Third Conditional Exercise 2

This third conditional exercise tests your ability to use the third conditional.

Choose the correct option for these third conditional sentences.

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1. If he had listened to his mother, he ___________ stayed home.
a) would
b) would have
c) will
d) should

2. If she ___________ more attention she would not have crashed.
a) payed
b) have paid
c) would paid
d) had paid

3. I wouldn't ___________ if I had been you.
a) play that game
b) played that game
c) have played that game
d) could play that game

4. You ___________ more juice.
a) should no buy
b) should bought
c) should have bought
d) should have buy

5. I ___________ won the game if I had not made so many mistakes.
a) could have
b) didn't
c) had
d) should have

6. If Pauline had known about the test, she ___________ to class.
a) would come
b) would came
c) would have come
d) would have came

7. I ___________ my homework on time.
a) should finish
b) should finished
c) hadn't finished
d) should have finished

8. If Rachel ___________ she would have passed the test.
a) has studied
b) had studied
c) should have studied
d) would study

9. I am sorry. I ___________ if I had known you were coming.
a) would have not eaten
b) would no have eaten
c) would not had eaten
d) would not have eaten

10. What __________if there had been more time?
a) would you done
b) would you have did
c) would you had done
d) would you have done

Third Conditional Exercise

This third conditional exercise tests your ability to use the third conditional.

Choose the correct option for these third conditional sentences.

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1. If I had studied harder, I __________ my exam.
a) would pass
b) would have passed
c) will pass
d) would passed

2. If you ___________ to the party, you would have seen me.
a) went
b) have gone
c) had gone
d) go

3. If she had listened to me, she _________ problems.
a) will not have
b) would not had
c) would not have
d) would not have had

4. I __________ milk at the store last night.
a) should buy
b) should bought
c) should have bought
d) should have buy

5. If he __________ the opportunity, he could have gone.
a) has
b) had
c) have had
d) had had

6. I would have cleaned the house if I __________ you were coming.
a) knew
b) know
c) have known
d) had known

7. They __________ the books if you had told them.
a) bring
b) brought
c) would bring
d) would have brought

8. If Brad __________ French class, he would have learned how to speak French.
a) has taken
b) had taken
c) has took
d) took

9. __________started the project if you had known it was due on Monday?
a) Would you have
b) Had you
c) Would have you
d) Would you

10. What __________if you had been me?
a) would you done
b) would you have did
c) would you have done
d) would you had done

The Third Conditional Lesson

The third conditional is for unreal situations in the past. This is why it is called the past unreal conditional. This third conditional lesson shows you how to use it properly and effectively. 


Structure
The third conditional structure is as follows:

IF + SUBJECT + HAD + PAST PARTICIPLE + SUBJECT + MODAL +HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE


Examples:


Could

• If I had studied for the exam, I could have passed.

Should

• If you had known about the exam, you should have studied.

Might

• If he had studied harder for the exam, he might have passed.

Would

• If I had been you, I would have studied.

USES

Imaginary Situations in the Past

• If I had gone to university, I would have studied medicine.
• If I had studied for my exam, I would have passed.
• I could have won the game if I had tried harder.

Advice in the Past

• You should have saved your money.
• You should have studied harder.
• You should not have bought so many pairs of shoes.

Sometimes, we give advice by showing what we would have done in the same situation.

• If I had been you, I would not have bought those shoes.
• If I had been you, I would have quit.

CONTRACTIONS

The combination of a modal verb and "have" are contracted to make the following words:

• would've
• could've
• should've

Take a look at some examples:

• If I had tried harder, I could've passed my test.
• If he had woken up earlier, he would've been on time for class.

In conversation, these words are often shortened to make these sounds:

• woulda
• coulda
• shoulda

Keep in mind these are not real words. They are the sounds we make in speaking.

If and When
With the present unreal conditional, you can only use "if". This is because "when" is only used for real situations. Take a look at an example from the future real conditional:

• When I finish school, I will go to university.

This is a real situation, so we use "when". This does not happen with past unreal conditionals.


The third conditional, or past unreal conditional, is one of the most difficult grammar structures in English. Study the lesson and practice using it in your writing and speaking. 

You can practice the third conditional with these online tests:

Third Conditional Test

Third Conditional Test 2

Second and Third Conditional Test


To listen to the third conditional in songs, try these links:

Taylor Swift - Should've Said No

Brian McKnight - Shoulda, Woulda, Coulda