Conditional Sentences Type III

Conditional Sentences Type III

Use
Conditional Sentences Type III refer to situations in the past. An action could have happened in the past if a certain condition had been fulfilled. Things were different then, however. We just imagine, what would have happened if the situation had been fulfilled.
Example: If I had found her address, I would have sent her an invitation.
Sometime in the past, I wanted to send an invitation to a friend. I didn't find her address, however. So in the end I didn't send her an invitation.
Example: If John had had the money, he would have bought a Ferrari.
I knew John very well and I know that he never had much money, but he loved Ferraris. He would have loved to own a Ferrari, but he never had the money to buy one.
It is impossible to fulfil a condition which is given in the if-clause.
form
if + Past Perfect, main clause with Conditional II
Example: If I had found her address, I would have sent her an invitation.
The main clause can also be at the beginning of the sentence. In this case, don't use a comma.
Example: I would have sent her an invitation if I had found her address.
Note: Main clause and / or if clause might be negative. See Past Perfect andConditional II on how to form negative sentences.
Example: If I hadn’t studied, I wouldn’t have passed my exams.
if clause
Past Perfect

main clause
would + have + past participle
or
could + have + past participle
or
might + have + past participle

Examples
If I had studied, I would have passed the exams.
If I had studied, I could have passed the exams.
If I had studied, I might have passed the exams.

The if-clause can be at the beginning or at the end of the sentence.

If I had studied, = I would have passed the exams.
I would have passed the exams = if I had studied.

In a Type 3 conditional sentence, the tense in the ‘if’ clause is the past perfect, and the tense in the main clause is the perfect conditional:

‘IF’ CLAUSE
If + past perfect
If it had rained
If you had worked harder

MAIN CLAUSE
Perfect conditional
you would have got wet
you would have passed the exam.

Perfect conditional – form
The perfect conditional of any verb is composed of two elements: would + the perfect infinitive of the main verb (=have + past participle):


Example: to go, Past conditional
Affirmative Negative Interrogative
I would have gone I wouldn’t have gone Would I have gone?
You would have gone You wouldn’t have gone Would you have gone?
He would have gone She wouldn’t have gone Would it have gone?
We would have gone We wouldn’t have gone Would we have gone?
You would have gone You wouldn’t have gone Would you have gone?
They would have gone They wouldn’t have gone Would they have gone?

In these sentences, the time is past, and the situation is contrary to reality. The facts they are based on are the opposite of what is expressed.
Type 3 conditional sentences, are truly hypothetical or unreal, because it is now too late for the condition or its result to exist. There is always an unspoken “but…” phrase:
• If I had worked harder I would have passed the exam
(but I didn’t work hard, and I didn’t pass the exam).
• If I’d known you were coming I’d have baked a cake
(but I didn’t know, and I haven’t baked a cake).




NOTE: Both would and had can be contracted to ‘d, which can be confusing. Remember that you NEVER use would in theIF-clause, so in the example above, “If I’d known” must be “If I had known“, and “I’d have baked” must be “I would have baked..”
Examples:
a. If I’d known you were in hospital, I would have visited you.
b. I would have bought you a present if I’d known it was your birthday.
c. If they’d had a better goalkeeper they wouldn’t have lost the game.
d. If you had told me you were on the Internet, I’d have sent you an e-mail.
e. Would you have bought an elephant if you’d known how much they eat?

Reff :
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englischlernen.blogspot.com