Conditionals: Second and Third

Common Mistakes

If my parents would give me the money I would go on holiday.

If my parents gave me the money, I would go on holiday.

We would have arrived much earlier if we would not have got lost.

We would have arrived much earlier if we had not got lost.

If I had not got married so young it was better.

If I had not got married so young, it would have been better.

If I would live in the country, I would be happy.

If I lived in the country, I would be happy.

I would die, if he had seen me like that.

I would have died if he had seen me like that.

If I knew the answer, I would tell you. But unfortunately, I don’t know the answer.

I would study more if I had time. I have so many other things to do which take up all my time.

I would have traveled more when I was younger if I had had the money, but in reality, I was a poor student!

If I had passed the exam, I would have been very happy, but unfortunately, I failed.

second conditional: if + past + would (for ‘unreal’ hypotheses regarding the present). Example: I would buy a house if I won the lottery.

third conditional: if + past perfect + would have + past participle (hypotheses regarding the past). Example: If I had studied harder when I was at university, I would have made my parents happy.

You can generally switch the two parts of the phrases around. Example: If you had come earlier, it would have been better = It would have been better if you had come earlier.

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