You have probably heard about conditional sentences in English and thought it was a complex topic. Well, it doesn’t need to be. And here’s what the third conditional (also called conditional type 3) is and how it works.
What Conditional Sentences Are
It is said that the English language has 4 different types of conditional structures: zero conditional, first conditional, second conditional, and third conditional. However, to be completely honest, we have to add one more: the mixed conditional. Click here for a summary of all conditional sentences!
Third Conditional
This structure is used to talk about imaginary situations in the past and their also imagined results. The situation described didn’t happen neither did its result. Thus, the situation and its result are only imaginary. If the situation had happened, its result would have happened too. Everything described in this structure is not real.
Let’s understand how the third conditional is formed.
| Type of clause | If-clause (condition) | Main clause (result) |
| Verb tense | Past perfect | would have + past participle |
| Example | If I had studied more, | I would have passed the test |
In the example given above, you can see that I didn’t pass the test and now I regret it. If an imaginary situation had happened (If I had studied more) an imaginary result would have happened too (I would have passed the test).
Very common uses of this structure are to express regrets and criticisms.
More examples of this structure are shown below.
| If I had started saving money when I first got a job, I would have been able to buy that car |
| If my brother hadn’t forgotten to set the alarm clock, he wouldn’t have been late for work |
| If I hadn’t eaten that suspicious food, I wouldn’t have felt sick |
| My parents wouldn’t have been stuck in traffic if they had gotten the subway |
| She would have become a good businesswoman if she had carried out her creative ideas |
Using Other Modal Verbs In The Main Clause
We can also use other modal verbs such as could, should, and might instead of would in the main clause. See the examples below.
| If I had read that book, I could have been able to participate in the discussion |
| I should have remembered his birthday if I had checked my Facebook yesterday |
| If I had studied just a little bit more, I might have gotten a 10 |
Contractions
In everyday spoken interactions, it’s common to contract this structure. Had is usually contracted to ‘d, have to ‘ve, and would have to ‘d’ve. See some examples below.
| I‘d’ve come to the party if I‘d been invited |
| She‘d’ve told me if she‘d seen me |
| He‘d’ve remembered if you‘d told him about it |
| They‘d’ve visited me if they‘d known I was sick |
| I‘d’ve passed the driving test if I‘d practiced more |
Using the comma
As you can notice in the examples given above when you use the order if past perfect + would have past participle you use a comma (,) to separate the if-clause from the main clause.
However, when you use the order would have past participle + if past perfect you don’t need to use a comma to separate them.
Mastering the third conditional
Now you have all the information you need to master the third conditional in English. It’s not that complicated, is it? Remember that for you to master this structure, use it confidently and never forget it anymore, you should try and use it whenever possible.
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