Imagine waking up from a dream where you were a famous singer or a great athlete. Wouldn't it be cool if those dreams could come true?
Well, we can't time-travel, but we can talk about what could have happened. That's where the third conditional comes in!
Let's learn how to say things like, "If I had studied harder, I would have passed the exam."
Want to learn more? Get ready to explore this grammar magic.
Well, the third conditional is a grammar tool used to imagine what might have happened if things had been different in the past. It describes situations that didn't actually occur and are just hypothetical or made-up. It typically involves an if clause with the past perfect tense and a main clause with “would have” plus the past participle.
We use it to express regret, disappointment, or just to imagine how things could have been different. It is also used to reflect on the missed opportunities.
Got it?
Let's try to understand it better by these examples:
1. If I had known the answer, would you have helped me?
2. If we had caught the train, we wouldn't have missed the fest.
3. She would have bought the house if it hadn't been so expensive.
Does that make more sense? Now let me show you how to form the structure.
Let's see a sentence of the third conditional which can be written in two ways.
If Clause [Past Perfect] |
Main Clause [Would have + Past Participle] |
a. If it hadn’t rained, |
we would have gone to the beach. |
To use the inverted structure, you need to move the "Main Clause" part to the beginning of the sentence and rearrange the "If Clause" so that it follows it. The inversion can make the sentence sound more formal or dramatic.
Example:
b. We would have gone to the beach if it hadn’t rained.
Main Clause [Would have + Past Participle] |
If Clause [Past Perfect] |
b. We would have gone to the beach. |
if it hadn’t rained. |
Now that you have learnt the structure, let me also show you how to form the negative and interrogative sentences.
Examples:
1.If she hadn't practiced hard, she would not have become a famous guitarist.
2. If she hadn't qualified the interview, she wouldn't have got the job.
Examples:
1. Would she have become a doctor if she hadn't opted for science?
2.Would she have got a better salary if she had qualified the training?
I am sure you must be eager to know the difference between the three conditionals. Here you go!
First Conditional
|
Third Conditional |
|
1. It is used to show the possibilities in the future.
|
1. It is used to show the unreal or imaginary situations in the present or future. |
1. It is used to show unreal or impossible situations in the past. |
2. Structure: If + present simple, will + infinitive |
2. Structure: If + simple past, would + infinitive |
2. Structure: If + past perfect, would have + past participle |
3. Example: If it rains tomorrow, we will stay inside. |
3. Example: If it rained tomorrow, we would stay inside. |
3. Example: If it had rained yesterday, we would have stayed inside. |
To sum up let me tell you some key points.
1. It refers to actions and their results in the past.
2. Both the condition and the result are imaginary and unreal.
3.It's often used to express imaginary situations and their consequences.
In essence, the Third conditional allows us to think about “what if” scenarios regarding the past and their potential results.
Want to see how good you are at imagining a world where you could change the past? Let's transform these sentences into the third conditional.
EXERCISES
1. Because of the rain, we stayed indoors.
2. Due to the traffic, we arrived late.
3. As a result of her injury, she couldn't play.
4. Owing to the storm, the flight was cancelled.
5. Because of the bad weather, the picnic was postponed.
1. If I had known you were coming, I _____ (bake) a cake.
2. We wouldn't have been late if we _____ (take) the flight.
3. She _____ (buy) the house if it had been cheaper.
4. If they _____ (dance) well, they would have won the competition.
5. What would you _____ (do) if you had won the Olympic medal?
I hope these exercises helped you practice the third conditional! Now it’s time to check your answers.
1. If it hadn't rained, we wouldn't have stayed indoors.
2. If there hadn't been traffic, we wouldn't have arrived late.
3. If she hadn't been injured, she could have played.
4. If there hadn't been a storm, the flight wouldn't have been cancelled.
5. If the weather hadn't been bad, the picnic wouldn't have been postponed.
1. would have baked
2. had taken
3. would have bought
4. had danced
5. have done