Show pageOld revisionsBacklinksExport to PDFBack to top This page is read only. You can view the source, but not change it. Ask your administrator if you think this is wrong. ======Third conditional====== =====Introduction===== <html><p><a class="various" href="https://www.e-exercises.com/img/bibliotheque/503_c2b4060a9e378596969e29022f4d1f57.png" rel="image_show"><img width="275" height="182" id="503" style="width: 149px; height: 97px;" alt="bus stop mobile phone waiting subway transport station coach wait" src="https://www.e-exercises.com/img/bibliotheque/503_c2b4060a9e378596969e29022f4d1f57.png"></a> <span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; ;'><strong>If I <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">had taken</span> an earlier train, I <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">would not have been</span> late for my meeting.</strong></span><br></p></html> =====Definition===== <html> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><b><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'>The third conditional refers to hypothetical events in the past. The condition is impossible to fulfil or the speaker does not know if it was fulfilled.</span></b></p> <br></html> =====Construction===== <html> <span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'><table style="border: currentColor; border-image: none; border-collapse: collapse; mso-border-alt: solid #5B9BD5 .5pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; mso-padding-alt: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><font face="Times New Roman"> </font><tbody><tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 0; mso-yfti-firstrow: yes;"><font face="Times New Roman"> </font><td width="258" valign="top" style="background: rgb(91, 155, 213); border-width: 1pt 0px 0px 1pt; border-style: solid none none solid; border-color: rgb(91, 155, 213) rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(91, 155, 213); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 154.8pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid #5B9BD5 .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid #5B9BD5 .5pt;"><font face="Times New Roman"> </font><p style="margin: 6pt 0cm 0pt;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='color: white; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; ;'>Construction</span></b></p><font face="Times New Roman"> </font></td><font face="Times New Roman"> </font><td width="212" valign="top" style="background: rgb(91, 155, 213); border-width: 1pt 0px 0px; border-style: solid none none; border-color: rgb(91, 155, 213) rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; border-image: none; width: 127.05pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid #5B9BD5 .5pt;"><font face="Times New Roman"> </font><p style="margin: 6pt 0cm 0pt;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='color: white; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; ;'>Time reference</span></b></p><font face="Times New Roman"> </font></td><font face="Times New Roman"> </font><td width="304" valign="top" style="background: rgb(91, 155, 213); border-width: 1pt 1pt 0px 0px; border-style: solid solid none none; border-color: rgb(91, 155, 213) rgb(91, 155, 213) rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 182.55pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid #5B9BD5 .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid #5B9BD5 .5pt;"><font face="Times New Roman"> </font><p style="margin: 6pt 0cm 0pt;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='color: white; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; ;'>Example</span></b></p><font face="Times New Roman"> </font></td><font face="Times New Roman"> </font></tr><font face="Times New Roman"> </font><tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 1; ;"><font face="Times New Roman"> </font><td width="258" valign="top" style="background: white; border-width: 1pt 0px 1pt 1pt; border-style: solid none solid solid; border-color: rgb(91, 155, 213) rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(91, 155, 213) rgb(91, 155, 213); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; border-image: none; width: 154.8pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid #5B9BD5 .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid #5B9BD5 .5pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #5B9BD5 .5pt;"><font face="Times New Roman"> </font><p style="margin: 6pt 0cm 0pt;"><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; ;'>If + past perfect, +modal* + 'have' + past participle</span></b></p><font face="Times New Roman"> </font><p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; ;'>* see note below</span></b></p><font face="Times New Roman"> </font><p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='color: red; line-height: 115%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; ;'> </span></b></p><font face="Times New Roman"> </font></td><font face="Times New Roman"> </font><td width="212" valign="top" style="border-width: 1pt 0px; border-style: solid none; border-color: rgb(91, 155, 213) rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 127.05pt; background-color: transparent; mso-border-top-alt: solid #5B9BD5 .5pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #5B9BD5 .5pt;"><font face="Times New Roman"> </font><p style="margin: 6pt 0cm 0pt;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; ;'>past condition +past result</span></b></p><font face="Times New Roman"> </font><p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; ;'> </span></b></p><font face="Times New Roman"> </font></td><font face="Times New Roman"> </font><td width="304" valign="top" style="border-width: 1pt 1pt 1pt 0px; border-style: solid solid solid none; border-color: rgb(91, 155, 213) rgb(91, 155, 213) rgb(91, 155, 213) rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; border-image: none; width: 182.55pt; background-color: transparent; mso-border-top-alt: solid #5B9BD5 .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid #5B9BD5 .5pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #5B9BD5 .5pt;"><font face="Times New Roman"> </font><p style="margin: 6pt 0cm 0pt;"><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; ;'>If the sun <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">had shone</span>, people <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">would have been </span>happier.