3rd conditional

You can use the 3rd conditional to talk about 'impossible' conditions and imagining a
different past than the one that happened. They are impossible because they are in the
past and we cannot change what has happened.

Examples:
• If I had won the lottery, I would have bought a car.
(Last week you bought a lottery ticket but you did not win and so didn’t buy a car).
• If he had studied harder, he would have passed his exams.
(In reality he didn’t study hard and because of that he didn’t pass his exams).

This is how you form a 3rd conditional sentence:

if + past perfect + would have + past participle
(impossible past condition impossible past result)

The important thing to remember is that both the condition and result are impossible
now.

if condition result
past perfect, would have + past participle
If I had won the lottery, I would have bought a car.
If he had worked harder at school, he would have got better grades.

Note: We use a comma after the past tense clause.

You do not use ‘would have’ in the ‘if’ part of the sentence.

We can also change the order of the two clauses with no change in meaning:

result if condition
would have + past participle past perfect,
I would have bought a car if I had won the lottery.
He would have got better grades if he had worked harder at school.

Note: The comma is not necessary with this word order.

Practice 1:
Choose the correct ending to form 3rd conditional sentences.

1) I would have been on time if my alarm clock had gone off.

she would have been able to concentrate better.

2) If she had gone to bed earlier,

3) I would have lent you the money Please select

4) If you'd been more organised, Please select

5) If they’d taken my advice, Please select

Negatives:
To make a negative sentence, you need to use past perfect + ‘wouldn’t have.'

if condition result
past perfect, wouldn’t have + past participle
If they had passed their exam, their teacher wouldn’t have been sad.
If I had eaten less, I wouldn't have felt sick.

result if condition
wouldn’t have + past participle if past perfect
Their teacher wouldn’t have been sad if they had passed their exam.
I wouldn't have felt sick. if I had eaten less.
 We can also make a negative sentence using ‘had not’ + past perfect + would have + past
participle.

Compare these two sentences:

If they had passed their exam, their teacher wouldn’t have been sad.
This sentence means the students didn’t pass the exam therefore the teacher was sad.

If they hadn’t passed their exam, their teacher would have been sad.
This sentence means that the students passed the exam therefore the teacher was happy.

Practice 2:
Complete the 3rd conditional sentences by selecting the correct option.

1.) l wouldn't have told you if I Please select known that you would get upset.

had
2.) I Please select recognized you if somebody hadn't told me who you were.

3.) I Please select forgotten all about it if you hadn't reminded me.

4.) If I'd left the house on time, I Please select missed the train.

5.) I wouldn't have bought this if I Please select known it only has a 3-month guarantee.

4.

I
Questions:
For the question form, we change the order of ‘would have’ and the ‘pronoun’.

if condition result?
If past perfect would + pronoun + have + past participle +?
If It had rained yesterday, would you have stayed at home?

result if condition + ?
would + pronoun + have + past participle +? if past simple + ?
Would you have stayed at home if it had rained yesterday?

Practice 3:
Select the correct endings for these 3rd conditional sentences.

1. If Dave had got lost, Please select

2. If she had became famous, Please select

3. Would we have moved out Please select

As we have seen the third conditional is often used to express regret or to complain about
something.

Example:
• It would’ve been even better if Lisa hadn’t ruined it!

With the third conditional we can also use other modal verbs in place of ‘would have’, e.g.
'could have', ‘should have’ or 'might have’.

Examples:

• If I had seen her at the meeting, I would have asked her.

(But she wasn't there so I didn't.)

• If I had seen her at the meeting, I could have asked her.

(But she wasn't there so it wasn't possible.)

• If I had seen her at the meeting, I might have asked her.

(But I'm not sure. Perhaps if the opportunity had arisen.)
Practice 4:
Write the words in the correct order to make sentences.

1. have told me. would if remembered I you’d

........................................................................................................................

2. would had have revised more, passed the exam. she If she

........................................................................................................................

3. the train If we have hadn’t missed we would arrived on time.

........................................................................................................................

4. If been there have met him. you’d could you

........................................................................................................................

5. I If could have I’d known helped.

........................................................................................................................

Practice 5:
Complete the sentences using the third conditional.

1.) He didn't get promoted. He couldn't buy a bigger flat.

= If he'd got promoted, _______________ a bigger flat.

2.) You didn't tell us earlier. We didn't do anything.

= We could have done something _______________ us earlier.

3.) You stopped quickly. We didn't crash.

= If you hadn't stopped quickly, _______________ crashed.

4.) You didn't apply for the job. You didn't get an interview.

= You might _______________ if you'd applied for the job.

 5.) I went to the party. You persuaded me to go.

= I wouldn't have _______________ me to go.

Practice 6:
Complete the sentences using the third conditional.

If he ______________ (not / be) late, we ______________ (not / miss) the bus.

If e ______________ (study), she ______________ (pass) the exam.

If I ______________ (go) to bed early, I ______________ (not / wake) up late.

If she ______________ (go) to dance school, she ______________ (become) a

ballerina.

If she ______________ (go) to university, she ______________ (study) French.

Mixed Conditionals:

If the result of an action is in the present, we use a mixed conditional.

This is how you form a mixed conditional sentence:

if + past perfect + would have + infinitive

(impossible past condition impossible present result)

Compare these two sentences:

If it hadn’t rained, I would have gone to the beach.

This sentence means that in reality it rained in the past and I didn’t go to the beach.

If it hadn’t rained, I would have been/be sitting on the beach now.

This sentence means that in reality it rained in the past and I am not at the beach now.

Other mixed conditionals could be (but are not limited to):

• An impossible past action with an impossible future result:

 If she had signed up for the trip last week, she would be joining us tomorrow.
(But she didn't sign up for the trip last week and she isn't going to join us tomorrow).

• An impossible present action with an impossible past result:

If Jane spoke Spanish, she would have translated the letter for him.
(But Jane doesn't speak Spanish and that is why she didn't translate the letter).

• An impossible present action with an impossible future result:

If my husband weren't so nice, he wouldn't be cooking for me tonight.

(But my husband is nice and he is going to cook for me tonight).