We would have to cut some of our staff if we reduced our costs by 10%. My commute to work would be so much shorter if I didn’t live outside the city limits! (= but I don’t live in the city so a shorter commute is impossible)įor the workplace, let’s imagine a negotiation: Two sides are negotiating but one side is unable to compromise:.If I could, I would make conditional tenses disappear. (= but I can’t, it isn’t possible).Their creative marketing proposal was great, but I never hear anything good about working with them. (= but it is unlikely we will consider them for a contract) If their company had a better reputation, we would consider them for the contract.
I would exercise a lot more if I had time. (= I would like time to exercise more, but it isn’t likely that my schedule will change).We use it to talk about unlikely, impossible, hypothetical, or imaginary present/future situations. This is where the Second Conditional can be confusing. express that we wish for a different reality.imagine a different present time or imagine a possible future time.Using the Second Conditional for Unlikely & Impossible Situations