U N I T 6  

: C O N D I T I O N A L T Y P E 3

Third Conditional: IF condition result

no possibility
WOULD HAVE +
  past perfect
The first conditional and second conditionals talk past participle
about the future. With the third conditional we talk
about the past. We talk about a condition in the past If I had seen Mary I would have told her.
that did not happen. That is why there is no
possibility for this condition. The third conditional Tara had been free I would have invited
If
is also like a dream, but with no possibility of the yesterday her.
dream coming true.
they had not passed their teacher would
If
Last week you bought a lottery ticket. But you did their exam have been sad.
not win. :-(
it had rained would you have
If
yesterday stayed at home?
  condition result
it had rained what would you have
If
WOULD HAVE + Past yesterday done?
  Past Perfect
Participle
 
I had won the result IF condition
If I would have bought a car.
lottery
WOULD HAVE +
  past perfect
Notice that we are thinking about an impossible past participle
past condition. You did not win the lottery. So the
condition was not true, and that particular condition I would have told
if I had seen her.
can never be true because it is finished. We use the Mary
past perfect tense to talk about the impossible past
condition. We use WOULD HAVE + past I would have invited she had been free
if
participle to talk about the impossible past result. Tara yesterday.
The important thing about the third conditional is
Their teacher would they had not passed
that both the condition and result are impossible if
have been sad their exam.
now.
Would you have it had rained
Look at some more examples in the tables opposite: if
stayed at home yesterday?

What would you have it had rained

if
done yesterday?

English class © Conditionals