1. Third Conditional Grammar Guide mgr Anna Waligórska – Kotfas PWSZ Konin

2. Introduction: Clauses Conditional sentences usually consist of two clauses:  a conditional clause (or IF CLAUSE) and a main clause (or RESULT CLAUSE).  The result in the main clause is dependent on the condition in the conditional clause.

3. Third Conditional: Verb Patterns  RESULT CLAUSE IF CLAUSE would/wouldn’t + have + 3f if + past perfect I would have told you her name if I had known it.

4. Third Conditional: Clause Order  You can reverse the two clauses of a third conditional sentence without changing the meaning: We would have lent you a map if we had had it. = If we had had a map, we would have lent it to you. REMEMBER ABOUT A COMMA WHEN YOU START A SENTENCE WITH IF CLAUSE!

5. Third Conditional: Variations of the main clause  MIGHT or COULD may be used instead of WOULD in the result clause with a slight change of meaning: If we had found him earlier, we could have saved his life. (= ability) If our documents had been in order, we could have left at once. (= permission / ability) If we had bought the lottery ticket, we might have won 50 million dollars. (= possibility)

6. Use: Impossible in the Past:  We use the third conditional to talk about past situations with hypothetical results. The past situation is contrary to known facts, i.e. it is an unreal or impossible situation: I would have used your builder if I had managed to contact him. (= but I didn’t manage to contact him) I would have been in bad trouble if Jane hadn’t helped me. (= but she did, so I was OK)

7. Conditionals refer to:  1st  future If I marry Mary, I will be happy. (= a real possibility)  2nd  present If I married Mary, I would be happy. (= not very real, but it's still possible)  3rd  past If I had married Mary, I would have been happy. (= impossible) If I had married Mary, I would have been happy. (= impossible)

8. Examples  If she gets good grades, she will go to university. (= providing the condition is met, she will definitely go; likely)  If I had the time, I would learn Italian. (= I don't have the time, so I'm not going to learn Italian; unlikely)  If I had known, I would have helped. (= it didn't happen; impossible)

9. Mixed Conditionals  Third / Second If you had taken the course, you would know about it. (The conditions were not met because the person did not do the course and as a result does not know about it now.)

10. Mixed Conditionals  Second / Third If I could speak English, I wouldn't have needed to get the letter translated. (This means that I couldn't speak English then when I needed the translator and still can't.)

11. Bibliography 1. Bourke K.: Verbs and Tenses: Intermediate. Test it, Fix it. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2006. 2. Leech G., Cruickshank B., Ivanic R.: An A-Z of English Grammar & Usage. Harlow: Longman, 2004. 3. Murphy R.: English Grammar in Use. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2006. 4. Swan M.: Practical English Usage. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005. 5. Thomas A. J., Martinet A. V.: A practical English Grammar. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1986. 6. Vince M.: Intermediate Language Practice (New Edition). Oxford: Macmillan Education 2010.