Easy Word | Luyện ngữ pháp

Luyện ngữ pháp - Destination B1 ((Unit 29: Grammar - Conditionals 2: (third)))

Form - Third conditional

Third conditional if + past perfect simple, would + have + past participle

Use	Example
Unreal situations in the past and their unreal past results	If the chemist had been* open, I would have bought some aspirin.* ( = The chemist wasn't open, so I didn't buy any aspirin.) If I hadn't listened* to you, I would have cooked the chicken for too long.* ( = I listened to you, so I didn't cook the chicken for too long.) If he had seen* the doctor, he wouldn't have been ill for such a long time.* ( = He didn't see the doctor, so he was ill for a long time.) If you hadn't eaten* a giant pizza, you wouldn't have been sick!* ( = You ate a giant pizza, so you were sick.)

Use

Example

Unreal situations in the past and their unreal past results

If the chemist had been open, I would have bought some aspirin.
( = The chemist wasn't open, so I didn't buy any aspirin.)

If I hadn't listened to you, I would have cooked the chicken for too long.
( = I listened to you, so I didn't cook the chicken for too long.)

If he had seen the doctor, he wouldn't have been ill for such a long time.
( = He didn't see the doctor, so he was ill for a long time.)

If you hadn't eaten a giant pizza, you wouldn't have been sick! ( = You ate a giant pizza, so you were sick.)

Helpful hints
We can also use could and might instead of would, depending on the meaning. ✓ If you had eaten a giant pizza, you might* have been sick!* ( = It's possible, but not certain, that you would have been sick.) ✓ If Mary had told me she was coming, I could* have cooked a nice meal.* ( = I would have been able to cook a nice meal.)

Helpful hints

We can also use could and might instead of would, depending on the meaning.

✓ If you had eaten a giant pizza, you might have been sick!
( = It's possible, but not certain, that you would have been sick.)

✓ If Mary had told me she was coming, I could have cooked a nice meal.
( = I would have been able to cook a nice meal.)

Watch out!
• The third conditional is the only conditional that refers to the past. ✓ If I had had* a headache, I would have taken an aspirin. ( = in the past)* • We use past simple in the second conditional, but that does not refer to the past. ✓ If I had* a headache, I would take an aspirin. ( = now or generally)* • For more information on the second conditional, see Unit 128.

Watch out!

• The third conditional is the only conditional that refers to the past.
✓ If I had had a headache, I would have taken an aspirin. ( = in the past)

• We use past simple in the second conditional, but that does not refer to the past.
✓ If I had a headache, I would take an aspirin. ( = now or generally)

• For more information on the second conditional, see Unit 128.

Third conditional

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