Study the rules, look at the examples, then do the exercises.
Sometimes we do not talk about real life — we talk about imaginary worlds: things that are not true now, or that are very unlikely. If I were a bird... If I had a magic wand... If I could fly... For these dreams and unreal ideas, English uses a special structure called the Second Conditional.
The core idea is simple: we imagine an unreal present or future, and then we say the imaginary result. Because the situation is not real, we "step back" one tense — we use the Past Simple in the if-part, even though we are talking about now.
The Second Conditional has two parts (clauses). The if-clause uses the Past Simple, and the result clause uses would + the base verb (the infinitive without to).
| If-clause (condition) | Result clause | Full sentence |
|---|---|---|
| If + Past Simple | would + base verb | If I knew her number, I would call her. |
| If I won the big prize, | I would buy a treehouse. | If I won the big prize, I would buy a treehouse. |
| If we lived in Paris, | we would speak French. | If we lived in Paris, we would speak French. |
With the verb be, the Second Conditional uses were for every subject — I, he, she and it too. In everyday speech you may also hear was, but in careful English and in exams, were is the correct choice.
| Subject | Standard form ✓ | Example |
|---|---|---|
| I / he / she / it | were | If I were you, I would rest. / If he were here, he would help. |
| you / we / they | were | If they were older, they would travel more. |
This is the heart of the unit. The First Conditional talks about a real, possible future. The Second Conditional talks about something imaginary or unlikely. The grammar tells the listener how you feel about the chance.
| Idea | First Conditional (real) | Second Conditional (imaginary) |
|---|---|---|
| Structure | If + Present, will + verb | If + Past, would + verb |
| A likely future plan | If it rains, I will take an umbrella. | ✗ (this is a real plan) |
| A dream / unlikely idea | ✗ (this is not real) | If I ruled the world, I would give everyone ice cream. |
| Meaning | "This can really happen." | "This is only my imagination." |
The result clause does not always use would. We change the modal to change the meaning — how certain the imaginary result is.
| Modal | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| would | the sure imaginary result | If I had a dog, I would walk it every day. |
| could | would be able to / a possibility | If I had a bike, I could ride to school. |
| might | maybe (not sure) | If you asked her, she might say yes. |
You will use the Second Conditional mostly for two things in real life:
| Use | How | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Giving advice | Put yourself in the other person's place with "If I were you..." | If I were you, I wouldn't worry so much. |
| Imagining / dreaming | Describe an unreal situation and its result | If I could live anywhere, I would choose the coast. |
These are the errors B1 students make most often with the Second Conditional. Check your own writing against this list.
| Wrong ✗ | Right ✓ | Why? |
|---|---|---|
| If I would have money, I would travel. | If I had money, I would travel. | Never use would in the if-clause — use the Past Simple. |
| If she studies, she would pass. | If she studied, she would pass. | Imaginary condition → Past Simple, not Present. |
| If I had a car, I will drive. | If I had a car, I would drive. | Second Conditional result uses would, not will. |
| If I was you, I would rest. | If I were you, I would rest. | Use were for all subjects in careful English. |
| If I won, I would to buy a kite. | If I won, I would buy a kite. | After would, use the base verb (no to). |
Two friends imagine their dream lives. Read it twice and notice the pattern: If + Past Simple in the condition, would / could in the result.
Choose the correct answer. — 10 questions, each one is marked instantly. Questions get harder as you go.
Learn the words, then use them in your own imaginary sentences.
Write 8 sentences about your dreams and imaginary situations. Use at least 8 of the words above.
Sentence starters (you can begin with these):
Değerlendirme öğretmenin tarafından yapılacak. (Your teacher will review your task.)
Read the text, then answer the questions.
Good readers prepare before they start. Before you read, think about these three questions (you do not need to write the answers):
Words to spot (from the Speaking section): dream · talent · talented · chance · opportunity · imagine · wonder · regret
Mila is ten years old, and she loves school, but her favourite thing in the whole world is daydreaming. Like a lot of children, she often wonders what her life would be like if things were a little different. 'If I had a pet dragon,' she says with a big smile, 'I think I would fly to school every morning.'
Every day, Mila walks to school with her little brother, Kaya. The walk is long, and sometimes it is cold and rainy. She sits in class, listens to her teacher, and does her reading and maths. Mila is a good student, and she likes learning new things. But when a lesson gets boring, her mind starts to wander, and a bright, magical world appears inside her head.
In this daydream world, anything is possible. Mila imagines that she has a small green dragon called Ember. 'If Ember were real,' she thinks, 'we would fly over the mountains together, and I would never be late again.' These little dreams do not stop her from working; instead, they give her fresh energy for the rest of the day.
