:
If Sally wrote a best-selling book, she would be
famous.
(unlikely in the present or future)

6. CONDITIONAL II
O IF I / HE / SHE / IT WERE ... is gramatically
CORRECT in second conditional sentences.
If she were rich, she´d stop working.
But in informal English, people often use WAS. If
she was rich, she´d stop...
O We use IF I WERE YOU ... to give ADVICE:
If I were you, I wouldn´t buy that pullover.
If I were you, I´d study harder.

7. CONDITIONAL II
O IF I / HE / SHE / IT WERE ... is gramatically
CORRECT in second conditional sentences.
If she were rich, she´d stop working.
But in informal English, people often use WAS. If
she was rich, she´d stop...
O We use IF I WERE YOU ... to give ADVICE:
If I were you, I wouldn´t buy that pullover.
If I were you, I´d study harder.