If you lived on Mars, would you miss earth?
If. That one-syllable word opens the door to a world of imagination.
Whenever we read a novel or watch a Netflix series, we slip into the unreal world defined by if.
The second conditional is about imaginary or unreal situations. Just like the image above of the two people on Mars gazing up in the direction of earth.
The form of the second conditional is:
if + past tense, would + bare infinitive
If you lived on Mars, would you miss earth?
If you enjoy stories, plays, and films, then the second conditional is for you.
But, the second conditional can multi-task. In fact, there are many occasions where you can use this conditional at work.
Three ways to use the second conditional at work
Giving advice or making a suggestion
If you want to give advice in a tactful way, you could say:
If I were you, I would send the data to HQ by this afternoon.
Doesn’t that sound better than saying:
You should send the data to HQ by this afternoon.
You could use the second conditional with colleagues and with people who report to you. When you say, if I were you, you are putting yourself in their shoes. In a sense, you are nudging them to do something. Nudging is good, right?
Brainstorming
If we opened pop-up restaurants in all major cities, would people try the food?
If we offered a discount for the festive season, would we liquadate all our stock?
If the ad campaign focused only on Instagram, would we reach our target audience?
What do you think of these three second conditional sentences?
To my mind, these sentences invite thoughtful discussion. They ask the people in the room to consider other possibilities. The space for interaction and ideas expands. Thinking caps are put on.
Can you picture yourself using a second conditional sentence in your next meeting?
Proposing a solution
If we added two more associates to the team, would the client agree?
If the factory increased capacity utilization by 10%, would they deliver the shirts by Christmas?
Perhaps you wish to make a proposal. Using the second conditional is an indirect way of doing so. Just like in the case of brainstorming, it promotes meaningful discussion.
If you want to reach a consensus in the team, use the second conditional. It is an inclusive way of arriving at a decision.
Takeaway
Using the second conditional makes you sound more professional. By asking these tentative questions, you soften your language. You become more inclusive. You encourage meaningful conversations.
If that is the kind of person or leader you wish to be, then use the second conditional at least once today.
You can scroll up to review how to make a second conditional sentence–go to the form.
Since you’ve read till the end, I have a bonus for you.
The next time you hear the song, If I were a boy, you’ll be able to identify which conditional it is in. Wouldn’t that feel satisfying?
Thanks for singing the second conditional, Beyonce!
In this post, we have looked at the second conditional. Here are posts on two other conditionals — the zero conditional and the first conditional. If I were you, I would….
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