The 3rd conditional is probably the least common form of the conditional as it is a way to express a change of the past. This, of course, is impossible so it is, of course, a hypothetical tense.
The form of the third conditional:
Third (3RD) conditional: If + subject + past perfect + modal perfect
We use the 3rd conditional for a hypothetical past.
e.g. If I had saved more money last year, I would have gone to Bali on holiday.
Word order change:
If I had saved more money last year, I would have gone to Bali on holiday.
I would have gone to Bali on holiday if I had saved more money last year. NO COMMA
Change would for (could, might):
e.g. If I had saved more money last year, I would have gone to Bali on holiday.
e.g. If I had saved more money last year, I could have gone to Bali on holiday.
Rephrasing examples:
I failed the exam because I did not study enough.
HAVE
I ______ failed the exam If I had studied more.
Answer: would not have
Example speaking questions with the third conditional:
- If you had gone to university, what would you have studied?
- If you had been born in the USA, would you have moved to another country when Donald Trump was elected?
- Could you have got better grades at school if you had gone to a private school?
- Would you have become a profesional athlete if you had had enough talent?
- Would you have tried to learn Spanish if you had not been born here in Spain?
