Third conditional: if I hadn't missed that train… Third conditional exercises for an imagined past

This B2 drill lesson gives third conditional exercises for an imagined past: both halves, the real facts turned around, questions, and could or might have.

Grammar: If + had done, would have done, negatives, questions and short answers, 'd as had or would, and could or might have in the result.
Topic: Rosalind missed a train and met her piano teacher: her blog post with readers' comments, his card, a local paper interview, her “other me” post and Ottilie's chat.
Activities: Sorting, choices, gap-fills, a memory game, word order, flip-the-fact rewrites, drag-and-drop texts, matching, an anagram, quizzes, a chat and a test.

What's inside

Chapter 1The rule
- PictureUnlock
- Study the scheme: the third conditionalGrammar schemeTry it
- Is the sentence correct? Mark true or falseTrue or falseUnlock
- Sort the phrases: if part or result?Sort into columnsTry it
- Choose the right formChoose the optionUnlock
- Fill in the gaps: the if partFill in the gapsUnlock
Chapter 2Two halves: had done, would have done
- Fill in the gaps: the result with would haveFill in the gapsTry it
- Choose the right form: the past participleChoose the optionUnlock
- Find the matching pairs: if part and resultMemory gameUnlock
- Fill in the gaps: if + had…, would have…Fill in the gapsUnlock
- Put the words in the right orderUnjumbleUnlock
- Read the story and drag the words into the gapsDrag and dropUnlock
- Find the mistake and choose the right wordsQuizUnlock
Chapter 3Flip the facts
- Read the sentences and mark true or false: what really happened?True or falseUnlock
- Choose the right form: positive or negative?Choose the optionTry it
- Write the sentences again: imagine the opposite (would have)Fill in the gapsUnlock
- Match the facts and the sentencesMatchUnlock
- Read the baking blog and drag the words into the gapsDrag and dropUnlock
- Choose the right sentence for the situationQuizUnlock
Chapter 4Questions, 'd and could or might
- Sort the phrases: 'd = had or 'd = would?Sort into columnsUnlock
- Put the words in order to make questionsUnjumbleUnlock
- Write the questions with would haveFill in the gapsUnlock
- Choose the right short answerChoose the optionUnlock
- Match the questions and the answersMatchTry it
- Fill in the gaps: would have, could have or might haveFill in the gapsUnlock
- Choose the sentence with the same meaningQuizUnlock
Chapter 5Real life: The 7:40 to the city
- Read the blog post and the commentsReal-life documentUnlock
- Read the blog post again: true or false?True or falseUnlock
- Read Florian's card and fill in the gapsFill in the gapsUnlock
- Read the interview in the Wexley Weekly and drag the words into the gapsDrag and dropUnlock
- Read Rosalind's new post and choose the right wordsChoose the optionUnlock
- Choose the right replies: Ottilie texts youChatTry it
- Test yourself: choose the right answerQuizUnlock
Chapter 6Homework
- Choose the right form: everyday situationsChoose the optionUnlock
- Fill in the gaps: had… and would have…Fill in the gapsUnlock
- Unscramble the past participlesAnagramUnlock
- Write the sentences again with if and would have: real problemsFill in the gapsUnlock
- Put the words in the right order: if sentencesUnjumbleUnlock
- Match the beginnings and the endingsMatchUnlock
- Find the matching pairs: the fact and the third conditionalMemory gameUnlock
- Fill in the table: the facts, the if part and the resultFill in the tableUnlock
- Find the mistake and choose the right words: everyday EnglishQuizUnlock
- Choose the right short answer: questions about last weekendChoose the optionUnlock
- Write the questions with would have: what would have happened?Fill in the gapsUnlock
- Is it correct English? Mark true or falseTrue or falseUnlock
- Choose the right answer: mixed practiceQuizUnlock
- Read Thaddeus's email and fill in the gapsFill in the gapsUnlock
- Read the sports report and drag the words into the gapsDrag and dropUnlock

Grammar: the third conditional

The third conditional imagines a past that didn't happen, and its result: If I had left earlier, I would have caught the train, though in fact I left late and missed it. Both halves are about the past, and both need a past participle.

Third conditional: if I had…, I would have…

Imagine a different past: something that didn't happen, and what its result would have been. Both halves are about the past.

If + had done, would have done

The if part takes had + past participle, the result would have + past participle: If you had told me, I would have come. With the if part first, add a comma; with the result first, leave it out.

If + had + past participlewould have + past participle

If I had left earlier, I would have caught the train.

If you had told me, I would have come.

We would have won if our best player had played.

