The past unreal conditional

The past unreal conditional

1. The past unreal conditional describes past unreal or untrue conditions and results. Use the past perfect in the if clause. Use WOULD HAVE or COULD HAVE + a past participle in the result clause.

   • If she had rented a more economical car, she wouldn't have spent so much money on gas.
     • (But she didn't rent a more economical car)
   • If Jonas Salk hadn't invented a vaccine to protect people against polio, many more people would have gotten the disease.
     • (But he did invented a vaccine)
   • Questions and Answers
     • Could they have prevented the accident, if they had known the tires were so old?
       • Yes, they could have / No, they couldn't have
     • What would you have done if you hadn't had your phone with you?
       • If would have borrowed one.