Third Conditional

The third conditional is used to talk about hypothetical situations in the past. It describes what could have happened if things had been different. It’s often used to express regret, criticism, or to imagine alternative outcomes.

Structure

The third conditional has two clauses:

• If clause: If + past perfect (had + past participle)
• Main clause: would/could/might + have + past participle

Example:

• If I had studied harder, I would have passed the exam.

Uses

• Imaginary situations in the past: We use the third conditional to talk about things that didn’t happen in the past and their imaginary results.

  • Example: If she hadn’t missed the bus, she would have arrived on time.

• Regrets and criticisms: It’s also used to express regrets or to criticize past actions.

  • Example: If you had listened to me, you wouldn’t have made that mistake.

Examples

• If they hadn’t taken that risk, they might have lost everything.
• If he had known about the traffic, he would have left earlier.
• If we hadn’t gone to that party, we wouldn’t have met them.

Key Points

• The order of the clauses can be changed.
• Contractions are common (e.g., “would have” becomes “would’ve”).
• We can use “could have” or “might have” instead of “would have” to express different degrees of possibility.

Practice

Try writing your own sentences using the third conditional. Think about situations in your past and imagine alternative outcomes.