FST Errachidia
Interpersonal communication Course
H.B
ENGLISH GRAMMAR
Third conditional
SST
1 Presentation
Structure Examples and use
Last night it was dry, so I went out.
If it had rained last night, I would have stayed at home.
If I had (+ past participle) ...,
I would have (+ past participle) ...
We use the third conditional when we talk about
Instead of would, we can use could an imaginary or hypothetical situation in the past.
or might. In the above example, the real situation was that it did not rain.
If I had known that he was there, I wouldn’t have come.
I would have said hello if I had seen you.
If he hadn’t been so tired, he could have finished the race.
Things to remember
• Wedonotuse would intheif-partofthesentence:
If it would have rained had rained last night, I would have stayed at home.
• The if-part of the sentence can go at the beginning or at the end:
Ifithadrained,Iwouldhavestayedathome. Iwouldhavestayedathomeifithadrained.
• We can say ’d instead of would or had:
If it had rained, I’d have stayed at home.
I would have said hello, if I’d seen you.
• We normally say ’d had instead of had had:
If I had had ’d had time, I would have sent you an email.
• The third conditional always refers to the past. The second conditional refers to the present or future:
If it had rained last night, I would have stayed at home. (It didn’t rain last night - past)
If it was raining now, I would stay at home. (It isn’t raining now - present)
1/2
Third conditional
ENGLISH GRAMMAR
2 Practice1
1. [Link] (wakeup)early,he
(not/be) late for work.
2. [Link] (not/rain),I (go
out).
3. Thetennisplayerdidn’ttrainatall,[Link] (not/be)so
talented,he (not/win).
4. I was almost ready to start looking for another job, but then my boss gave me a promotion. If he
(not/give)meapromotion,I (look)foranotherjob.
5. Jameswonthelottery,sohedidn’[Link] (not/quit)hisjobifhe
(not/win) the lottery.
6. Debbiewasattheparty,butIdon’[Link] (see)me,she
(say) hello.
7. Ithoughtthemeetingwasat9am,not8am.I (not/be)lateifI (know)
what time it started.
8. [Link] (study)harder,he (pass)them.
3 Practice2
Yesterday, Nick had a lot of problems. Read each problem and write a third conditional sentence using
the ideas below.
change the oil cook his lunch properly do some shopping
have an umbrella keep a diary pay his internet bill
1. He was not able to use the internet.
If he had paid his internet bill, he would have been able to use the internet.
2. He forgot his best friend’s birthday. Ifhe...................................................................................
His car broke down.
3. Hiscar................................................................................
He ran out of coffee.
If he...................................................................................
4.
He was soaking wet.
If he...................................................................................
5.
He got food poisoning in the evening.
If he...................................................................................
6.
2/2
Third conditional - Key
ENGLISH GRAMMAR
2- Practice 1
1. had woken up; wouldn’t have been
2. hadn’t rained ; would have gone
3. hadn’t been; wouldn’t have won
4. hadn’t given; would have looked
5. wouldn’t have quit; hadn’t won
6. had seen; would have said
7. wouldn’t have been ; had known
8. had studied; would have passed
3- Practice 2
2. If he had kept a diary, he would have remembered his best friend’s birthday.
3. His car wouldn’t have broken down if he had changed the oil.
4. If he had done some shopping, he wouldn’t have run out of coffee.
5. If he’d had an umbrella, he wouldn’t have been soaking wet.
6. If he had cooked his lunch properly, he wouldn’t have got food poisoning in the evening.