Third conditional
The third conditional expresses hypothetical situations in the past and their imaginary consequences.
Table of Contents
1.Clauses Recap
1.1The Basics
A clause is a group of words that contains a subject and a verb. It can function as a whole sentence (a main clause) or as part of a sentence ( a subordinate clause).
| Main Clause | Subordinate Clause (needs more information to be a full sentence) |
|---|---|
| also called Independent Clause expresses a complete thought and can stand alone as a sentence |
also called Dependent Clause does not express a complete thought and cannot stand alone; needs to be connected to an independent clause. |
| Examples: | Examples: |
| She will help me. I would go for a walk. We’ll go out. You’ll pass the test. |
If I ask her about it If it weren't that cold If the meeting ends If you study hard |
| There are different types of Subordinate clauses (see Topic Clauses). |
| We normally express a condition using an if - clause with a main clause. |
| Conditional sentences / Conditionals are often categorised as: Zero, First, Second, Third, Mixed and False. |
1.2When and If
The words Wnen and If are similar in many languages but different in English:
| Example | Meaning |
|---|---|
| If you come to my place tonight, we'll have dinner together. | = you may come |
| When you come to my place tonight, we'll have dinner together. | = you are coming. |
2.Third Conditional UNREAL / Structure
2.1Standart Forms
The third conditional expresses hypothetical situations in the past and their imaginary consequences. It deals with situations that did not happen and speculates about what would have occurred if they had.
| Rules and Tenses Standard Form |
Examples | Context |
|---|---|---|
| If: Past Perfect Main:Future Perfect in the Past would have + base verb III |
If I had studied harder, I would have passed the exam. | Regret about past inaction and its imaginary better outcome. I DIDN't study hard and I FAILED the exam. |
| If they had left earlier, they would have caught the train. | Past situation that didn't happen and its imaginary consequence. They DIDN'T leave earlier and they MISSED the train. |
Practice Examples
If I (remember) _____ her birthday, I (avoid) _____ the silent treatment.
If he (study) _____ instead of watching Netflix, he (pass) _____ the exam.
If we (take) _____ that left turn, we (not/end up) _____ in a cow field.
2.2Alternative Forms
| Rules and Tenses Alternative |
Examples | Context |
|---|---|---|
| If: Past Perfect Progressive (Continuous) Main:Future Perfect in the Past would have + base verb III |
Example: If I had been working there longer, I would have gotten a promotion. | Hypothetical duration of past action and its imaginary result. I DIDN'T get a promotion. |
| If:Past Perfect Main:could have/might have + base verb III |
If you had applied earlier, you could have gotten the job. | Missed opportunity and possible alternative outcome. You DIDN'T apply earlier. |
| If we had known about the traffic, we might have taken a different route. | Less certain hypothetical past outcome. We DIDN'T know about the traffic. | |
| If:Past Perfect Main:Future Perfect Progressive (Continuous) in the Past would have been + -ing |
If I had gone to the party, I would have been dancing all night. | Hypothetical ongoing past activity. I DIDN'T go to the party. |
Practice Examples
If you (call) _____ me earlier, I (could / help) _____ you with the problem.
If the weather (be) _____ better, we (might / go) _____ to the beach.
If she (study) _____ medicine, she (could / become) _____ a doctor.
3.Use
3.1Regrets About the Past
The third conditional describes past hypothetical situations and their imagined results. It refers to actions that did not happen and their consequences.
It can be used to express wishes or regrets about past actions that cannot be changed.
| Example | Context |
|---|---|
| If I had studied harder, I would have passed the exam. | Reality: I didn’t study hard, so I failed. |
| If she had left earlier, she wouldn’t have missed the flight. | Reality: She left late and missed it. |
| If they had listened to the warning, they wouldn’t have gotten lost. | Reality: They ignored the warning and got lost. |
| If we had saved money, we could have bought a house. | Reality: We didn’t save, so we couldn’t buy one. |
| If he had apologized, she might have forgiven him. | Reality: He didn’t apologize, so she didn’t forgive. |
Practice Examples
If she (spend) _____ more time with her grandmother, she (not / miss) _____ anything.
If we (save) _____ money for years, we (could / afford) _____ our dream house.
If he (apologize) _____ to his friend, they (not / get) _____ into argument.
3.2Imagining Different Past Outcomes
The third conditional describes past hypothetical situations and their imagined results. It refers to actions that did not happen and their consequences.
It can be used to speculate about how things could have been different if past actions had changed.
| Example | Context |
|---|---|
| If you had told me the truth, I would have trusted you. | Reality: You lied, so I didn’t trust you. |
| If the weather had been better, we would have gone hiking yesterday. | Reality: The weather was bad, so we didn’t go hiking. |
| If he had taken the job, he would have earned more. | Reality: He refused the job and earned less. |
| If she had known about the party, she would have come. | Reality: Nobody told her, so she didn’t come. |
| If they had invested in Bitcoin, they would have become millionaires. | Reality: They didn’t invest, so they weren't able to get rich. |
Practice Examples
If you (tell) _____ me the truth, I (trust) _____ you.
If they (invest) _____ in that company, they (become) _____ millionaires.
If we (take) _____ the scenic route, we (enjoy) _____ the beautiful views.
3.3Criticizing Past Decisions
The third conditional describes past hypothetical situations and their imagined results. It refers to actions that did not happen and their consequences.
It can be used to criticize or blame someone (or yourself) for past mistakes.
| Example | Context |
|---|---|
| If you had driven carefully, you wouldn’t have crashed. | Reality: You drove recklessly and crashed. |
| If he had checked the map, he wouldn’t have gotten lost. | Reality: He didn’t check and got lost. |
| If she had set an alarm, she wouldn’t have overslept. | Reality: She forgot and was late. |
| If they had followed the instructions, the machine wouldn’t have broken. | Reality: They ignored the instructions and broke it. |
| If I hadn’t trusted him, I wouldn’t have been betrayed. | Reality: I trusted him and got betrayed. |
Practice Examples
If you (drive) _____ carefully, you (not / crash) _____ .
If she (listen) _____ to the advice, she (not / fail) _____ the exam.
If they (check) _____ the weather forecast, they (not / cancel) _____ the event.
3.4Expressing Missed Opportunities
The third conditional describes past hypothetical situations and their imagined results. It refers to actions that did not happen and their consequences.
It can be used to talk about chances that were lost in the past.
| Example | Context |
|---|---|
| If I had applied earlier, I would have gotten the job. | Reality: I applied too late and missed it. |
| If we had bought tickets in advance, they wouldn’t have sold out. | Reality: We waited, and they sold out. |
| If she had accepted the offer, her career would have improved. | Reality: She rejected it and stayed in the same position. |
| If they had trained harder, they could have won the championship. | Reality: They didn’t train enough and lost. |
| If he had proposed sooner, she might have said yes. | Reality: He waited too long, and she moved on. |
Practice Examples
If I (apply) _____ earlier, I (get) _____ the job.
If she (audition) _____ for the play, she (could / land) _____ the lead role.
If we (bid) _____ higher, we (might / win) _____ the auction.
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