Topics

Present

Past

Past to Present

Future

Abilities - Responsibilities

Asking Questions

Choosing the Right Phrase

Combining Verbs

Explaining Ideas

Describing Your World

Complex Ideas

Relating Ideas, People, Objects

Speaking about Objects

Wondering about Situations

What Would Have Happened

Third Conditional

The third, or 'past', conditional is used to imagine past outcomes different than what actually took place. This conditional is used to express what would have been different if a person had done something differently.

'If' clause - past perfect + , + result clause - would + have + verb (conditional perfect tense)

Examples of Past Unreal Outcomes

He wouldn't have signed the lease agreement if he had corresponded with his advisor.

He would have invested in the futures market if he'd had more confidence in the economy.

Payments on the student loan's deferred interest would not have been a problem if the economy had been better.

If the homebuilder had predicted the speculative bubble they would have laid off more employees.

Do not use a comma, when placing the result clause first.

He would have invested in the futures market if he'd had more confidence in the economy.

She would have ordered the TV online if the shipping cost had been lower.