Read some examples of third conditional sentences and how to use them.
THIRD CONDITIONAL SENTENCES – There are four types of conditional sentences, and here are some examples of the third type.
A conditional sentence presents a hypothetical situation along with its potential result. It is made up of a subordinate clause that states the condition and a main clause that shows the outcome. Conditional sentences are generally classified into four types, and in this article, we will focus on the third type.
What is the third conditional sentence? The third type of conditional sentence is used to talk about unreal situations in the past. This often expresses regret or imagines a different outcome. It refers to an impossible condition in the past and its probable result in the past. The third conditional formula is: If + [past perfect], … would have + [past participle], simply speaking, If this thing had happened, that thing would have happened.
The if clause is the condition with the past perfect, and the main clause is the result that contains perfect conditional or perfect continuous conditional.
In third conditional sentences, modal verbs can replace “would” in the main clause to show varying degrees of certainty, possibility, permission, or even advice about the result. Would and had can be contracted to ‘d; just remember these two rules:
1. would never appear in the if-clause so if ‘d appears in the if clause, it must be abbreviating had.
2. had never appeared before, so if ‘d appeared on a pronoun just before have, it must be abbreviating would.
Example sentences:
- If I had studied harder, I might have passed the exam.
- If he called you, you could go.
- If I’d known you were in hospital, I’d have visited you.
- I would have bought you a present if I had known it was your birthday.
- If you had told me about the meeting, I would have come.
- If it hadn’t been snowing heavily, we’d have carried on skiing.
- She wouldn’t have given you a fine if you’d apologized.
- If we’d moved to Scotland when I was a child, I would have a Scottish accent now.
- If she was really my friend, she wouldn’t have lied to me.
- If I hadn’t been ill, I would have gone to the party.