Third Conditional - Regret and Criticism

This lecture looks at the third conditional look at when to use it how it’s used and formatted and we give some examples we use the third conditional for unlikely or impossible situations in their results.

And these refer to past events that cannot be changed and they are usually used to indicate regret.

Also give criticism.

the third conditional has the following format.

If plus past perfect then present conditional or present continuous conditional so if this had happened this would have happened or if this had happened this would have been happening as with all conditionals the if in the main clause are not fixed they can be swapped around paying attention to pronouns and punctuation.

So some examples for expressing regret if I had worked harder I would have passed the exam.

The meaning here is well I didn’t work harder and that’s why I didn’t pass the exam I would have baked a cake if I knew a visiting Well I didn’t know you were visiting so I didn’t bake a cake and the last one of these group if I had prepared better I would have gotten that job.

Well I didn’t prepare better or didn’t prepare well and that’s why I didn’t get the job the other uses for criticism.

And here are some examples.

if you remember to get petrol we wouldn’t have been late.

Well I didn’t remember yet petrol I forgot to get petrol that’s why we ran out and that’s why we were late.

if you’d have played better we would have won the match.

Well I didn’t play very well and that’s why we lost the match and the last example.

If you hadn’t eaten so much you wouldn’t be feeling sick or unfortunately.

I did it too much and that’s why I am now feeling sick and that concludes the lecture on 3rd conditionals.