THIRD CONDITIONAL

   

   We use third conditional to talk about an event or situation that did not happen in the past:

   Conditional clause                    main clause

   If + Past Perfect                      would + Perfect

   If he had asked me,                I would have said yes.

   

   We can make either clause negative:

   If I had taken an umbrella, I wouldn´t have got wet.

   (= but I did get wet)

   If I hadn´t taken an umbrella, I would have got wet

   (= but I didn´t get wet)

   

   Both clauses can be negative:

   They wouldn´t have missed their plane if they hadn´t woken up late.

   (=but they did wake up late and they did miss the plane).

   Instead of would we can use could or might modal verbs:

   If you had asked, I could have told you the answer.

   I might have gone to the party if I had known about it.

   

   Mixed conditionals:

   Sometimes we make sentences which mix second and third conditionals, especially when a past
   event has an effect in the present:

   If you hadn´t invited me, I wouldn´t have gone to the party.

   (= I did go to the party – third conditional)

   If you hadn´t invited me, I wouldn´t be here now.

   (I´ m at the party now – third+ second conditionals).

   

   Exercises:

   A

   Complete these sentences to make appropriate third conditional or mixed conditional sentences,
   using the correct form of the verb in brackets:

   

    1. If I...................................(visit) Athens last year, I
       .................................(phone) you.
    2. If only I...........................(know) you already had tickets,
       I..............................(not get) any for you.
    3. if you ..............................(start) coming to the course earlier,
       you..........................(could pass) the exam.
    4. If I..............................(not be) so shy at the party last Saturday,
       I...............................(might make) more friends.
    5. If you .............................(not spend) so much money,
       I....................................(not be) angry now.
    6. I....................................(could become) an accountant if
       I......................(be) good at maths.
    7. She..................(get )promoted last year if she
       ...................................(not argue) with the boss.
    8. He....................................(not get) the job, if
       he...................................(not wear) a tie.
    9. If I.................................(meet) you before, my
       life...............................(be) different.
   10. If he ................................(not see) the other car, there
       ..........................(be) a serious accident.

   

   B

   Fill each space in the following text with one suitable word:

   

   I often wonder how my life would have ...................................(1) different if on
   that particular day I................................(2) walked in the other direction. Or
   what ...................................(3) have happened if – in those few seconds –
   I...............................(4) walked just a little bit faster? She wouldn´t
   .............(5) been able to do what she did, say the things she said. If
   it.....................(6) not been for these shy words of greeting I would not
   .....................(7) here now – I would probably ............(8) in the same city I grew
   up in. It is amazing how our lives depend on the most minute details. ...............(9) I
   ever have found romance at all..........(10) I hadn´t met Francesca that day and if she
   ............(11) decided not to walk on that path beside the trees? I couldn´t possibly
   ................(12) done what I did in my life if we ....................(13) not met on that
   bright, sunny morning. And if the sun had not .......................(14) shining and the
   birds singing, she would probably have ...............(15) even spoken to me.