- November 7, 2024
- By: katka rihova
- Conditionals, Third Conditional
Definition of the Third Conditional
The Third Conditional is used to describe a past situation that did not happen and a past event that did not happen as a result. They can be used to express a missed opportunity.
The important thing about the third conditional is that both the condition and result are impossible now.
How to form the Third Conditional
| If-clause | Main clause |
| If + past perfect | Would + have + past participle |
Examples of the Third Conditional
| If clause | Main clause |
| If + past perfect | Would + have + past participle |
| If I had won the lottery, | I would have bought a big yacht. |
| If I had had more time, | I would have cleaned my flat before I went on holiday. |
More example and explanations of the Third Conditional
If he had studied, he would have passed the exam – He did not study and that is probably why he did not pass the exam.
If we had left home earlier, we would not have missed our train. – We did not leave earlier and because of this, we missed our train.
As with all conditional sentences, the order of the clauses can be changed. However, you may have to rearrange the pronouns and correct the punctuation.
