Third Conditional
(if clauses)

Presentation

Yesterday, Susan wanted to phone Paul, but she couldn’t do it because she didn’t know his number.

 


Woman waiting for phone call
Have you ever met a person and wanted to see him or her again, but you can’t because you forgot to ask his or her phone number?

Have you ever regretted about doing or not doing something?

Have you ever imagined a totally different situation for your life and how this would have changed your life?
Well, let me tell you that I have!

Objective

By the end of this topic:
• Use the third conditional to express hypothetical situations or regrets about a case from the past.

How will you learn all this?


Easy isn't it?

Conditionals: Type 0, 1 and 2

Ok, let’s start by remembering the different types of conditionals and how we use them.
This will allow you to identify their differences and use each type of conditional sentences correctly:


García, M. (2017). Types of conditional [video]. Taken from https://www.powtoon.com/c/eP9ZteG39xF/1/m

If only I had known …

Sad man

Penna, J. (2008). Sad. Taken from: https://goo.gl/w4PFZ3


Have you ever regretted about something you had done?

Analyse the following sentences:

All these situations have something in common. First of all, the three cases express things that cannot be changed now. They are hypothetical situations from an action in the past.

Third conditional

Woman with luggage

Adapted from s.a. (s.f.) Person .Taken from: https://goo.gl/wmrhJj



The third conditional or conditional type 3, refers to actions in the past that you wish or you would like them to be different somehow. These actions become impossible situations because so far you cannot travel back in time.

If you remember at the beginning of your lesson, the other types of conditionals refer to actions in the present or future that may be possible. On the other hand, the third conditional refers to a situation in the past that did not happen.

Analyse the following examples and read the explanation:

- You would have bought a new car if you had saved money.
   You didn’t buy a car because you didn’t save money. Now, you cannot change that.
- If Lisa had been smarter, she would have gotten the job.
   Lisa didn’t get the job because she wasn’t smart.
- What would you have done if it had snowed in the winter?
   This means it didn’t snow.


So far you have seen many examples, now it is time for you to see the correct structure.

post it

Let’s see how to build 3rd conditionals:

Condition

Main clause

If + past perfect
If + subject + had + verb in past participle

Subject + would have +  verb in past participle

If it hadn’t poured,

I wouldn’t have had the accident.

If you had studied harder,

You would have passed your exam.

If she hadn’t gotten pregnant,

Laura wouldn’t have married.

Following is the same example is given at the beginning of the lesson. It is essential to remember that the order of the clauses can be changed. This means you can start either with the condition or the main clause, the only thing is that you use a comma (,) after the condition if you start this way.

Let’s see more examples:

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Got it now?

Why don’t you give it a try? Try doing the following activities to practice conditionals.


Reading

Activity 1

A small story from a small town
Official logo of “Pueblos Mágicos”

Gobierno Ferderal (2015). Oficial logo. Taken from: https://goo.gl/IvTLyI

Do you like travelling around your country? Mexico is a wealthy country, in every aspect. It is full of culture, nature, and beautiful landscapes from the North to the South of the country.

Do you know what a “Magic Town” is? It is a program made in Mexico by the Secretary of Tourism (SECTUR) and other Government Departments. The program aims to recognise and treasure characteristics, history and culture of these towns, as well as to protect the villages and sponsor tourists to visit these beautiful places.

You are going to read a small text about the history of one of these Magic Towns from Mexico, more specific, from Michoacan. This town is called “Santa Clara del Cobre”. Its history and culture make it an unforgettable place that you definitely need to visit.

revista


Reading

Activity 2

The person that made everything different…

During your life, you met many different people. Some of them stay for long periods, others just pass like a flash of light. But some of them influenced you, no matter how short or long the time they spent in your life was.

Next, you are going to read Lucy’s blog. She has been asked to write about a person that has influenced her, but she is having problems “inspiring” herself to write. She is asking for some ideas so she can finally do her homework.


Lucy´s blog

blog


Lucy
Ok, this is my homework: I have to choose a person (famous or not) who in some way have influenced me. I’ve thought it over for ages, but now I give up. I have absolutely no idea. I can think of some people, but they’re fictional characters (like Sherlock Holmes or Dr House). Could you post people who’ve influenced you and, preferably, a little reason why? Maybe that way I’ll get some ideas… Thanks!

