2nd CONDITIONAL.

Introduction

The second conditional (also called conditional type 2) is a structure used for talking about unreal situations in the present or in the future. This page will explain how the second conditional is formed, and when to use it.

The structure of a second conditional sentence

Like a first conditional, a second conditional sentence consists of two clauses, an "if" clause and a main clause:

IF clause	main clause
If I had a million dollars,	I would buy a big house.

If the "if" clause comes first, a comma is usually used. If the "if" clause comes second, there is no need for a comma:

IF clause	main clause
I would buy a big house	if I had a million dollars.

We use different verb forms in each part of a second conditional:

IF clause	if + subject + simple past verb*
main clause	subject + would + verb

*Note that this "simple past" form is slightly different from usual in the case of the verb BE. Whatever the subject, the verb form is "were", not "was": If I were rich, I'd buy a big house.

Using the second conditional

The second conditional is used to talk about things which are unreal (not true or not possible) in the present or the future -- things which don't or won't happen:

Example AND Explanation
If I were you, I would drive more carefully in the rain. (I am not you — this is unreal.)
Paula would be sad if Jan left. (Jan will not leave — that's not going to happen.)
If dogs had wings, they would be able to fly. (Dogs don't have wings — that's impossible.)

When you are sure that you understand the lesson, you can continue with the exercises. CLICK HERE.

TRAVEL & HOLIDAYS VOCABULARY.

HEALTH PROBLEMS.

CLICK ON THIS LINK TO READ AND LISTEN A LIST OF 

VOCABULARY WORDS RELATED TO THE TOPIC:

ILNESSES AND MEDICINES VOCABULARY (READ AND LISTEN)

ESL List of Health Problems

The following is a list of common health problems (ailments and illnesses) with the definition of each word or expression:

an allergy: a medical condition that causes you to react badly or feel sick when you eat or touch a particular substance.
asthma: a respiratory condition where spasms in the lungs cause difficulty in breathing. An asthmatic uses an inhaler to calm the spasms.
a backache: a prolonged pain in the back.
a broken leg: when a bone in the leg is broken. A broken leg is put in a cast to help immobilize the leg so that it heals quicker. Other parts of the body with bones can also be broken, for example a broken arm, a broken wrist etc.
cancer: a serious disease caused by an uncontrolled division of abnormal cells that kill normal body cells in a part of the body.
a cold: a common viral infection which causes mucus to run from the nose, gives a sore throat and often includes sneezing.
a cough: the act of expelling air from the lungs with a sudden sharp sound.
diarrhoea: (America English: diarrhea) an illness in which faeces are discharged from the bowels frequently and in a liquid form.
an earache: pain inside the ear.
a fever: an abnormally high body temperature, usually accompanied by shivering and a headache.
the flu: flu is the common name given for influenza. It is a contagious viral infection of the respiratory passages that causes fever and sever aching.
a headache: a continuous pain in the head.
heartburn: a form of indigestion felt as a burning sensation in the chest. It is caused by acid regurgitation into the esophagus.
(the) measles: an infectious viral disease causing fever and a red rash on the skin. It typically occurs in childhood.
a rash: a lot of small red spots on the skin that are usually itchy.
a sore throat: a condition of pain in the throat, typically caused by inflammation of it.
a sprain: an injury to a joint in your body, especially your wrist or ankle, caused by suddenly twisting it.
a stomachache (US) - stomach ache (Brit): The pain in a person's belly. Notice how the word can be spelled together or as two words, depending on the country.
sunburn: when the skin becomes red with inflammation as a result of overexposure to the ultraviolet rays of the sun.
a toothache: the pain in a tooth or teeth.

The difference between sick and ill

To most people, both sick and ill more or less mean the same thing, that you are not in a healthy condition.
Sick is less formal than ill and usually describes short-term ailments or diseases (like a cold or cough). Sick can also refer to feeling nauseous. In British English, to be sick can mean to vomit.
Ill is often for more serious health problems (like cancer or pneumonia) but can also be used for short-term ones.
Illness (noun) refers to a medical condition. Sickness (noun) refers to how you feel.

The difference between ache and pain

ACHE is a continuous or prolonged dull pain in a part of the body. It can often be a throbbing sensation that covers more than one point. You can sometimes try and ignore an ache.
PAIN is physical suffering or discomfort caused by illness or injury. It is usually a sharp sensation in a specific part of the body and hurts more than an ache.