THE THIRD CONDITIONAL
In a Type 3 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?
|