Luke
Hey Lucy,
A famous person who has had an influence on me? I’d pick Mark Thomas Tremont (guitarist) from the band Creed. If it hadn’t been for his great videos, I would have given up music. He made me continue playing on. Before I discovered him. I was sluggish, but when I watched Mark play, it really inspired me to improve my practice and keep on learning.

Donna
Hi Lucy,
My mother had a difficult start in life, but she became a fighter, for herself and her children. If she hadn’t had such a challenging experience, she probably wouldn’t have dropped out of university. If she hadn’t dropped out of university, she would have become a doctor because she loved taking care of people. She was a wonderful mother who brought up a family. She wanted to give her kids the opportunities she had not had herself. If it hadn’t been for my mother, I’d never have gone to university. She believed in me and made me believe in myself.

Belle
Hello Lucy, I am grateful to my teacher at secondary school. His name was Steve Walker. I remember when I couldn’t keep up with the other kids in my class, he always told me not to give up. He always said: “you can do it!”. If it hadn’t been for him, I would have had a very different life. I would’ve stopped trying and left school, but I didn’t want to let him down. Above all, Mr Walker gave me my first role in a school play. If I hadn’t been in that play, I wouldn’t have taken part in the school drama club, and I wouldn’t have become an actress.

It’s incredible how some people can change your life without even thinking, isn’t it?
Now that you read the blog. Read the statements and match them with the bloggers.


Writing

Activity 3

If History had been different, what would have happened to us?

Many things that have happened somehow had an essential influence on how things are and work in the present. For example the World Wars, or technological advances that have changed many fields such as education or medicine. Have you ever thought about how the world would have been if these changes hadn’t happened?

For example, read the following extract from the text “An Indigenous success story” from reading activity 1:


…When the Spaniards arrived, many of the indigenous people ran away. However, Bishop Vasco de Quiroga gave the local artisans exclusive rights to make cazos – copper pots- and in this way persuaded them to return. The Spaniards also founded the town of Santa Clara del Cobre that soon became the most important producer of copper in New Spain…

Town square
Miranda, S. (2016). Santa Clara del Cobre

Think about the following questions:

  • What would have happened in Santa Clara del Cobre if Spaniards hadn’t arrived?
  • What would have happened if indigenous people hadn’t run away and had fought with the Spanish people instead?
  • What would have happened if Vasco de Quiroga hadn’t given the right to artisans to make copper pots?

Maybe, if things had happened differently, Santa Clara del Cobre wouldn’t even have become a town, don’t you think?

Below, you will see a list of different events from the World’s history.

Choose 2 historical events and write your opinion about how society and the world would have changed if these events had happened differently. Your writing should be between 100 – 200 words length.


Click on the arrows to see the images.


Before writing, please make sure it contains all the elements in the following checklist. Here you can read an example.

Example

 


Writing

Activity 4

If you hadn’t been there for me…

Sometimes you can be overwhelmed with everything in life: School, job, family, friends, etc. You sometimes may feel a bit down, or helpless, you may have wanted to leave everything aside, but somehow you got the courage to continue.

Most of the time, when you are feeling like this, someone is willing to be there with you and support you. These people help you to go through life, and they are there with you when you need them the most. They encourage you, inspire you and believe in you to get through the rough moments in your life.

Read the following response in Lucy’s blog.



Lucy´s blog

blog


Donna
Hi Lucy, Hi Lucy, My mother had a difficult start in life, but she became a fighter, for herself and her children. If she hadn’t had such a stressful experience, she probably wouldn’t have dropped out of university. If she hadn’t dropped out of university, she would have become a doctor, because she loved taking care of people. She was a wonderful mother who brought up a pleased family; she wanted to give her kids the opportunities she had not had herself. If it hadn’t been for my mother, I’d never have got to university. She believed in me and made me believe in myself.

Think about one person in your life that has encouraged you to move on. Write a small paragraph (100 – 150 words) about how your life would have been different if that person hadn’t been there for you. Be sure to write how this person helped you go through this rough moment in your life.

Before sending your writing, check the list and consider the characteristics for a self-assessment.


Listening

Activity 5

Inventions that have changed the world
.

What do you think a person needs to invent something? It is said that many devices happened because someone was curious about how something worked and because and was brave enough to explore this curiosity.

Do you consider yourself a curious person? Look at the pictures. These are some inventions in history that are considered as the most important because they changed the world.


