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

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

They wouldn't have tried to sell the product that way if they'd done their market research.

If they had known about the project before, this project wouldn't be listed on short notice.

If we had known the balance of payments, we would have recommended an alternative payment plan.

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

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

The capital allowance would have been granted if the merger had been approved by regulators.