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Third Conditional

When you use Third Conditional

  • You use Third Conditional to talk about unreal PAST.
    Let’s study the examples:
    Example #1
    Real situation in the past:
    • I didn’t get up in time. I missed the bus.
    Unreal past:
    • If I had got up in time, I wouldn’t have missed the bus.
    Example #2
    Real situation in the past:
    • Kevin didn’t turn on the light. He fell over.
    Unreal past:
    • If Kevin had turned on the light, he wouldn’t have fallen over.

How to build statements in Third Conditional

Statement — positive or negative sentence

Conditional sentences consist of two parts: if-part and main part.

In Third Conditional you should use:
  • Past Perfect (had + V3/ed) in if-part
  • would + have + V3/ed in main part
If-part ➔ Past Perfect, main part ➔ would + have + V3/ed
  • If they had bought the tickets, they would have gone to the concert.
  • If we had known it before, we would have helped you.
  • if I hadn’t played in the last match, I wouldn’t have broken my arm.

You can also start a sentence with the main part. But still, you use would + have + V3/ed in the main part and Past Perfect in if-part.

Main part ➔ would + have + V3/ed | if-part + Past Perfect
  • They would have gone to the concert if they had bought the tickets.
  • We would have helped you if we had known it before.
  • I wouldn’t have broken my arm if I hadn’t played in the last match.

Yes/‌No Questions in Third Conditional

To build Yes/‌No question in Third Conditional:
  • you use tenses the same way you use them in statements (if-part ➔ Past Perfect, main part ➔ would + have + V3/ed)
  • in main part you make a question by putting would in the beginning
  • you can start Yes/‌No question with if-part or with main part

Follow this structure if you want to start Yes/‌No question with main part:

Main part ➔ Would + noun/‌pronoun + have + V3/ed | if-part ➔ Past Perfect
  • Would Noah have invited me to his party if I had asked him?
  • Would they have returned earlier if they had known about the robbery?
  • Would you have taken some photos, if you had had a camera with you?

Follow this structure if you want to start Yes/‌No question with if-part:

If-part ➔ Past Perfect, main part ➔ would + noun/‌pronoun + have + V3/ed
  • If I had asked Noah, would he have invited me to his party?
  • If they had known about the robbery, would they have returned earlier?
  • If you had had a camera with you, would you have taken some photos?

Wh-questions in Third Conditional

Wh-question is a question that starts with a question word (e.g., what, where, when, how, why, how long, etc.)
To build Wh-question in Third Conditional:
  • you use tenses the same way as you use them in statements (if-part ➔ Past Perfect, main part ➔ would + have + V3/ed)
  • in main part you make a question by putting Wh-question + would + noun/‌pronoun + have + verb
  • you can start Wh-question with if-part or with main part

Follow this structure if you want to start Wh-question with main part:

Main part ➔ Wh + would + noun/‌pronoun + have + V3/ed | if-part ➔ Past Perfect
  • How would you have passed the test if you had prepared for it?
  • What would she have bought if she had taken money with her?
  • What would you have done if James hadn’t called?

Follow this structure if you want to start Wh-question with if-part:

If-part ➔ Past Perfect, main part ➔ Wh + would + noun/‌pronoun + have + V3/ed
  • If you had prepared for the test, how would you have passed it?
  • If she had taken money with her, what would she have bought?
  • If James hadn’t called, what would you have done?

Second and Third Conditional ➔ Comparison

Second Conditional
Third Conditional
If-part ➔ Past Simple, main part ➔ would + verb If-part ➔ Past Perfect, main part ➔ would + have + V3/ed
  • use for unreal present or future
  • use for unreal past
  • If Matthew had time, he would visit his parents.
    /it is unreal present = he doesn’t have time, so he will not visit his parents/
  • If I saw Kelly today, I would give her the invitation.
    /it’s unreal present = I will not see Kelly today, so I will not give her the invitation/
  • If I were you, I would call him.
    /it’s unreal present = I will never be you/
  • If Matthew had had time, he would have visited his parents.
    /it’s unreal past because it has already happened and nothing can be changed = he didn’t have time, so he didn’t visit his parents/
  • If I had seen Kelly yesterday, I would have given her the invitation.
    /it’s unreal past because it has already happened and nothing can be changed = I didn’t see Kelly, so I didn’t give her the invitation/
  • If I had been there, I would have called him.
    /it’s unreal past because it has already happened and nothing can be changed = I wasn’t there, so I didn’t call him/
Practice!