PAST CONDITIONAL SENTENCE

 

a.    Text structure

[If ... Past Perfect ..., ... would have + past participle ... ]

[... would have + past participle ... if ... Past Perfect ...]


As in all conditional sentences, the order of the clauses is not fixed. You may have to rearrange the pronouns and adjust punctuation when you change the order of the clauses, but the meaning is identical.

Examples:

1.      The lanslide would not have happened, if they hadn’t cut the trees excessively

  1. If it had rained, you would have gotten wet.
  2. You would have gotten wet if it had rained.
  3. You would have passed your exam if you had worked harder.
  4. If you had worked harder, you would have passed your exam.
  1. I would have believed you if you hadn't lied to me before.
  2. If you hadn't lied to me before, I would have believed you.

b.      Language Feature

§  Kalimat pengandaian/ If Clause dengan kata kerja dalam bentuk Past Perfect

§  Main Clause dengan modals Past dan kata kerja Perfect tense

 

c. Social Function

§  Menyatakan dan menanyakan pengandaian terjadinya/ dilakukannya sesuatu yang tidak nyata pada waktu lampau

§  Penyesalan

The Past Unreal Conditional is used to talk about imaginary situations in the past. You can describe what you would have done differently or how something could have happened differently if circumstances had been different.

The type 3 conditional refers to an impossible condition in the past and its probable result in the past. These sentences are truly hypothetical and unreal, because it is now too late for the condition or its result to exist. There is always some implication of regret with type 3 conditional sentences. The reality is the opposite of, or contrary to, what the sentence expresses. In type 3 conditional sentences, the time is the past and the situation is hypothetical.

Examples:

  1. If I had worked harder I would have passed the exam. (But I didn't work hard, and I didn't pass the exam.)
  2. If I had known you were coming I would have baked a cake. (But I didn't know and I didn't bake a cake.)
  3. I would have been happy if you had called me on my birthday. (But you didn't call me and I am not happy.
  1. If I had owned a car, I would have driven to work. But I didn't own one, so I took the bus.
  2. She would have traveled around the world if she had had more money. But she didn't have much money, so she never traveled.
  3. would have read more as a child if I hadn't watched so much TV. Unfortunately, I did watch a lot of TV, so I never read for entertainment.
  4. Mary would have gotten the job and moved to Japan if she had studied Japanese in school instead of French.
  5. If Jack had worked harder, he would have earned more money. Unfortunately, he was lazy and he didn't earn much.
  6. A: What would you have done if you had won the lottery last week?
    B: I would have bought a house.
  7. A: What city would you have chosen if you had decided to move to the United States?
    B: I would have chosen Seattle.

 

d. Exception Conditional With Modal Verbs

There are some special conditional forms for modal verbs in English:

would have + can = could have

would have + shall = should have

would have + may = might have

The words "can," "shall" and "may" cannot be used with "would have." Instead, they must be used in these special forms.

Examples:

  1. If I had gone to Egypt, I could have learned Arabic.
  2. If she had had time, she might have gone to the party. 

The words "could," should," "might" and "ought to" include Conditional, so you cannot combine them with "would have."

Examples:

  1. If I had had more time, I could have exercised after work.
  2. If he had invited you, you might have gone.

 

In type 3 conditional sentences, you can also use modals in the main clause instead of "would" to express the degree of certainty, permission, or a recommendation about the outcome.

Examples:
  1. If I had worked harder I might have passed the exam.
  2. You could have been on time if you had caught the bus.
  3. If he called you, you could go.
  4. If you bought my school supplies for me, I might be able to go to the park.

 

e. Contractions

Both would and had can be contracted to 'd, which can be confusing if you are not confident with type 3 conditional sentences. Remember 2 rules:
1. would never appears in the if-clause so if 'd appears in the if clause, it must be abbreviating had.
2. had never appears before have so if 'd appears on a pronoun just before have, it must be abbreviating would.

Examples:
  1. If I'd known you were in hospital, I'd have visited you.
  2. If I had known you were in hospital, I would have visited you.
  3. I'd have bought you a present if I'd known it was your birthday.
  4. I would have bought you a present if I had known it was your birthday.
  1. If you'd given me your e-mail, I'd have written to you.
  2. If you had given me your e-mail, I would have written to you.

 

f. The Meaning of The Past Conditional Sentence

The meaning of past condtional sentence is in contrast to the fact in the past.

For example:

Conditional sentence : The lanslide would not have happened, if they hadn’t cut the trees excessively.

Fact                            : The land slide happened because they cut the trees excessively.

 

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