Second and Third Conditional Sentences
Second Conditional
- Type 2 is used to think of the opposite of an event that is happening in the present or in the future, to put forward a condition and to express the result of this imaginary condition.
- Therefore, the tense that we can use must be a bit more past than the tense that we will use to express the truth.
Example Sentences
- Ifshe knew the answer, she would win the prize. ( but she doesn’t know the answer)
- Ifhe had enough experience fort he job, the boss could hire him. ( but he doesn’t )
- IfI had your phone number, I would call you. ( but I don’t have your phone number)
- Ifyou came to the party, we would have a lot of fun. ( but you don’t come to the party)
- IfI were a rich man, I would buy a home like palace. ( but I am poor)
Third Conditional
- In Type 3, it is used to reverse the events that occurred in the past, to put forward a condition and to express the result of that condition.
- It is usually used for sentences that express complaints.
-
Example Sentences
- Ifhe had talked to me, I would have listenedto him. ( but he didn’t talk to me )
- Ifit had rained last weekend, we would have stayedat home. ( but it didn’t rain last weekend)
- Ifshe had saved enough money, she would have boughta new bicycle. ( but she didn’t save enough money )
- Ifit had been a huge explosion, so many people couldn’t have been affected. ( but it is huge explosion so many people affected)
- Ifthe student had listened to the teacher carefully, he would have answeredthe questions easily. ( but he didn’t )