Page 61 - Grasp English B1+ (Grammar Book)

Era of the Gifted 10

Second conditional

We use the second conditional to imagine present
or future situations that are impossible or unlikely in
reality. It consists of an if clause and a main clause.
When the sentence starts with the if clause, there
should be a comma (,). When the sentence starts
with the main clause, there is no need for it.
If I was gifted, I would use my gift for the good of all.
(It means I am not gifted; therefore, I do not have a
gift to use for the good of all.)

We would have a barbecue party if we had a big
garden.
(It means we don’t have a big garden; therefore, we
won’t have a barbecue party.)

The structure of the second conditional is as follows:
If + past simple, ... would + infinitive

Both If I was and If I were are correct.
If I were an animal, I would be a horse.

Grasp English B1+ Grammar Book © Prime Press, 2021 | www.primepress.com 59