If: The 3rd Conditional

1. What is the 3rd conditional?

The 3rd conditional is an ‘if’ phrase for ‘alternative realities’.

That means it is for thinking how life would be different if an event in the past had been different.

There are two ways to talk about alternative realities:

  • how the past would have been different if the past event had been different
  • how the present would be different if the past event had been different

2. How to make the 3rd conditional: a different past

If talking about how the past would have been different if a past event had been different, the 3rd conditional uses:

  • if + past perfect + would/could/might + present perfect

*Past perfect = had + perfect participle (p.p.)
*Present perfect = have + p.p.
*P.p. = done, gone, seen, eaten, etc.

Actual eventIfPast perfectWould/could/mightPresent perfectExample sentence
I did not study hard. I did not pass.ifI had studied harderwouldhave passedIf I had studied harder, I would have passed
He did come to Shanghai. He did meet her.ifhe hadn’t come to Shanghaiwould nothave met herIf he hadn’t come to Shanghai, he wouldn’t have met her
He was stupid. He was not rich or famous.ifhe hadn’t been so stupidmighthave been richThey might have been rich and famous if he hadn’t been so stupid

3. How to make the 3rd conditional: a different present

If talking about how the present would be different if a past event had been different, the 3rd conditional uses:

  • if + past perfect + would/could/might + present
Actual eventIfPast perfectWould/could/mightPresentExample sentence
I called the boss a pig. I am not the boss now.ifI hadn’t called the boss a pigmightbe the bossIf I hadn’t called the boss a pig, I might be the boss now.
She did not buy a lottery ticket. She is not rich now.ifshe had bought a lottery ticketwouldbe richIf she had bought a lottery ticket that day, she would be rich.
France did have a revolution. It does not have a royal family now.ifFrance hadn’t had its revolution wouldhave a royal familyIf France hadn’t had its revolution, it would still have a royal family.

4. Moving the clause positions

The ‘if’ clause can be placed at the start or at the end:

‘If’ clause at start‘If’ clause at end
If you had told me that, I would not be here.I would not be here if you had told me that.
If the company had fired him, the staff would have gone on strike.The staff would have gone on strike if the company had fired him.
If I had been an Egyptian pharaoh, I would have built a palace 500 metres tall and had servants feed me grapes all day.I would have built a palace 500 metres tall and had servants feed me grapes all day if I had been an Egyptian pharaoh.

5. Exercises

1. Complete the sentences about ‘alternative realities’ (things that never happened) using the 3rd conditional.
(i) if my teacher had come to my birthday party,…
(ii) if my mother hadn’t met my father, ….
(iii) I would have gone ape (crazily angry) if….

2. Answer the following questions:
(i) How would your life be different if you had been born a different sex?
(ii) How would your home be different if you had been alive 200 years ago?
(iii) What would your personality be like if you had been born with super powers?

3. Think of a historical event. How would the world be different now if it had happened differently, or never happened at all?