The Third Conditional – Part 2

Before you watch this episode, make sure you’ve already seen the first part of this series The Third Conditional (Part 1) here.

English Grammar Guide #9. The Third Conditional – Part 2

Transcript

Today: The Third Conditional – Part 2: Results with Modal Verbs.

To review the basic structure of the third conditional, check out our earlier video: The Third Conditional – Part 1.

In the previous episode, we learned that you can say:

• If I had been born in Ancient Rome, I would have spoken Latin.

But would is not the only modal we can use with third conditional results. We can also use would, wouldn’t, might, mightn’t, could, and couldn’t. Generally speaking, we should avoid all other modal verbs.

Let’s look at different types of third conditional results, with example sentences:

Would Have Done

First, would have done, or more naturally, “wudda done” / ”wud of done.” Would have done is used for certain results or probable results. That is, we use it for things that certainly would have happened or for things that probably would have happened.

• If I had been born in Ancient Rome, I would have spoken Latin (probably).
• If I had been born in Ancient Rome, I would have worshipped the ancient gods.

Second, wouldn’t have done, or more naturally, “wuddena done” / “wudden of done,” are for certain results or probable results, too – this time for results that certainly wouldn’t have happened or probably wouldn’t have happened.

• If I had been born in Ancient Rome, I wouldn’t have had Facebook (certainly not).
• If I had been born in Ancient Rome, I wouldn’t have spoken English.
• If I had been born in Ancient Rome, I wouldn’t have understood modern numbers.

Might Have Done

Might have done, or more naturally, “myda done” / “myd-of done,” is used for possible results, things that maybe would have happened.

• If I had been born in Ancient Rome, I might have been a senator.
• Or I might have been a gladiator.
• Or I might have been a slave.

Mightn’t have done, or more naturally, “myduna done” / “mydun-of done,” is also used for possible results, things that maybe wouldn’t have happened.

• If I had been born in Ancient Rome, I mightn’t have been born in Italy. I might have been born in Spain, Greece, Britain, or Egypt!
• If I’d been born in Ancient Rome, I mightn’t have spoken Latin. I might have spoken Celtic or Greek, for example.

Could Have Done

Could have done, or more naturally, “cudda done” / “cud of done,” has two possible meanings. One is the same as might have done – possible results (maybe). The other is for results related to ability (that is, would have been able to do).

• If I had been born in Ancient Rome, I could have seen the Circus Maximus. That is, I would have been able to see the Circus Maximus.
• If I had been born in Ancient Rome, I could have read ancient books that no longer exist. That is, I would have been able to read ancient books that no longer exist.
• If I had been born in Ancient Rome, I could have heard live performances of The Aeneid, the story of how Rome was founded.

Couldn’t have done, or more naturally, “cuddena done” / “cudden of done,” also has two possible meanings. One is for impossible results, things that it would been impossible to do. The other is for results related to inability, things that you wouldn’t have been able to do.

• If I’d been born in Ancient Rome, I couldn’t have chosen my career. I wouldn’t have been able to choose my career.
• If I’d been born in Ancient Rome, I couldn’t have made paper airplanes (because they didn’t have paper yet)!
• And finally, if I’d been born in Ancient Rome, I couldn’t have made this video!

OK, over to you! If you need to watch this video again, do, but try to use your own sentences using these structures in the comments section below. Best of luck! 

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