</span></b></p><font face="Times New Roman"> </font></td><font face="Times New Roman"> </font></tr><font face="Times New Roman"> </font></tbody></table><p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> <br></font></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; ;'> </span></b><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; ;'>As with all conditionals, the 'if' clause can come first or second. When it comes first, it is followed by a comma. </span></b></p></span><p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><br></p></html> =====Uses and examples===== <html><p> <br></p><table width="439" style="margin: auto auto auto 5.4pt; border: currentColor; border-image: none; border-collapse: collapse; mso-border-alt: solid #4F81BD 1.0pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1056; mso-padding-alt: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-table-layout-alt: fixed;" border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody><tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 0; mso-yfti-firstrow: yes;"> <td width="108" valign="top" style="background: rgb(79, 129, 189); border-width: 1pt 0px 1pt 1pt; border-style: solid none solid solid; border-color: rgb(79, 129, 189) rgb(0, 0, 0) windowtext rgb(79, 129, 189); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 65pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid #4F81BD 1.0pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid #4F81BD 1.0pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt;"> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='color: white; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;'>Use</span></b></p> </td> <td width="331" valign="top" style="background: rgb(79, 129, 189); border-width: 1pt 1pt 1pt 0px; border-style: solid solid solid none; border-color: rgb(79, 129, 189) rgb(79, 129, 189) windowtext rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 7cm; mso-border-top-alt: solid #4F81BD 1.0pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid #4F81BD 1.0pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt;"> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='color: white; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;'>Examples</span></b></p> </td> </tr> <tr style="height: 41.55pt; mso-yfti-irow: 1;"> <td width="108" valign="top" style="border-width: 0px 0px 1pt 1pt; border-style: none none solid solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0) windowtext windowtext; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 65pt; height: 41.55pt; background-color: transparent; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt;"> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'> </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;'><strong>Blame </strong></span></p><p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'><br></span></p><p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'><a class="various" href="https://www.e-exercises.com/img/bibliotheque/421_7318fff4fbbf55482ce4447ef5a4f79a.jpg" rel="image_show"><img width="480" height="422" id="421" style="width: 121px; height: 84px;" alt="car with dent snow ice crash" src="https://www.e-exercises.com/img/bibliotheque/421_7318fff4fbbf55482ce4447ef5a4f79a.jpg"></a></span></p> </td> <td width="331" valign="top" style="border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) windowtext windowtext rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 7cm; height: 41.55pt; background-color: transparent; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt;"> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'> </span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'>I <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">wouldn't have crashed</span> the car if it <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">hadn't been snowing</span>.</span></b></p> </td> </tr> <tr style="height: 26.55pt; mso-yfti-irow: 2;"> <td width="108" valign="top" style="border-width: 0px 0px 1pt 1pt; border-style: none none solid solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0) windowtext windowtext; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 65pt; height: 26.55pt; background-color: transparent; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt;"> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'> </span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'><strong>Criticism </strong></span><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'><strong>and praise </strong></span></p><p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'><a class="various" href="https://www.e-exercises.com/img/bibliotheque/12_05b699a0e6ddeffefef079810fd7f2fd.jpg" rel="image_show"><img width="250" height="275" id="12" style="width: 102px; height: 84px;" alt="meeting, people réunion team équipe" src="https://www.e-exercises.com/img/bibliotheque/12_05b699a0e6ddeffefef079810fd7f2fd.jpg"></a></span></p> </td> <td width="331" valign="top" style="border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) windowtext windowtext rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 7cm; height: 26.55pt; background-color: transparent; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt;"> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-no-proof: yes;'> </span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-no-proof: yes;'>If the team <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">hadn't worked</span> so well together, we <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">wouldn't have met</span> the deadline.</span></b></p> </td> </tr> <tr style="height: 26.55pt; mso-yfti-irow: 3;"> <td width="108" valign="top" style="border-width: 0px 0px 1pt 1pt; border-style: none none solid solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0) windowtext windowtext; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 65pt; height: 26.55pt; background-color: transparent; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt;"> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'> </span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><b><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'>Regret</span></b></p><p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'><a class="various" href="https://www.e-exercises.com/img/bibliotheque/394_fbf77ab960961e4b730696cb03838bd4.jpg" rel="image_show"><img width="320" height="479" id="394" style="width: 94px; height: 115px;" alt="bored, woman, computer, laptop, alone" src="https://www.e-exercises.com/img/bibliotheque/394_fbf77ab960961e4b730696cb03838bd4.jpg"></a></span></p> </td> <td width="331" valign="top" style="border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) windowtext windowtext rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 7cm; height: 26.55pt; background-color: transparent; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt;"> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'> </span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; ;'><strong>My first job was so boring. If I'<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">d studied </span>harder at college, I'<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">d have had </span>a more interesting one.</strong></span></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr style="height: 26.55pt; mso-yfti-irow: 4;"> <td width="108" valign="top" style="border-width: 0px 0px 1pt 1pt; border-style: none none solid solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0) windowtext windowtext; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 65pt; height: 26.55pt; background-color: transparent; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt;"> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'> </span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><b><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'>Thanks</span></b></p><p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'><a class="various" href="https://www.e-exercises.com/img/bibliotheque/422_aecb93ad0b3ff2aea411217b2fe6a205.jpg" rel="image_show"><img width="479" height="319" id="422" style="width: 124px; height: 85px;" alt="sales woman happy shopping gift present bag sack" src="https://www.e-exercises.com/img/bibliotheque/422_aecb93ad0b3ff2aea411217b2fe6a205.jpg"></a></span></p> </td> <td width="331" valign="top" style="border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) windowtext windowtext rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 7cm; height: 26.55pt; background-color: transparent; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt;"> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'> </span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; ;'><strong>Hey - thanks for mentioning the sales. If you <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">hadn't told </span>me, I'<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">d never have found </span>all these great bargains.