c. Conditional Sentence type 3
This conditional sentence indicates past time and indicates an unreal and unfulfilled situation.
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The verb in the if clause is in the past perfect tense; the verb in the main clause is in the past future perfect tense. The time is past and the condition cannot be
fulfilled becaus e the action in the if clause didn‟t happen.
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Here‟s the example :
I didn‟t know her telephone number If I had known her telephone number, I would have called her.
She didn‟t have enough time She would have finished the exam if she had more time.
The other explanation about conditional sentence type 3 is also stated by Azar. It can be seen in this table.
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Table 4 Conditional Sentence Type III
a If you had told me about the problem, I would have helped you.
b If they had studied, they would have passed the exam.
c If I hadn‟t slipped on the stairs, I wouldn‟t have broken my arm.
In a: in truth, you did not tell me about it. In b: in truth, they did not study. Therefore, they
failed the exam. In c: in truth, I slipped on the stairs. I broke my
arm. Note: The auxiliary verbs are almost always
contracted in speech. “If you‟d told me, I would‟ve helped you on I‟d‟ve helped you.”
COMPARE a if I had had enough money, I would
have bought a cat. b If I had had enough money, I could
have bought a car In a: would express a desired or predictable
result. In e: could express a possible option; could have
bought = would have been able to buy.
Source: Betty S. Azar, Understanding and Using English Grammar, 2000
33
George E. Wishon and Julia M. Burks, Op.Cit. p.251
34
A. J Thompson and A.V Martinet, Op.Cit. p.200
35
Betty S. Azar, Loc.Cit.
d. General variants on conditional sentences 1 Using Progressive verb forms
we use a continues form of the verb if we want to suggest „continuous meaning‟ e.g. to emphasize the temporariness of something. We can use continuous verb forms in
both the-if and the main clause.
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It is raining right now, so I will not go for a walk. If I were living in Chile, I would be working at a bank.
If I had been living in Chile last year, I would have been working at a bank.
2 Mixed Conditional sentences
Frequently the time in the “if clause” and the time in the “result clause” are different: one clause may be in the present and the other in the past. Notice that past and present
times are mixed in the sentences in the following examples.
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I did not eat breakfast several hours ago, so I am hungry now. If I had eaten breakfast several hours ago, I would not be hungry now.
past present
He is not a good student. He did not study for the test yesterday. If he were a good student, he would have studied for the test.
present past
36
Martin Parrot, Grammar for English Language Teacher Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2004, p.278
37
Betty S. Azar, Op.Cit. p.353
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