Third conditional
A different past: if I had known, I would have told you. The form, could have, might have and the short 'd.
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The third conditional imagines a past that didn't happen and its result, which didn't happen either. Both parts are about the past. The form is if + past perfect, then would have + past participle.
If part (condition) | Main part (result) |
|---|---|
if + had + past participle | would have + past participle |
If you had told me, | I would have helped. |
If we hadn't missed the bus, | we wouldn't have been late. |
What it means: the opposite of what happened
A third conditional sentence describes the opposite of the facts. A positive verb describes something that didn't happen; a negative verb describes something that did.
- If it hadn't rained, we would have had the party in the garden.
(It rained. We had the party inside.)
- If I'd known you were in hospital, I would have visited you.
(I didn't know, so I didn't visit.)
- She would have passed the exam if she'd studied a bit more.
(She didn't study enough, and she failed.)
No would in the if part
Would have belongs in the main part only. The if part takes the past perfect: had + past participle.
- Incorrect: If I would have known, I would have told you.
- Correct: If I had known, I would have told you.The if part takes had + past participle, not would have. You may hear would have after if in American speech, but it is not standard.
- Incorrect: If you had asked me, I would helped you.
- Correct: If you had asked me, I would have helped you.The main part needs have: would have + past participle.
The short form 'd
In speech, both had and would become 'd. In the if part, 'd is had. In the main part, 'd is would.
- If I'd (had) left earlier, I'd (would) have caught the train.
- If she'd (had) asked, we'd (would) have said yes.
In fast speech would have sounds like "would've" /ˈwʊdəv/. Write would have or would've, never "would of".
Could have and might have
Instead of would have, the main part can have could have (it would have been possible) or might have (perhaps it would have happened).
- If we had left at six, we could have caught the earlier train.
(We would have been able to catch it.)
- If you'd asked him nicely, he might have said yes.
(Perhaps he would have said yes. We don't know.)
- Incorrect: If I had had more time in Rome last summer, I could visit the Vatican.
- Correct: If I had had more time in Rome last summer, I could have visited the Vatican.The visit is in the past too, so use could have + past participle.
Had had is correct: the first had makes the past perfect, the second is the verb have.
Word order, commas and questions
Either part can come first. When the if part comes first, put a comma after it. In a question, would goes before the subject.
- If they had invited me, I would have gone.
- I would have gone if they had invited me.
- What would you have done if you had lost your passport?
- Would you have taken the job if they had offered you more money?
If it hadn't been for
If it hadn't been for + noun means "without this person or thing, things would have gone differently".
- If it hadn't been for your help, we would never have finished on time.
- If it hadn't been for the traffic, I would have been here an hour ago.
Regrets and criticism
The third conditional is often used to talk about regrets and mistakes. Other ways to look back at the past are I wish I had ... and should have + past participle.
- If I'd listened to you, I wouldn't have made such a mistake.
- I wish I had listened to you.
- I should have listened to you.
Third or mixed conditional?
In a third conditional the result is in the past too. When an unreal past condition has a result now, the main part takes would + verb: If I had taken that job, I would be rich now. This is a mixed conditional, on its own page at C1.
- If I had taken the job, I would have moved to Berlin last year. (third)
- If I had taken the job, I would be living in Berlin now. (mixed)