Third conditional

Third conditional

1. Structure

   • The third conditional is presented with the following structure:
     • If + past perfecf + would + have + past participle verb

2. Uses

   • To refer to situations in the past that never happened and imagine what results they would have had.
   • To express regret for not having performed an action in the past.
   • The third conditional is used to describe unreal situations in the past and imagined outcomes. Both the situation and the result exist in the past; the situation did not occur so the result is impossible

3. Examples

   • If I had not gone to Maria’s party, I would never have met my husband
   • If I had studied medicine, I would have working as a traumatologist.
   • If they hadn’t told me about the exhibition, I never would have known.
   • If I hadn’t gone to the concert, I would never have met Sylvia.
   • If we had had more time, we would have visited Pompeii.
   • If I had studied more, I would have passed the exam.

4. Concept

   • This conditional is used when we are talking about a consequence that would have occurred from an unreal situation. These phrases have an air of regret or a criticism of the past for something that happened or did not happen.