The third conditional focuses on situations that are completely unrealistic or impossible in the past. It talks about how things would have been different if something else had happened in the past.
Structure
- Condition (Past Perfect)
- Result (would/could/might have + past participle)
- If + condition + , + result
- Result + if + condition
- We can also use unless in conditional sentences to mean if … (not)
Examples
- If you had come to class more often, you would have passed the test.
- If he hadn’t taken his helmet, he could have died.
- If the jacket had been a bit cheaper, I might have bought it.
- I wouldn’t have been late if I hadn’t overslept.
- I wouldn’t have arrived on time unless I had taken (=if I hadn’t taken) a taxi.
References