CONDITIONAL TYPE 3 : TYPE 1 , TYPE 2 AND TYPE 3
CONDITIONAL TYPE 3 : TYPE 1 , TYPE 2 AND TYPE 3
Students sometimes have difficulty with conditional sentences, either because they cannot
find the appropriate type of condition to suit the situation, or because they make mistakes with
the sequence of tenses. Here, I’ll only be dealing with the three basic types of condition,
commonly referred to as Type 1, Type 2 and Type 3.
IV- CONDITIONAL TYPE 3
TYPE 3
PAST CONDITIONAL
UNREAL PAST
We can use conditional type 3 / past conditional / the third Conditional to talk about
'impossible' conditions; impossible because they are in the past and we cannot change what
has happened
This sometimes means that conditional sentences are about situations in the past that did not
occur and are imaginary.
We use it to:
1. criticize people,
2. point out their mistakes or
3. express regret about the past.
Sometimes we do things which we regret afterwards. Let us take the example of the little boy
who was knocked down and killed by a car last week when he ran into the road to get his ball.
The little boy ran into the road.
The car knocked him down.
The little boy was killed.
If the little boy hadn’t run into the road, the car wouldn’t have knocked him down.
He would have lost his ball but not his life.
Here we are looking at a past event and are just imagining what would or might have happened if
circumstances had been different.
Summary:
When is conditional type 3 used?
We use conditional type 3 / past conditional / the third conditional when we imagine the possible
consequences of past actions and situations which did not in fact happen.
Which tenses do we need?
If + past perfect + I would have done (done = past participle)
I would have done (done = past participle) + if + past perfect
If we had beaten Manchester, we would have been champion.
If + past perfect tense + I could have / might have done
I could have / might have done + If + past perfect tense
If he had struggled, he could have reached his aim. (ability)
If they had informed me, I might have helped them, (probability / possibility)
I was tired so I went to bed early.
===>If I hadn't been tired, I wouldn't have gone to bed early.
I wouldn't have gone to bed early if I hadn't been tired.
They didn’t study and consequently they didn’t pass the exam.
They failed.
===>If they had studied, they would have passed the exam. They wouldn’t have failed.
They wouldn’t have failed. They would have passed the exam if they had studied.
I didn’t meet you at the station because I didn’t know you were coming.
===>If I had known you were coming, I would have met you at the station.
I would have met you at the station if I had known you were coming.
If she had come to school yesterday, she would have done the test.
She would have done the test if she had come to school yesterday.
But she didn’t come to school yesterday, so she didn’t do the test.
If she hadn’t worked hard, she wouldn’t have passed her exam.
She wouldn’t have passed her exam if she hadn’t worked hard.
But she worked hard, so she passed her exam.
If I had studied harder I would have got a better job.