Learn English Grammar: The 2nd Conditional: WOULD & COULD

Don't forget to watch my other conditional videos:

FIRST CONDITIONAL:

SECOND CONDITIONAL (this video):

THIRD CONDITIONAL:

ZERO CONDITIONAL:

TRANSCRIPT

Now, I like playing cricket. I want a £200 cricket bat, but unfortunately, I only have £100. Hmm, that's where I use the f-word. So, I write: "If I had £200 I would buy the bat." Okay? If I had £200, I would definitely buy the bat. No decision. I have already made my decision. But right now I do not have £200. I'm saying if I did have it. If I had £200, this is what I would do, I would buy the bat. Another way of saying it would be... A different meaning: "If I had £200 I could buy the bat." So, this way, buying the bat, it's an option, it's something I could decide to do, but I haven't definitely committed to buying it. If I had £200, sure, I could buy the bat, but I'm not saying that I will buy it. There's more power here in the "could".

So, how does this tense work? What's the magic formula? "If" plus the past simple, your verb in the past simple... So, here, we had: "If I had", so that's a past simple tense of "have", yeah? "Avoir" in French. "If I had" and then the conditional tense. And here, we're looking at sort of: "could", "would", "should", plus your verb in the infinitive. So: "If I had £200, I should buy the bat. You know, it'd be rude not to, really, wouldn't it?" Or: "I could buy the bat, but I might not, too." Or: "I would buy the bat." Yeah? So, "would" is kind of a little bit more desperate. "Could" is like: "Yeah, you know, maybe." And "should" is like: "Yes, that's the right thing to do." Okay? And then you've got your verb in the infinitive. "I would buy", okay? So we've got the verb "to buy" the bat, but we don't need "to". You don't need "to", so it's just the form of the verb in the infinitive without "to". "If I had I would".

Now, you kind of flip this on its head and put it in a slightly different word order. You could have your conditional tense followed by "if", followed by past simple. So, here, it would be: "I could buy the bat if I had £200." Yeah? So you're just flipping it around. It works, obviously, with: "could", "would", and "should". "I should buy the bat"... No, it doesn't really work with "should", that's crap. "I would buy the bat if I had £200." Okay? So you can use it this way or this way; the choice is yours. "If" plus a condition gets a result. "If", past simple, "I would". Okay?

Now, you kind of flip this on its head and put it in a slightly different word order. You could have your conditional tense followed by "if", followed by past simple. So, here, it would be: "I could buy the bat if I had £200." Yeah? So you're just flipping it around. It works, obviously, with: "could", "would", and "should". "I should buy the bat"... No, it doesn't really work with "should", that's crap. "I would buy the bat if I had £200." Okay? So you can use it this way or this way; the choice is yours. "If" plus a condition gets a result. "If", past simple, "I would". Okay?

[saragomaa]

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[Myztery]

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[difficultdo]

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[alejandrocoronado]

This is a great video for learn second conditional
Thanks for the video

[oguzkaya]

I have watched so many lesson about this topics, but when I watch you I understood finally :) thanks a lot! you are the best!

[nailatp]

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[dylancinco]

Good explanation teacher, thank you!!

[berkaysonmezsk]

Benjamin, I've just realized that most of the people don't mention about could and should part of this grammar. Thanks for the detailed information that you gave us.

[anapaulaamavizca]

easy to understand, thanks teacher!!✌🏼✌🏼

[paveltsi]

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[alexa_rmz]

Happy Easter teacher!! This was such a good lesson!! See you on Monday :)

[gabrieladiaz]

Thank you for the video
Now I understand how use second condicional

[luisangeldelacruzperez]

The second conditional I understood it very well, thanks for the explanation, it was great your video!!!

[dipperpines]

Simple, direct to the point and replied to all my questions, as always. Thanks teacher.

[musictrance]

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[user.xitado]

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[ummhalil]

Thank you so much, I'm really excited to find lessons about conditionals I'm so happy now, thank you, teacher!!!! Really appreciate your work for us and hope to see more and more your English lessons!!

[fabmcmillan]

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[alexiamurrieta]

Excellent explanation and very interesting=D

[gulfidangulver]

Kurban olsunlar 😍
A perfect teacher ! Thanks a lot..