Saturday, December 27, 2014

Conditionals - Second Conditionals



C}  Second Conditionals:

Nature:Unreal possibility or dream
These sentences show the condition of unreal possibilityor dream.
Time: present; the TENSE is past, but we are talking about the present, now.

Note:

We use the past simple in the if-clause. It shows we are talking about something which is unlikely to happen or is an imaginary situation.

The main clause has would + infinitive.

STRUCTURE:

if + past simple, ...would + infinitive

Unreal possibility or dream
If
condition
result

past simple
WOULD + base verb
If
I won the lottery
I would buy a house.

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Unreal possibility or dream
If
condition
result

past simple
WOULD + base verb
If
you met Deepak
what would you ask him?
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Some examples:

*If I had more time, I would travel the world.

*If I didn't have you, I would not know what to do.
*If I won the lottery, I would buy a big house.
*If I met the Queen of England, I would say hello.
*If I had his number, I would call him.
*I would go jogging with Tony and Sam if they werehere this week.
*I would not refuse if you offered me Rs. 50,000.
*She would travel all over the world if she were rich.
*She would pass the exam if she ever studied
(We can use 'were' instead of 'was' with 'I' and 'he/she/it'. This is mostly done in formal writing).
*If I were you, I wouldn't go out with that man.
*If I were you, I would leave the job.
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Correct  Uses:

Correct :If I had enough money, I would buy a new computer.

Incorrect : If I would have enough money, I would buy a new computer.

Reason: We use the past simple (here I had) in the if-clause. It shows we are talking about something which is unlikely to happen or is an imaginary situation.

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Correct :If you didn't hurry so much, you would feel more relaxed.

Incorrect : If you didn't hurry so much, you will feel more relaxed.

Reason:The main clause has would + infinitive.

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