Transcript Second Conditional

Third Conditional
Grammar Guide
mgr Anna Waligórska – Kotfas
PWSZ Konin
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.
Third Conditional: Verb Patterns
 RESULT
CLAUSE
would/wouldn’t + have + 3f
IF CLAUSE
if + past perfect
I would have told you her name if I had
known it.
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!
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)
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)
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)
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)
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.)
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.)
Bibliography
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Bourke K.: Verbs and Tenses: Intermediate. Test it, Fix
it. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2006.
Leech G., Cruickshank B., Ivanic R.: An A-Z of English
Grammar & Usage. Harlow: Longman, 2004.
Murphy R.: English Grammar in Use. Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press, 2006.
Swan M.: Practical English Usage. Oxford: Oxford
University Press, 2005.
Thomas A. J., Martinet A. V.: A practical English
Grammar. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1986.
Vince M.: Intermediate Language Practice (New
Edition) . Oxford: Macmillan Education 2010.