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4. Third Conditional (Type 3)  與過去事實相反的條件句

The third conditional, also an unreal conditional, is a structure used when things did not happen in the past. 

For example:
If I had had more money, I could have bought a vacation home in Hawaii .

=> In reality, I did not have more money and thus could not buy a vacation home in Hawaii .

Mary wishes that she had not gone to that poor movie with Smith last night. 

=> In reality, she went.

 瑪麗但願昨晚沒有跟史密斯去看那場爛電影。
=> 但瑪麗昨晚有去

I wish I had gone last night.

=> “ 但願昨晚有去", but 事實上昨晚沒去.  In reality, I did not go.

I wish I had bought that pink dress last week.

=> In reality, I did not buy that pink dress last week.

If I had gone to the movie last night, I would have seen John
=> In reality, I did not go the movie last night, so I did not see John.

If Tom had been staying in his room when we discussed Mary’s condition, he could have understood why Mary couldn’t have come.

=> In reality, Tom left the room before we discussed Mary’s condition, so he did not understand why Mary couldn’t come.

If Tom had been staying in his room when we were discussing Mary’s condition, he could have understood why Mary couldn’t have come.

=> Tom wasn’t staying in his room while we were discussing Mary’s condition, so he could not understand why Mary could not come.

If Tom had taken the first flight to Paris , Mary would not have been waiting for him at the airport for hours.

=> Because Tom did not take the first flight to Paris , Mary was waiting for him at the airport for hours.

If Tom hadn't missed the first flight to Paris , Mary would not have been sitting at the sidewalk café when a car crashed right into her.

=> Because Tom missed the first flight to Paris , Mary was sitting at the sidewalk café when a car crashed right into her. 

If Tom hadn’t missed the first flight to Paris , Mary would not have been hit by a car.

=> Because Tom missed the first flight to Paris , Mary was hit by a car.

Past Real Conditional vs. Past Unreal Conditional

過去條件語氣 VS. 假設條件語氣

Past Real Conditional:

In the past, if the school was off, I usually took my son to the museums.

=> When the school was off, I usually took my son to the museums.

Past Unreal Conditional:

If the school had been off last week, I would have taken my son to the museums.

=> In reality, the school was not off, so I did not take my son to the museums.

Previous => 條件句 4-7: The Second Conditional (與現在或未來的事實相反) Next => 條件句 6-7: Mixed Conditional (混合條件句) 

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