Grammar: The Third Conditional
Jack's story or How Karma Works.
Complete the gaps in the story:
Jack was having a bad time. Everything went wrong. Nothing seemed challenging, rewarding or worth doing. Every day looked exactly the same.
One day he overslept and was late for work.
111111/ˈhæd(ə)nt/ 111111111111 /'wʊdən(t)əv/
If he hadn't overslept, he wouldn't have been late for work.
11111hadn't + PP 111111111wouldn't + have + PP
1111111111111learn more>>>
111111/ˈhæd(ə)nt/ 111111111111 /'wʊdən(t)əv/
If he hadn't overslept, he wouldn't have been late for work.
11111hadn't + PP 111111111wouldn't + have + PP
1111111111111learn more>>>
The Third Conditional
We use third conditional sentences to talk about how things could have been different in the past, i.e., for imaginary or hypothetical situations.
If Jack hadn't overslept, he wouldn't have been late for work.
Did Jack oversleep? (Yes)
Was he late for work? (Yes)
Did it happen in the past? (Yes)
To make a third conditional, use if + past perfect and would/wouldn't have + past participle (the third form of a verb).
We can use might or could instead of would to make the result less certain.
If Jack hadn't overslept, he wouldn't have been late for work.
Did Jack oversleep? (Yes)
Was he late for work? (Yes)
Did it happen in the past? (Yes)
To make a third conditional, use if + past perfect and would/wouldn't have + past participle (the third form of a verb).
We can use might or could instead of would to make the result less certain.
His boss got very angry. "Not again!" he rasped. Jack was fired. If his boss _________ (not be angry), Jack _________ (not be fired).
Jack was very upset. He came home from work and told everything to his girlfriend, Jessica. "You are pathetic!" she cried. On that day they split up. If Jack ________ (not be fired), they _________ (not split up).
Jack felt miserable. What is more, he was broke. He wanted to unwind at the pub. His friends bought him a drink. If Jack and Jessica ________ (not split up), Jack ________ (not go to the pub).
In an hour Jack was completely drunk. If Jack _________ (not go to the pub), he _________ (not get drunk).
Jack didn't remember what happened next. He went out of the pub. He wasn't looking where he was going and a car hit him. If Jack _________ (not get drunk), the car _________ (not hit) him.
Fortunately, the car had been going quite slowly. He was badly hurt but stayed alive. An ambulance arrived at high speed and took him to hospital. If Jack _________ (not be hit), he ________ (not be taken) to hospital.
A beautiful nurse called Mary was looking after him. To everyone's surprise, she fell in love with Jack. If Jack _________ (not be taken) to hospital, Mary _________ (not fall in love) with him.
She understood the true meaning of empathy and compassion and managed to change his life for the better. They got married and lived happily ever after. THE END.
A. Complete the sentences using the Third Conditional.
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Example: If Jack had come to work on time, his boss would've been happy.
11111111111111had + PP1111111111111111111111 would + have + PP
11111111111111/həd/1111111111111
Example: If Jack had come to work on time,
111111111111111had + PP
1111111 /'wʊdəv/1111111111111
his boss would've been happy.
1111111 would + have + PP
1. If Jack's boss ________ (be happy), Jack _________ (be promoted) soon.
2. If Jack _________ (be promoted), he _________ (marry) his girl friend, Jessica.
3. If he _________ (marry) Jessica, he _________ (move) to Australia.
4. If he _________ (move) to Australia, he __________ (get to know) Aborigines.
5. If he __________ (get to know) Australian Aborigines, he _________ (learn) to play the didgeridoo.
2. If Jack _________ (be promoted), he _________ (marry) his girl friend, Jessica.
3. If he _________ (marry) Jessica, he _________ (move) to Australia.
4. If he _________ (move) to Australia, he __________ (get to know) Aborigines.
5. If he __________ (get to know) Australian Aborigines, he _________ (learn) to play the didgeridoo.
B. Continue the story.
6. ___________________________________________________________________________
7. ___________________________________________________________________________
8. ___________________________________________________________________________
9. ___________________________________________________________________________
10. ___________________________________________________________________________
7. ___________________________________________________________________________
8. ___________________________________________________________________________
9. ___________________________________________________________________________
10. ___________________________________________________________________________
C. Complete the sentences below:
1. If I'd been a child prodigy, ________________________________________________________
2. If I had known at 16 what I know now, ___________________________________________
3. If I'd been born with a different gender, ___________________________________________
4. If I'd been born with two heads,___________________________________________________
5. If I'd married someone famous, __________________________________________________
6. If I hadn't come here today, ______________________________________________________
7. If my family had moved to China when I was a kid, ________________________________
2. If I had known at 16 what I know now, ___________________________________________
3. If I'd been born with a different gender, ___________________________________________
4. If I'd been born with two heads,___________________________________________________
5. If I'd married someone famous, __________________________________________________
6. If I hadn't come here today, ______________________________________________________
7. If my family had moved to China when I was a kid, ________________________________
The Letter of Complaint
Read this letter written by an angry holidaymaker to a tour company. It contains a number of mistakes related to The Third Conditional. Correct the mistakes. Be careful: the mistakes are only in the phrases/sentences in bold.
Dear Sirs,
I am writing to complain about the terrible holiday I had, thanks to your company. As you may remember, I travelled to Sicily last summer on a package tour. I imagined I would have a wonderful time. Moreover, I thought it would be the best holiday in my life. But if I knew what a terrible experience it was going to be, I would never go there. The first thing was that all my luggage was lost and when it arrived at last, some things had been taken from it. I lost an expensive camera and a leather jacket. If I knew that, I
would carry them on the plane with me.
The next problem was that our hotel did not provide any towels! I would brought my own towel if I knew. And nobody told us that the hotel was a long way from the beach. If we knew this, we did not book this holiday. Also, the hotel was more expensive than we expected, because we had to pay for drinks and meals. I didn't have enough money but if you gave me the correct information, I would take more money with me.
Finally, the worst of all, the return flight was delayed for two days and we had to wait in the airport. If I thought it would happen, I would take a bus. If you were an honorable company, you would pay me back my money but I don't expect that. I only want you to know that I will never travel with you in the future.
Yours sincerely,
Dieter Ackermann
I am writing to complain about the terrible holiday I had, thanks to your company. As you may remember, I travelled to Sicily last summer on a package tour. I imagined I would have a wonderful time. Moreover, I thought it would be the best holiday in my life. But if I knew what a terrible experience it was going to be, I would never go there. The first thing was that all my luggage was lost and when it arrived at last, some things had been taken from it. I lost an expensive camera and a leather jacket. If I knew that, I
would carry them on the plane with me.
The next problem was that our hotel did not provide any towels! I would brought my own towel if I knew. And nobody told us that the hotel was a long way from the beach. If we knew this, we did not book this holiday. Also, the hotel was more expensive than we expected, because we had to pay for drinks and meals. I didn't have enough money but if you gave me the correct information, I would take more money with me.
Finally, the worst of all, the return flight was delayed for two days and we had to wait in the airport. If I thought it would happen, I would take a bus. If you were an honorable company, you would pay me back my money but I don't expect that. I only want you to know that I will never travel with you in the future.
Yours sincerely,
Dieter Ackermann
