Grammar | The conditional type 3

GRAMMAR

The conditional

Type three: 

Past perfect simple -----> past conditional (also called Prefect conditional)
- If I had seen him yesterday, I would have spoken to him. 

Main clause:

 Past conditional - If clause Past perfect.

 _ If we had caught the 10 O' clock train we would have got there by lunchtime (We did not catch the 10 O'clock train, so we didn't get there by lunchtime).

_ If he had come yesterday morning, we would have played tennis. = But he didn't come, so we didn't play tennis.

----> impossible ideas because we know the condition was not fulfilled.

NOTES: Inversion is possible with any verb in this type, unlike type two where inversion is possible only with to be.

_ If I had known in time, I would have come.
_ Had I known in time, I'd have come.

Variation:

A fairly common variation is a present conditional in the main clause instead of a past conditional.

- If I had worked harder when I was at school, I would probably have a better job now. Or would probably have ---> but I didn't work hard, so I don't have a good job now.

- I can hardly keep my eyes open. If I had gone to bed earlier last night, I would not be tired now/ would not have been. (But I went to be late, so I am tired now)

Contrast:

A) If you had drunk more milk when you were a baby, you would have been healthier then ( but you didn't drink enough milk when you were a baby so you were not healthy)
B) If you had drunk more milk when you were a baby, you would be healthier now ( but you didn't drink enough milk when you were a baby so you are not healthy).