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en:grammar:conditional:the_third_conditional [2017/02/13 16:17] – [Unknown events] kimen:grammar:conditional:the_third_conditional [2023/02/14 14:32] (current) – external edit 127.0.0.1
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 =====Choice of modal verb===== =====Choice of modal verb=====
 <html> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><b><span style='font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;'>As well as 'would', other modals are possible.</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><b><span style='font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;'>&nbsp;</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><b><span style='font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;'>'Might' in the main clause expresses a possibility. </span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; line-height: normal;"><b><span style='color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;'>&nbsp;</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; line-height: normal;"><b><span style='font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;'>If you <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">hadn't warned </span>me, I <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">might have made</span> a terrible mistake,</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><b><span style='color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;'>&nbsp;</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><b><span style='font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;'>'Could' refers to ability.</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal; text-indent: 36pt;"><b><span style='font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;'>&nbsp;</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal; text-indent: 36pt;"><b><span style='font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;'>If our supplier <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">had delivered</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> </span>on time, we <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">could have met</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> </span>our deadline.</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><b><span style='color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;'>&nbsp;</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><b><span style='font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;'>'Should' refers to probability or the right thing.</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal; text-indent: 36pt;"><b><span style='font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;'>&nbsp;</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal; text-indent: 36pt;"><b><span style='font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;'>If he'<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">d had </span>all the information, he <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">should have written</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> </span>the report.</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style='color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;'>&nbsp;</span></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><b><span style='font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;'>We don't know if he had the information or not or if the report has been written. Writing the report would have been the right thing for him to do given all the information. </span></b></p> <br></html> <html> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><b><span style='font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;'>As well as 'would', other modals are possible.</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><b><span style='font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;'>&nbsp;</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><b><span style='font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;'>'Might' in the main clause expresses a possibility. </span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; line-height: normal;"><b><span style='color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;'>&nbsp;</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; line-height: normal;"><b><span style='font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;'>If you <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">hadn't warned </span>me, I <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">might have made</span> a terrible mistake,</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><b><span style='color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;'>&nbsp;</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><b><span style='font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;'>'Could' refers to ability.</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal; text-indent: 36pt;"><b><span style='font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;'>&nbsp;</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal; text-indent: 36pt;"><b><span style='font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;'>If our supplier <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">had delivered</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> </span>on time, we <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">could have met</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> </span>our deadline.</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><b><span style='color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;'>&nbsp;</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><b><span style='font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;'>'Should' refers to probability or the right thing.</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal; text-indent: 36pt;"><b><span style='font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;'>&nbsp;</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal; text-indent: 36pt;"><b><span style='font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;'>If he'<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">d had </span>all the information, he <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">should have written</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> </span>the report.</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style='color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;'>&nbsp;</span></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><b><span style='font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;'>We don't know if he had the information or not or if the report has been written. Writing the report would have been the right thing for him to do given all the information. </span></b></p> <br></html>
 +=====Further examples===== 
 +<html> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='color: rgb(0, 0, 204); line-height: 115%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; ;'>Impossible past conditions</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='color: rgb(0, 0, 204); line-height: 115%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; ;'>&nbsp;</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 35.4pt;"><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; ;'>John did not study very hard at college and he failed his final exam. If John <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">had studied</span> harder at college, he <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">would have passed </span>his final exam.</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 35.4pt;"><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; ;'>I went to Paris and met the woman who later became my wife. <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">Had</span> I <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">not gone</span> to Paris, I <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">wouldn't have met</span> her.</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 35.4pt;"><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; ;'>You drove too fast and you had an accident. Do you think that you <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">would have had</span> the accident if you <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">had not been</span> in such a hurry?</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; ;'>&nbsp;</span></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='color: rgb(0, 0, 204); line-height: 115%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; ;'>Unknown past conditions </span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='color: rgb(118, 146, 60); line-height: 115%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; ; mso-themecolor: accent3; mso-themeshade: 191;'>&nbsp;</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 35.4pt;"><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; ;'>John is late for the meeting but we don't know when he left home. If he <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">had left</span> home on time, he <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">should have arrived</span> by now.</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 35.4pt;"><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; ;'>Last week I went on a data analysis course and a lot of people found the mathematical explanations difficult to follow. If you <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">hadn't had</span> a mathematical background you <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">would have found</span> the explanations really difficult to follow.</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-indent: 35.4pt;"><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='color: rgb(0, 0, 204); line-height: 115%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; ;'>Would </span></b><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; ;'>John <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">have gone</span> to the party if he <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">had thought</span> that Judy wouldn't be there?</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-indent: 35.4pt;"><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; ;'>&nbsp;</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; ;'>The above sentence does not give us enough information to know who was at the party. There are several possibilities:</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; ;'>&nbsp;</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; ;'>John went to the party and Judy didn't. </span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; ;'>John did not go to the party and neither did Judy.</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; ;'>John did not go to the party and Judy did.</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; ;'>John thought that Judy would/wouldn't be there.</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; ;'>John did not know whether Judy would be there or not.</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; ;'>We do not know if John would have preferred Judy to be there or not<span style="color: rgb(0, 176, 80);">.</span></span></b></p> <br></html>