English Subjects

THE THIRD CONDITIONAL

In a third conditional sentence, the tense in the 'if' clause is the past perfect, and the tense in the main clause is the perfect conditional:

'IF' CLAUSE	MAIN CLAUSE
If + past perfect If it had rained If you had worked harder	Perfect conditional you would have got wet you would have passed the exam.

In these sentences, the time is past, and the situation is contrary to reality. The facts they are based on are the opposite of what is expressed.

Type 3 conditional sentences, are truly hypothetical or unreal, because it is now too late for the condition or its result to exist. There is always an unspoken "but..." phrase:

If I had worked harder I would have passed the exam
(but I didn't work hard, and I didn't pass the exam).

If I'd known you were coming I'd have baked a cake
(but I didn't know, and I haven't baked a cake).

NOTE:

Both would and had can be contracted to 'd, which can be confusing. Remember that you NEVER use would in the IF-clause, so in the example above, "If I'd known" must be "If I had known", and "I'd have baked" must be "I would have baked.."

Examples:

a. If I'd known you were in hospital, I would have visited you.
b. I would have bought you a present if I'd known it was your birthday.
c. If they'd had a better goalkeeper they wouldn't have lost the game.
d. If you had told me you were on the Internet, I'd have sent you an e-mail.
e. Would you have bought an elephant if you'd known how much they eat?