1. Introduction
We use type 2 conditional when the time is now or any time, and the situation is unreal.
Conditional Sentences Type II refer to situations in the present but they are not based on fact. An action could happen if the present situation were different. The use of the past tense after 'if' indicates unreality. I don't really expect the situation to change, however. I just imagine „what would happen if …“
We can nearly always add a phrase starting with "but", that expresses the real situation:
- If the weather weren't so bad, we would go to the park (...but it is bad, so we can't go)
- If I were the Queen of England, I would give everyone
2. Rules
In a Type 2 conditional sentence, the tense in the 'if' clause is the simple past, and the tense in the main clause is the present conditional with would:
| IF' CLAUSE |
MAIN CLAUSE |
|
If + simple past
If it rained
If you went to bed earlier
|
Present conditional
you would get wet
you wouldn't be so tired.
|
Present conditional, form
The present conditional of any verb is composed of two parts - the modal auxiliary would + the infinitive of the main verb (without 'to'.)
| Subject + |
would + |
infinitive without to |
| She |
would |
learn |
NOTE: It is correct, and very common, to use the to be verb “were” instead of “was“ with all subjects. Maybe in school, your teacher (and books) teach you "were" will be used with all subjects and it's ok, we should use "were" for the verb to be.
| Affirmative |
|
I
|
would
|
go
|
| Negative |
|
I
|
wouldn't
|
ask
|
| Interrogative |
|
Would
|
she
|
come?
|
| Interrogative negative |
|
Wouldn't
|
they
|
accept?
|
Would: Contractions of would
In spoken English, would is contracted to 'd.
|
I'd
|
We'd
|
|
you'd
|
you'd
|
|
he'd, she'd
|
they'd
|
The negative contraction = wouldn't.
Example: to accept, Present conditional
| Affirmative |
Negative |
Interrogative |
|
I would accept
|
I wouldn't accept
|
Would I accept?
|
|
You would accept
|
You wouldn't accept
|
Would you accept?
|
|
He would accept
|
She wouldn't accept
|
Would he accept?
|
|
We would accept
|
We wouldn't accept
|
Would we accept?
|
|
You would accept
|
You wouldn't accept
|
Would you accept?
|
|
They would accept
|
They wouldn't accept
|
Would they accept?
|