happen to
Hello Gurus of English and masters of grammar! I have pivotal question to ask. The bottom line is I can't comprehend a difference between two constructions.
If I happened to find 100 dollars, I would buy a cinema ticket.
If I found 100 dollars, I would buy cinema ticket.
As far as I am concerned, the Second Conditional is about unlikely present actions or unreal future ones. In this case, what id the difference between the construction with "happen to" and without it?

Question

happen to
Hello Gurus of English and masters of grammar! I have pivotal question to ask. The bottom line is I can't comprehend a difference between two constructions.
If I happened to find 100 dollars, I would buy a cinema ticket. 
If I found 100 dollars, I would buy  cinema ticket.
As far as I am concerned, the Second Conditional is about unlikely present actions or unreal future ones. In this case, what id the difference between the construction with "happen to" and without it?

Answer

I am no guru, just a native speaker, but in meaning there is little or no difference between these phrases. The use of happen to is probably a little more literary but they mean the same.
"to happen to" can mean to encounter something by chance or good fortune so the first sentence emphasises the "chance" or "good fortune" of the speaker. 
Hope that helps.

Answers · 1

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