Flip the facts

Start from what really happened and turn each half around: I forgot my keys, so I waited outside becomes If I hadn't forgotten my keys, I wouldn't have waited outside. Positive facts turn negative, negative ones positive.

What really happened

past simple: real events
I forgot my keys.
I waited outside for two hours.

Third conditional: the opposite, imagined

positive ↔ negative
If I hadn't forgotten my keys,
I wouldn't have waited outside for two hours.

Questions, short answers and 'd

Questions put would before the subject: Would you have come if we had invited you? Short answers keep would alone: Yes, I would. In short forms, 'd is had in the if part and would in the result: If she'd asked, I'd have said yes.

Positive, negative, questions

Form	Example
positive	If she had called, I would have answered.
negative	If it hadn't rained, we wouldn't have stayed home.
wh- question	What would you have done if you had lost your passport?
yes/no question	Would you have come if we had invited you?
short answers	Yes, I would (have). · No, I wouldn't (have).
result first	We would have helped if you had asked. (no comma)

Short forms: 'd = had or would?

In the if part, 'd = had: If I'd known… In the result, 'd = would: I'd have called. Both in one sentence: If she'd asked (had), I'd have said yes (would). would've = would have: write would've or would have, never "would of". Negatives: hadn't, wouldn't have.

Would, could or might have

Would have is the sure result, could have means it was possible, and might have means maybe: If we'd hurried, we might have caught the bus. The if part never takes would: If I had known, not If I would have known.

would, could or might?

Result	Meaning	Example
would have + past participle	sure: the certain result	If I'd known, I would have called you.
could have + past participle	possible: you were able to	If I'd had a car, I could have driven you home.
might have + past participle	maybe: a possible result	If we'd hurried, we might have caught the bus.

No would in the if part

If part: had + past participle, never would: If I had known (not: If I would have known; you may hear it in casual speech, but don't write it). Past participle: If they had gone (not: had went), would have taken (not: would have took). Comma: if part first → comma; result first → no comma.

Slips the scheme fixes

Had went becomes had gone, would helped becomes would have helped, and would of called becomes would've called.

If I would have known, I would have come.
If I had known, I would have come.
no would in the if part
If they had went by car, they would have arrived earlier.
If they had gone by car, they would have arrived earlier.
had + past participle (gone), not the past simple
I would of called you.
I would've called you.
would've = would have, never "would of"
If you had asked, I would helped you.
If you had asked, I would have helped you.
would have + past participle

Examples

If I hadn't missed the bus, I wouldn't have met my best friend.a lucky chance
If you had warned us, we would have taken umbrellas.a complaint
If the museum hadn't closed at five, we could have stayed longer.could: it was possible
If it hadn't snowed, the plane might have landed on time.might: maybe
Where would you have gone if you'd had a week off?a question
If she'd studied, she'd have passed.'d = had, then 'd = would

More lessons on this grammar: Third and mixed conditionals lessons and exercises

Try the third conditional exercises

Try them yourself: these are the same exercises your students do in edio.

What's in the lesson

39 auto-checked exercises
6 games
1 real-life document
1 grammar scheme
1 picture

The main objectives of this lesson are to:

build both halves: If you had invited me, I would have come to your party last weekend.
turn a fact around: I missed the train, so I was late for work. → If I hadn't missed the train, I wouldn't have been late for work.
ask and answer about an imagined past: Would you have helped me if I had asked? Yes, of course I would.
choose could have for what was possible and might have for maybe: If you had taken the earlier flight, you might have arrived before the storm.
keep would out of the if part: If I had seen the red light, not If I would have seen the red light

Grammar:: third conditional · if + past perfect · would have + past participle · could have / might have
Topic:: grammar practice · chance · life stories · music · trains

Teaching tips

Share sliding-doors moments: after Rosalind's post, each student tells one small chance that changed their week, and the class answers with a third conditional: If you hadn't missed the bus, you wouldn't have met…
Say the facts before the if: for each flip-the-fact item, students first say what really happened in the past simple, then switch positive to negative and negative to positive.
Chain the consequences: start with one regret, like If I had set my alarm…, and each student adds a result that becomes the next if: …I wouldn't have missed the bus. If I hadn't missed the bus…

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The whole course: English Grammar Practice · B2

English Grammar Practice · B2 has 24 drill lessons, one grammar point each: the future perfect and continuous, the third and mixed conditionals, wishes, past modals, the impersonal passive, have something done, participle clauses, reporting verbs and verb patterns. Each has the rule as a scheme, 43 to 47 exercises that check themselves, 15 of them for homework, and no new words.See the course

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