.

Next, you are going to listen to part of a television program where four experts are giving their opinions about some history’s most important inventions.

After you listen, complete the sentences by dragging the option into space.


“To hear audio click here.”





Listening

Activity 6

A love story that changed the world
.

Without any doubts, love can be healthy and makes people do some crazy things, but, can love to change the history of the world?

Let me tell you that somewhere in the past, one love story had some consequences that changed the world. Do you want to know what happened? Let’s say that Mark Antony and Cleopatra met in the middle of a war.

Painting of Antony and Cleopatra
Alma-Tadema, L. (1884). Antonio y Cleopatra. Taken from https://goo.gl/iTHKmR


During the last great battle, which took place in Actium, Cleopatra’s ships left the battle and Antony followed her. As a result, Octavius became Emperor Augustus and built the Roman Empire.

Interesting, isn't it? A great love that leads to extreme changes in the world. Now, you are going to listen to a literature teacher discussing with the class what would have happened in the world if Antony and Cleopatra hadn’t fallen in love.

 


“To hear audio click here”

*Audio translated and adapted from Sixto, M. (2015).
La batalla de Actium. El trágico final de Marco Antonio y Cleopatra [digital version].
Consulted on January 17th, 2017 from https://goo.gl/nQTOKO

Once you listened to the lecture, read the statements carefully and click whether they are True or False.



Speaking

Activity 7

Heroes and influences. If it hadn’t been for you…
.

Do you believe in heroes? What is a hero for you? What does a person need to become a hero?

Think about people you consider heroes and how they have influenced your life. Record yourself while you talk about this person and the way he or she changed you. Be sure to take into consideration the points on the following rubrics. Then, as a self-assessment compare your audio to this example.

 


“To hear audio click here”


Speaking

Activity 8

If this had happened to me…

You know there are some moments in life that you feel everything is lost. There are rough moments in life that build you up as a whole person.

Think about a rough moment in your life that somehow made you become the person you are now. Record yourself while you talk about this. Remember to look at the rubrics and consider all the elements while you record your audio file. Click here to listen to an example, then compare it to your own speech.


“To hear audio click here”

Self-assessment

One, two, three, MAMBO!

Conditional clauses help us to express different types of situations by using different tenses. The zero conditional refers to facts (the present), the first refers to the future, the second to the present or the future, and the third to the past.

At the beginning of the lesson, you explored the structure of each of the conditionals. Through reading, you learned the structure of the third conditional.

Hint: You can quickly identify the type of conditional by looking for the “if clause”.

Now let's see if you can identify what type of conditionals based on the structure of the statements.

 



What if…? (Part 1)

Once you learn the structure of the different conditional sentences, and the tenses necessary to build the statements, it is easy to use conditionals.

Here is a chart with the structure of each type of conditional statements to help you remember. Read it and study it before you answer the exercise.

Type

Conditional clause

,

Main clause

0

Simple present

Simple present

1

Simple present

Future

2

Simple past

Would + verb

3

Past perfect

Would have + participle

The order of the clauses in a conditional statement is not important, so, here is the same chart but starting with the main clause.

Type

Main clause

Conditional clause

0

Simple present

Simple present

1

Future

Simple present

2

Would + verb

Simple past

3

Would have + participle

Past perfect

When you have to complete conditional sentences, the best thing to do is to identify the word “if”. Read the rest of the statement to determine the tense and then you can locate the tense of the missing verb.

Read the following statements and complete the conditionals with the correct missing verb tense




What if…? (Part 2)

Building conditional sentences can be easy or complicated if you can't identify the tenses in the clauses. See how simple it was?

The following exercise will allow you to practice different types of conditionals by looking at the tenses in the clauses.

 

References

Complementary

  • Prodromou, L. (2013), Flash on English Intermediate student’s book and workbook, Italy: Eli S.r.l
  • Downie, M. (2010), Chatting 4 student’s book, Mexico, D.F.: Richmond publishing.
  • Capital Community College Foundation (s.f.). First, second & third  conditional [version digital]. Checked and consulted on January 17th, 2017  from http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/Grammar/conditional2.htm
  • Englisch-hilfe (s.f.). Conditional sentences, if-clauses type I, II, III. [digital version]. Checked and consulted on January 17th, 2017 from http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/grammar/if.htm