A past that did not happen

Examples

1. If we had left ten minutes earlier, we would have caught the train.

2. She would not have signed it if she had read the second page.

3. Had the fault been reported in March, the repair would have been simple.

4. They might have won if the referee had seen it.

Common mistakes

• ✗Wrong: If I would have known, I would have said something.

  ✓Right: If I had known, I would have said something.

  would never goes in the if half; the condition takes had + past participle.

• ✗Wrong: If we had booked earlier, we would pay half.

  ✓Right: If we had booked earlier, we would have paid half.

  A past condition needs a past result: would HAVE paid.

• ✗Wrong: If had we known, we would have come.

  ✓Right: Had we known, we would have come.

  When you invert to drop if, the if goes and does not come back.

Practice questions

Try each one yourself first, then open “Show answer” for the solution and the reason.

1. 1Choose the correct sentence.

   1. AIf you had told me, I would have helped.
   2. BIf you told me, I would have helped.
   3. CIf you would have told me, I would have helped.
   4. DIf you had told me, I would help.
   Show answer

   Answer: A If you had told me, I would have helped.

   Condition: had + past participle. Result: would have + past participle.

2. 2Choose the correct sentence.

   1. AHad I known the rules, I would not applied.
   2. BIf had I known the rules, I would not have applied.
   3. CHad I known the rules, I would not have applied.
   4. DHad I know the rules, I would not have applied.
   Show answer

   Answer: C Had I known the rules, I would not have applied.

   Inversion replaces if entirely.

3. 3Choose the correct sentence.

   1. AWe can have avoided all of this.
   2. BWe could have avoided all of this.
   3. CWe could avoided all of this.
   4. DWe could have avoid all of this.
   Show answer

   Answer: B We could have avoided all of this.

   could have + past participle for an unrealised past possibility.

4. 4Fill in the gap.

   If the letter _____ on time, none of this would have happened.

   1. Aarrived
   2. Bhas arrived
   3. Chad arrived
   4. Dwould have arrived
   Show answer

   Answer: C If the letter had arrived on time, none of this would have happened.

   The if half takes the past perfect.

5. 5Fill in the gap.

   She _____ the job if she had asked for less money.

   1. Amight have get
   2. Bmay get
   3. Cmight have got
   4. Dmight get
   Show answer

   Answer: C She might have got the job if she had asked for less money.

   might have softens an unreal past result.

6. 6Fill in the gap.

   _____ we realised sooner, we would have cancelled.

   1. AHave
   2. BIf had
   3. CDid
   4. DHad
   Show answer

   Answer: D Had we realised sooner, we would have cancelled.

   Inversion with had replaces if.

7. 7Fill in the gap.

   If they had not been so slow, we _____ this conversation.

   1. Adid not have
   2. Bwill not have
   3. Cwould not have had
   4. Dwould not be having
   Show answer

   Answer: D If they had not been so slow, we would not be having this conversation.

   A past cause with a present result is a mixed conditional.

8. 8Fill in the gap.

   Nobody _____ if the alarm had been working.

   1. Awill be hurt
   2. Bwould be hurt
   3. Cwould have hurt
   4. Dwould have been hurt
   Show answer

   Answer: D Nobody would have been hurt if the alarm had been working.

   The result is passive and in the past: would have been + participle.

9. 9This sentence is wrong. Choose the fix.

   Which sentence is wrong?

   1. AHad I gone, I would have seen it.
   2. BI would have seen it if I had gone.
   3. CIf I had gone, I would have seen it.
   4. DIf I would have gone, I would have seen it.
   Show answer

   Answer: D If I would have gone, I would have seen it.

   would have cannot appear in the condition.

10. 10This sentence is wrong. Choose the fix.

    Which sentence is wrong?

    1. AIf she had studied, she would pass the exam.
    2. BIf she had studied, she would have passed the exam.
    3. CIf she studied, she would pass the exam.
    4. DShe would have passed if she had studied.
    Show answer

    Answer: A If she had studied, she would pass the exam.

    A past condition with a past result needs have.