Mila has many other daydreams too. She has always had a talent for drawing, and she fills her notebooks with pictures of strange animals. 'If I could talk to animals, I would ask my cat where she goes at night,' she says. 'And if I had the opportunity to breathe under water, I would swim with the dolphins and find a secret city under the sea.'
When Mila was younger, she wanted to be an astronaut. She still loves the stars, and on clear nights she looks up at the moon through her bedroom window. 'If I lived on the moon,' she once told Kaya, 'I would bounce everywhere, like a big rubber ball!' Kaya laughed. 'If I were you, I would take lots of snacks,' he said, 'because the moon is very far away!'
Her best friend, Duru, is very talented at music, and the two girls love to imagine adventures together. 'But why a dragon?' Duru once asked. Mila's eyes lit up. 'If I had the chance, I would visit every country in one day,' she answered. 'I would see the jungle, the desert, and the North Pole before dinner!' However, Duru just giggled, because she thought the dragon was only a dream.
Some grown-ups do not really understand Mila's daydreams. 'You should think about real things,' her aunt sometimes says. But Mila does not think that dreaming is a waste of time, and she does not regret a single minute of it. For her, imagining a magical life is like reading a good story or watching a fun film. It costs nothing, so it hurts no one, and it makes every grey day feel brighter.
Of course, Mila knows that dragons are not real. If everyone had a dragon, she says with a laugh, the sky would be very crowded! 'I am very happy with my life,' she admits. 'But it is nice to imagine. If we never dreamed, life would be very grey.' Still, in the morning, she always wakes up ready for a real day at school.
Choose the correct answer.
Are these sentences true or false, according to the text?
Complete each sentence with ONE word from the text. Mind the Second Conditional form (Past Simple in the if-clause, would in the result).
Write your answer in your own words. These questions are not marked automatically.
1. If Mila had a pet dragon, what does she think she would do, and why?
2. What would Mila do if she could talk to animals?
3. Do you agree with Mila that 'if we never dreamed, life would be very grey'? Why or why not?
Find these connectors in the text — each one appears at least once: and, but, so, however, still. (You will use these same connectors in the Writing section.) Note them down, then check.
Gyri and Viyasan talk about the talents they would love to have.
You will hear two friends, Gyri and Viyasan, talking about talents they wish they had — memory, dancing, sport and basketball. You will listen TWICE. First listen: answer questions 1-5. Second listen: answer questions 6-10. (Kaydı İKİ kez dinleyeceksin: ilk dinlemede 1-5, ikinci dinlemede 6-10.)
Write and submit your paragraph; your teacher will review it.
A list of short, separate sentences is not real writing. What connects your ideas is linking words. At A2 you used and, but, so, because. At B1 you add stronger connectors like also, however, although and still. When you write about imaginary situations, connectors help you move smoothly between a dream and reality.
| Connector | Use it to... | Example |
|---|---|---|
| and | add information | If I had a dragon, I would fly, and I would visit my friends. |
| but | show a small contrast | I love my house, but I would still like to see the whole world. |
| so | show a result | I have no dragon, so I only dream about flying. |
| because | give a reason | I would visit the jungle because I love wild animals. |
| also | add an extra point | If I were a giant, I would help my friends. I would also carry their bags. |
| however | contrast between two sentences | I would love to be a singer. However, I am a little shy. |
| although | show a strong contrast | Although it is only a dream, I imagine it often. |
| still | say something is true in spite of things | My life is fun, but I still have big dreams. |
See the difference — the same ideas, written two ways:
| Separate sentences ✗ | Connected, fluent writing ✓ |
|---|---|
| I am a student. I like my school. I would change one thing. I would have a pet dragon. I have no magic. | I am a student, and I like my school. However, if I could change one thing, I would have a pet dragon. Still, I have no magic, so for now it is only a dream. |
An "imaginary life" paragraph has three parts. The skeleton stays the same every time — you change the content, not the structure:
| Part | What to write | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Opening | A general hypothetical topic sentence (Second Conditional) | If I could change one thing about my life, I would learn to fly. |
| 2. Body | Two or three imaginary situations and their results. Use If + Past Simple, would/could/might + verb, and link with connectors. | If I could fly, I would have more adventures, and I might visit the clouds. |
| 3. Closing | A final comment about reality or a wish | Of course, it is only a dream — but if I never dreamed, life would be grey. |
Imagine a magical, different life. Write about what you would do if your life were different. Use the Second Conditional.
Değerlendirme öğretmenin tarafından yapılacak. (Your teacher will evaluate your writing.)
Mixed questions from the whole unit, then check what you can do.
14 questions: grammar + vocabulary + reading + listening. Each question is marked instantly.
Tick what you can do now. Honest answers help your teacher.
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