B1.9 Third conditional

If I had been born 100 years ago, my life would have been very different.

This sentence, in general, is talking about an imaginary situation.

• True.

• False.

• Eeeh...I think one part of the sentence is an imaginary situation but another part is a real situation.

Answer explanation

TRUE! The sentence "If I had been born 100 years ago, my life would have been very different." is ALL imaginary.

I wasn't born 100 years ago = imaginary

BECAUSE I wasn't born 100 years ago, whatever speculation that follows is imaginary.

If she had studied (1), she would have passed her exam. (2)

• (1) explains the imaginary situation and (2) the imaginary consequence.

• (1) explains the imaginary consequence and (2) the imaginary situation.

If I hadn’t eaten so much yesterday, I wouldn’t have felt sick.

When did the person feel sick?

• It doesn't say.

• Sometime in the past.

• Right now.

• In the future.

Answer explanation

In the past!

The third conditional is all about the past. The verbs WOULD HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE indicate that the action happened in the past.

If Shakespeare hadn't been born...

• Romeo and Juliet wouldn't have been written.

• Romeo and Juliet wouldn't be written.

• Romeo and Juliet would have been written.

You wouldn't have been so stressed...

• if you had studied before the exam!

• you would have prepared for the exam!

• if you did study before the exam!

• you would have passed the exam!

If Cristóbal Colón hadn't gone travelling...

• he wouldn't have found America.

• he wouldn't find America.

• he would find America.

• he would have found America.