Second Conditional (2nd Conditional) Definition
Formation: If + Past Simple, + Would + Base Form
1/ For future actions dependent on the result of another future action or event, where there is only a small possibility of the conditions for the action being satisfied.
eg: If I won the lottery, I would stop working.
2/ For imaginary present actions, where the conditions for the action are NOT satisfied.
eg: If you phoned home more often, they wouldn't worry about you. (The conditions are not satisfied because the person does not phone home, so they do worry.)
TO BE: In Standard English this verb can take the 'were' form for all persons in the If clause.
eg: If I were you, I'd tell her.
CONTRACTIONS: 'Would' and 'had' are contracted to 'd; the way to distinguish them is simple because 'would' is always followed by a Base Form and 'had', as an Auxiliary Verb, is followed by a Past Participle.
eg: I'd tell her. 'Tell' is the Base Form so it means 'I would tell her'
I'd done it. 'Done' is the Past Participle so it means 'I had done it'
See Also:
Conditionals; Modal Verb; 1st Conditional; 3rd Conditional; Zero Conditional; Verb