The Third Conditional
We make the third conditional by using the past perfect after 'if' and then 'would have'
and the past participle in the second part of the sentence:
if + past perfect, ...would + have + past participle
It talks about the past. It's used to describe a situation that didn't happen, and to
imagine the result of this situation.
If she had studied, she would have passed the exam (but, really we know she
didn't study and so she didn't pass)
If I hadn't eaten so much, I wouldn't have felt sick (but I did eat a lot, and so I
did feel sick).
If we had taken a taxi, we wouldn't have missed the plane
She wouldn't have been tired if she had gone to bed earlier
She would have become a teacher if she had gone to university
He would have been on time for the interview if he had left the house at nine
Third Conditional
for no possibility
If I had won the lottery, I would have bought a car.
The first conditional and second conditionals talk about the future. With
the third conditional we talk about the past. We talk about a condition in the
past that did not happen. That is why there is no possibility for this condition.
The third conditional is also like a dream, but with no possibility of the dream
coming true.
Last week you bought a lottery ticket. But you did not win.
i condition result
f
Past Perfect would have + past
participle
If I had won the I would have bought a car.
lottery,
Notice that we are thinking about an impossible past condition. You did not
win the lottery. So the condition was not true, and that particular condition can
never be true because it is finished. We use the Past Perfect tense to talk
about the impossible past condition. We use would have + past participle to
talk about the impossible past result. The important thing about the third
conditional is that both the condition and result are impossible now.
Look at these example senteces:
i condition result
f
Past Perfect would have + past participle
If I had seen Mary, I would have told her.
If Tara had been free yesterday, I would have invited her.
i condition result
f
Past Perfect would have + past participle
If they had not passed their exam, their teacher would have been sad.
If it had rained yesterday, would you have stayed at home?
If it had rained yesterday, what would you have done?
result i condition
f
would have + past participle Past Perfect
I would have told Mary if I had seen her.
I would have invited Tara if she had been free yesterday.
Their teacher would have been sad if they had not passed their exam.
Would you have stayed at home if it had rained yesterday?
result i condition
f
would have + past participle Past Perfect
What would you have done if it had rained yesterday?
Sometimes, we use should have, could have, might have instead of would
have, for example: If you had bought a lottery ticket, you might have won.
Mini Quiz
1. The third conditional is used when both the condition and result are
no longer possible
still possible
always true
2. "If we _______ free, we would have gone with you." Which is correct?
were
are
had been
3. "If you'd studied harder, you _______ failed." Which creates a third
conditional sentence that makes sense?
would
would have
wouldn't have
