Third Conditional : English Conditionals

Third Conditional

The third conditional is used when we are talking about the past and imagining something different from what actually happened:

	Condition	Result	What actually happened
	Past Perfect	WOULD HAVE + Past Participle
If	I had known,	I would have helped.	I didn't know and didn't help.

IF	Condition	Result	Certainty
	past perfect	WOULD HAVE+ past participle
If	I had known,	I would have helped.	Although this didn't happen, the speaker is sure about the result.
If	I had known,	I could have helped.	Although this didn't happen, the result is only a possibility.
If	I had known,	I might have helped.	Although this didn't happen, the result is only a possibility.
If	you had known,	you should have helped.	Although this didn't happen, it is only a good suggestion or piece of advice.