H OW W OU L D I T H A V E B EEN
D I F F E R E N T?
The Past that we cannot change
I maginary Past
We use the 3rd conditional to imagine and express the consequence
of a situation in the past that we cannot change any more, but we
can imagine
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If there had been internet yesterday, I could
have finished my corrections (teacher)
If I had travelled more, I would have visited
interesting places. (Luisina)
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STRUCTURE
• IF + PAST PERFECT ( HAD + PP)
• WOULD
• COULD + HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE
• MIGHT
• IF I had known YOU WERE COMING,
I would have cooked dinner
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Example Explanation
If you had driven more Criticism:
Criticism You had an accident
carefully, you wouldn`t because you didn't drive
have had an accident. carefully enough.
If we had played a little better,
Regret:
Regret We didn't play well, so
we could have won the
we lost the game.
game.
If you had saved your money, Criticism:
Criticism You didn't save your
you could have bought a money, so now you can't
computer. afford a computer.
If it had snowed, we could Regret:
Regret It didn't snow, so we
have gone skiing. couldn't go skiing
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Using the third conditional
• The third conditional is used to talk about
things which DID NOT happen in the past.
• It is often used to express criticism or regret:
criticism
regret
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FORM
if … had+p.p., …would+have+p.p.
If I had studied, I would have passed
the exam.
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Third Conditionals
Tense : If-clause ~ Past Perfect Tense
Main Clause ~ Would Have +
Past
Participle
Past Perfect Tense Would have+ Past Participle
If I had had enough money, I would have
bought the camera yesterday.
If I had come home earlier, I wouldn`t have
missed the programme.
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Third Conditionals
Use :
To speak about impossible past events
If they’d gone by bus, they would have
arrived much earlier.
(They walked)
He would have travelled around the world if
he had had more money.
(Impossible to change,
because he didn’t have the
money)
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Exercise Two
had come
1. If you ______________(come) to the party
yesterday,
you ________________ (see) her.
2. If I ________________ (not fail) in the
Would have bought
examination, my mother_______________
(buy)
me a new computer.
3. We ________________________ (finish) if we
________________ (have) better preparation.
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Fill in the gaps using the 3rd conditional:
if … had+p.p., …would+have+p.p.
• He crashed his car, because he fell asleep while
driving.
• If he ………hadn`t fallen………..asleep while
driving, he wouldn`t have crashed his car.
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Fill in the gaps using the 3rd conditional:
if … had+p.p., …would+have+p.p.
We couldn't go to the concert, because we
didn't have enough money.
If we HAD HAD enough money, we WOULD
HAVE GONE to the concert.
WHAT WOULD WE HAVE DONE?
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Fill in the gaps using the 3rd conditional:
if … had+p.p., …would+have+p.p.
• I lost my job because I was late for work.
If I HADN`T BEEN late for work, I
WOULDN`T HAVE LOST my job.
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Fill in the gaps using the third conditional:
• I couldn't call Sally because I had lost her
phone number.
• I……..Sally, if I ………her phone number.
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