Notes on the form of Type 3 conditionals

1 The most commonly used form is: 'if + past perfect + 'would have' [for should (have), > 14.11n1] If it had rained, we would have stayed at home Progressive forms are possible in the /f-clause and/or main clause: If it had been raining this morning we would have stayed at home If I had not got married, I would still have been living abroad

14 Conditional sentences

2 If is followed by the past perfect or could have (= had been able to) Would have and should have are not used in the If-clause However in everyday speech (never in writing) the following non-standard form (a kind of 'double past perfect) often occurs and should be avoided If I d have known she was ill I d have sent her some flowers

3 The abbreviation can stand for had or would and is common in both speech and informal writing

If /'d(= | had) l eft sooner l'd(= I would) have been on time The abbreviations ' would ve and ' d ve for would have are common in speech Only would ve and d have occur in informal writing If I'd got up earlier I would've/I'd have been on time

When we use Type 3 conditionals

Type 3 conditionals assume something purely imaginary in the if-clause and consider the imagined consequences in the main clause In this respect they are like Type 2 [> 14.12] However Type 3 conditionals refer to consequences which did not and could not (now) ever happen because they refer to something that didn t happen in the past They are 'hypothetical conditions If I had worked harder at school, I d have got a better job If I hadn't been wearing a raincoat, I would have got wet

(referring to something possible often expressing regret) If I had won the pools, life would have been much easier

(referring to an imaginary hoped for situation in the past) If I had lived in the Stone Age, I would have been a hunter

(referring to a completely impossible situation)

We use Type 3 conditionals to speculate about a range of possibilities from what might have been reasonably expected to what would have been completely impossible

14.18.1 'If I had been you/in your position'

We often use these expressions to describe a course of action we

would have followed in someone else s position

if I had been you/in your position, I d have accepted their offer (This means You should have accepted their offer)

We can also use these expressions to refer to somebody else If I had been Jane, I d have walked out on him years ago

14.18.2 'If it hadn't been for'

We often use this expression to explain why something didn t happen

in the past

// ft hadn't been for the rain, we would have had a good harvest