WORKSHOP SECOND CONDITIONAL

Before developing the workshop see the videos and the review material.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OyxF4grou0Y

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61Oou-WbGfQ&t=128s
Si bien en el condicional cero se habla de leyes físicas o verdades absolutas y en el primer
condicional se habla de situaciones posibles o probables, el segundo condicional es el terreno de
la imaginación. Sirve para hablar de situaciones irreales, hipotéticas o improbables.

El segundo condicional en inglés es la forma que usamos para hablar de…

• Situaciones hipotéticas o irreales.

if I had a lot of money, I would buy a 20-room mansion and invite all my friends to live with me.
• Dar consejos a otras personas.
If I were you, I would call Sally and explain what happened. It’s all just a silly misunderstanding!

En cuanto a la estructura, solo tienes que recordar estas normas:

• La oración con if va en pasado simple: If I worked as a doctor.

• Si la oración con if contiene el verbo to be, generalmente se usa were en lugar de was: If I were
rich.
• En la oración de resultado, usamos el verbo would (o wouldn’t para la forma negativa) + el
infinitivo: I would travel around the world.
En algunos casos, también podemos usar could o might.
• Y para hacer preguntas, usamos would + sujeto + infinitivo + complementos + oración con if:
Would you marry me if I asked you?
Excepciones y variantes
Puesto que el segundo condicional trata de una situación irreal, solemos emplear la forma “were” del
verbo to be en lugar de la forma “was”, aunque estemos hablando en primera o tercera persona del
singular:

-If I were less worried about the future, I'd enjoy life more
(Si [yo] estuviera menos preocupada por el futuro, disfrutaría más de la vida).

-If he were more careful, he wouldn't make so many mistakes

(Si [él] tuviera más cuidado, no cometería tantos errores).

Este es el modo subjuntivo en inglés, que aquí se utiliza por tratarse de situaciones que no son
reales.

También es posible sustituir would o wouldn't, en la proposición principal, por could / couldn’t o might
/ might not:
-If I knew all the answers, I could easily pass the exam (Si [yo] supiera todas las respuestas, podría
aprobar el examen fácilmente).
-If he listened more, he might actually learn something (Si [él] escuchara más, podría aprender algo de
verdad).

Ambas frases se centran más en que el resultado es posible, en vez de probable, por lo que
podemos emplearlas en sustitución de would para expresar esa menor certeza.

RECORDEMOS EL PASADO SIMPLE…

AHORA RECORDEMOS EL USO DEL VERBO MODAL WOULD…
 WORKSHOP SECOND CONDITIONAL
1. Listen to the song and read the lyrics. Find the second conditional in it.
https://youtu.be/Et6QNcptkTY

2. According to the real situation, make it imaginary with if. Remember that the imaginary or
unreal sentences must be in past simple with if.
You must make just the cause of the second conditional, NOT the consequence.

Ex: Real situation: We have to stay home.

Unreal situation: If we didn’t have to stay at home, …

a) Real situation: COLOMBIA DOES NOT HAVE A GOOD HEALTH SYSTEM.

Unreal situation: If ,…

b) Real situation: TUNJA IS NOT HOT

Unreal situation: If ,…

c) Real situation: WE ARE STUDENTS

Unreal situation: If ,…

d) Real situation: YOU HAVE CLASS TODAY

Unreal situation: If ,…

e) Real situation: I LIVE IN COLOMBIA

Unreal situation: If ,…

f) Real situation: WE HAVE DUQUE FOR PRESIDENT OF COLOMBIA

 Unreal situation: If ,…

g) Real situation: I HAVE TO WAKE UP EARLY

Unreal situation: If ,…

h) Real situation: WE ARE ALWAYS SLEEPY AFTER LUNCH

Unreal situation: If ,…

i) Real situation: I NEED TO EAT EVERYDAY

Unreal situation: If ,…

3. Complete the sentences in second conditional by using the words in brackets and then change their
order.

Ex: If they _knew_ him well, they _would invite_ him to their parties. (know/invite)
They would invite him to their parties if they knew him well.

a) If you __________ more money, you _________ in low-cost flights. (have/not travel)

________________________________________________________________________

b) If she__________ me nicely, I _________ shopping with her. (ask/go)

________________________________________________________________________

c) If you__________ the sink apart, you_________ the water out. (take/get)

________________________________________________________________________

d) If Mike__________ 300 euros to spend, he_________ a new smartphone. (have/buy)

________________________________________________________________________

e) If I__________ abroad, I_________ the typical food so much. (live/miss)

________________________________________________________________________

f) If I__________ you, I_________ looking for a job right now. (be/start)

________________________________________________________________________

g) If Sam__________ president of the US, he_________ a terrific job. (be/do)

________________________________________________________________________

h) If I__________ a freelance job, I _________ around the world. (have/travel)

________________________________________________________________________

i) I__________ university in 2021 if I_________ this year. (finish/start)

 ________________________________________________________________________

4. Combine the sentences in each item into one sentence. Use the second conditional.

Ex: We can’t go out. We don’t go to work.

If we could go out, we would go to work.

a) She doesn’t have enough money. She can’t go on vacation.

________________________________________________________________________

b) Molly can’t act. She isn’t in the school play.

________________________________________________________________________

c) Stevie is shy. He won’t call up any of his classmates.

________________________________________________________________________

d) Chicago is cold in the spring. People don’t go swimming.

________________________________________________________________________

e) I don’t have Katya’s phone number. I can’t call her.

________________________________________________________________________

f) I don’t know baking. I don’t make delicious cakes and pies.

________________________________________________________________________

5. Use the words in parentheses to complete the sentences

1. If you had one wish, what (it, be) ____________________________________________?

2. You could be anything you wanted if you (try) ___________________________ harder.
3. If we stopped dreaming about the future, there (be) _______________________ no future.
4. If I (be) __________________________ in charge, I would be able to do anything I wanted.
5. Henry (feel) __________________ better if he didn’t always eat fast food.

6. Complete each sentence. Use the second conditional.

1. If I could see into the future, _________________________________________________

2. I would sleep late every morning ______________________________________________

3. If I were a police officer, _____________________________________________________

4. I would be very angry _______________________________________________________

5. What would you do _________________________________________________________

 6. If I weren’t studying English, __________________________________________________

7. If you could change something about your life, what would you change? Write a short paragraph.
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________

8. Match the beginnings of the sentences to the correct endings, to make logical conditional sentences.

9. Complete the sentences below by making Second Conditional statements. Use your imagination

a. If I had longer summer holidays, _______________________________________

b. If John did more exercise, ____________________________________________
c. If Mrs. Smith spoke Chinese, __________________________________________
d. If I won a million dollars, ______________________________________________
e. _________________________________________, you could live for 150 years.
f. ___________________________________________, I might look for a new job.
g. ______________________________________, people would be very surprised.
h. ___________________________________________________, he would laugh.
i. If aliens landed on Earth, ____________________________________________
j. If animals could talk, ________________________________________________
k. If people lived on the moon, ____________________________________________
l. If I spent all my money, _______________________________________________