Use

The second conditional is used when talking about unlikely results because the conditions are unlikely, such as hypothetical situations.

Example:

If I were you, I would go back home.

Explanation:

The second conditional is used, because it is impossible to be someone else. If I were is the ‘if’ clause, and I would go is the main clause.

How to build

A second conditional sentence has an ‘if’ clause and a main clause. Clause can come first, but when the ‘if’ clause comes first we use a comma.

If + simple past, would (not) + bare infinitive

• If I had husband, I would cook every day.

• If I had husband, I would not cook spaghetti.

would (not) + bare infinitive + if + simple past

• I would refuse if you offered me a new job.

• I would not refuse if you offered me a new job.

More Examples

• I would buy my own house if I won the lottery.

• If I were you, I wouldn’t eat old meat.

Note: Even though the tense is simple past, we are talking about the present when we use the second conditional.