</strong></span><strong> </strong></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr style="height: 89.6pt; mso-yfti-irow: 5;"> <td width="108" valign="top" style="border-width: 0px 0px 1pt 1pt; border-style: none none solid solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0) windowtext windowtext; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 65pt; height: 89.6pt; background-color: transparent; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt;"> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'> </span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><b><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'>Deduction and reasoning</span></b></p><p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'><a class="various" href="https://www.e-exercises.com/img/bibliotheque/425_d46e49fc9d27642cfec65bc30c3b3b22.jpg" rel="image_show"><img width="320" height="478" id="425" style="width: 86px; height: 102px;" alt="Suitcase wardrobe" src="https://www.e-exercises.com/img/bibliotheque/425_d46e49fc9d27642cfec65bc30c3b3b22.jpg"></a></span></p> </td> <td width="331" valign="top" style="border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) windowtext windowtext rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 7cm; height: 89.6pt; background-color: transparent; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt;"> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'> </span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; ;'><strong>If he <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">had gone</span> on holiday, he <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">would have taken</span> his suitcase. But his suitcase is there on top of the wardrobe so he can't have gone, can he?</strong></span></span></p> </td> </tr> </tbody></table><p><strong> </strong><br></p></html> =====Alternatives to 'if' + past tense===== <html> <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 conditional clause can be a 'had' clause, rather than an 'if' clause. </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; ;'> </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; ;'> </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: 12pt; ;'>Examples</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; ;'> </span></b></p> <table width="744" style="margin: auto auto auto 5.4pt; border: currentColor; border-image: none; width: 446.55pt; border-collapse: collapse; mso-border-alt: solid #4F81BD 1.0pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1056; mso-padding-alt: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody><tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 0; mso-yfti-firstrow: yes;"> <td width="331" valign="top" style="background: rgb(79, 129, 189); border-width: 1pt 0px 1pt 1pt; border-style: solid none solid solid; border-color: rgb(79, 129, 189) rgb(0, 0, 0) windowtext rgb(79, 129, 189); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 7cm; mso-border-top-alt: solid #4F81BD 1.0pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid #4F81BD 1.0pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt;"> <p style="margin: 6pt 0cm 0pt;"><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='color: white; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; ;'>'If' clause</span></b></p> </td> <td width="414" valign="top" style="background: rgb(79, 129, 189); border-width: 1pt 1pt 1pt 0px; border-style: solid solid solid none; border-color: rgb(79, 129, 189) rgb(79, 129, 189) windowtext rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 248.1pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid #4F81BD 1.0pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid #4F81BD 1.0pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt;"> <p style="margin: 6pt 0cm 0pt;"><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='color: white; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; ;'>'Had' Clause</span></b></p> </td> </tr> <tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 1; ;"> <td width="331" valign="top" style="border-width: 0px 0px 1pt 1pt; border-style: none none solid solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0) windowtext windowtext; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 7cm; background-color: transparent; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt;"> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; ;'> </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; ;'>If I <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">hadn't</span> seen George...</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; ;'>If she <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">had studied</span> harder...</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; ;'>If the interest rate <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">had not increased</span>...</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; ;'>If they <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">had known</span> about it...</span></b></p> </td> <td width="414" valign="top" style="border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) windowtext windowtext rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 248.1pt; background-color: transparent; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt;"> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; ;'> </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; ;'>Had </span></b><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; ;'>I <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">not seen</span> George...</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; ;'>Had</span></b><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; ;'> she <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">studied</span> harder...</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; ;'>Had</span></b><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; ;'> the interest rate <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">not increased</span>...</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; ;'>Had </span></b><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; ;'>they <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">known</span> about it...</span></b></p> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; ;'> </span></p> <br></html> =====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;'> </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;'> </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;'> </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;'> </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;'> </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;'> </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;'> </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; ;'> </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; ;'> </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;'> </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; ;'> </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; ;'> </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>