Lesson 49 was about wishes. A wish says: “I wish it had been different.”

A third conditional goes one step further. It says what would have happened if the past had been different.

Look at five more sentences:

Every third conditional has a real story behind it. Find the real story first. Then say the opposite in both parts.

What really happened	The third conditional
She didn’t study. She didn’t pass.	If she had studied, she would have passed.
We left late. We were late.	If we hadn’t left late, we wouldn’t have been late.
I didn’t know. I didn’t call.	If I had known, I would have called.
He forgot his keys. He stood outside.	If he hadn’t forgotten his keys, he wouldn’t have stood outside.
We didn’t buy tickets. We didn’t see the show.	If we had bought tickets, we would have seen the show.
It rained. We stayed home.	If it hadn’t rained, we wouldn’t have stayed home.

Use the same test as in lesson 49:

A third conditional has two parts. Each part has its own form.

Part	Form	Example
The if-part	If + had + past participle	If she had studied
The result part	would have + past participle	she would have passed

The if-part uses the same Past Perfect as in lessons 47, 48, and 49. The result part is new: would have + the past participle.

For a negative, use hadn’t in the if-part and wouldn’t have in the result part.

The if-part can go first or last. Use a comma when it goes first.

For a question, start with Would + the subject + have + the past participle.

In speech, had and would both become ’d. They sound the same. The position tells you which word it is.

The first ’d is in the if-part. It means had. The second ’d is in the result part. It means would.

Write would have, not “would of.” The sound is “would’ve,” but the spelling is would have.

Click the verb form that completes the if-part correctly.

• 1
  If she harder, she would have passed the exam. (study)

  had studied studied

  ✓ Correct — The if-part looks back at the past. Use the Past Perfect: had + past participle.
• 2
  If we earlier, we would have caught the train. (leave)

  had left left

  ✓ Correct — The if-part looks back at the past. Use the Past Perfect: had + past participle.
• 3
  If I your number, I would have called you. (know)

  had known knew

  ✓ Correct — The if-part looks back at the past. Use the Past Perfect: had + past participle.
• 4
  If he his keys, he wouldn’t have been locked out. (not forget)

  didn’t forget hadn’t forgotten

  ✓ Correct — The if-part looks back at the past. Use the Past Perfect: had + past participle.
• 5
  If they the earlier bus, they would have arrived on time. (take)

  took had taken

  ✓ Correct — The if-part looks back at the past. Use the Past Perfect: had + past participle.
• 6
  If you me, I would have come. (tell)

  told had told

  ✓ Correct — The if-part looks back at the past. Use the Past Perfect: had + past participle.
• 7
  If it so hard, we would have gone to the park. (not rain)

  hadn’t rained didn’t rain

  ✓ Correct — The if-part looks back at the past. Use the Past Perfect: had + past participle.
• 8
  If she the instructions, she would have fixed it. (follow)

  followed had followed

  ✓ Correct — The if-part looks back at the past. Use the Past Perfect: had + past participle.

Type the correct verb form for the verb given.

• 1
  If she harder, she would have passed. (study)
• 2
  If we had left earlier, we the train. (catch)
• 3
  If I had known, I you. (call)
• 4
  They on time if they had taken the bus. (arrive)
• 5
  If he the instructions, he would have fixed it. (follow)
• 6
  She the test if she had studied. (pass)
• 7
  If you me, I would have come. (tell)
• 8
  We the game if we had played better. (win)

Type the negative Past Perfect for the verb given.

• 1
  If I so much, I wouldn’t have felt sick. (not eat)
• 2
  If she her keys, she wouldn’t have been locked out. (not forget)
• 3
  If we had left earlier, we late. (not be)
• 4
  If it so hard, we would have gone out. (not rain)
• 5
  If our team had played better, we the game. (not lose)
• 6
  If you had told me, I the wrong answer. (not give)
• 7
  If the shop early, we would have bought the gift. (not close)
• 8
  If I had known the truth, I him. (not believe)

Type the missing words of speaker B’s question, using the words given.

• 1
  A: Maria studied hard and passed the exam.
  B: if she hadn’t studied? (she / pass)
• 2
  A: We left late and the bus was gone.
  B: the bus if you had left earlier? (you / catch)
• 3
  A: Tom didn’t call me.
  B: What if he had called? (you / say)
• 4
  A: They took the highway.
  B: earlier if they had taken the old road? (they / arrive)
• 5
  A: I bought the expensive phone.
  B: What if you hadn’t bought it? (you / buy)
• 6
  A: She quit her job.
  B: What if she hadn’t quit? (she / do)
• 7
  A: The team lost the game.
  B: if they had practiced more? (they / win)
• 8
  A: He forgot his keys.
  B: Where if he had remembered them? (he / go)

Look at the position of the gap. Click the form that fits.

• 1
  If I the answer, I would have told you.

  had known would have known

  ✓ Correct — This is the if-part. It takes had + past participle.
• 2
  If it had rained, we at home.

  had stayed would have stayed

  ✓ Correct — This is the result part. It takes would have + past participle.
• 3
  If she harder, she would have passed.

  would have worked had worked

  ✓ Correct — This is the if-part. It takes had + past participle.
• 4
  They would have won if they better.

  had played would have played

  ✓ Correct — This is the if-part. It takes had + past participle.
• 5
  If he had called me, I the news.

  would have heard had heard

  ✓ Correct — This is the result part. It takes would have + past participle.
• 6
  I you if I had seen you.

  had called would have called

  ✓ Correct — This is the result part. It takes would have + past participle.
• 7
  If we had bought tickets, we the concert.

  had seen would have seen

  ✓ Correct — This is the result part. It takes would have + past participle.
• 8
  She would have gone if she the invitation.

  had received would have received

  ✓ Correct — This is the if-part. It takes had + past participle.

Read each question. Choose the sentence that matches.

• If-part: if + had + past participle. Result part: would have + past participle.
• You didn’t do it → had done … would have …
• You did it → hadn’t done … wouldn’t have …
• Change both parts. Both are the opposite of what happened.
• Questions: Would + subject + have + past participle?
• Speech: if I’d known (had), I’d have called (would). Write would have, not “would of.”

✓ Mark this lesson complete