Talk a Lot Intermediate Book Notes on Intermediate Verb Forms Third Conditional = different past Time of action: Past When we need to use it? To describe hypothetical actions (that didn’t happen) in the past: - If I’d arrived a few minutes earlier, I would’ve caught the bus To express regrets and sorrow for having done something: - If I hadn’t called my manager a fat pig, I could have kept my job Or to accuse somebody over something: - If you’d worked harder at school, you could’ve been a doctor by now! How is it formed? 1st clause: if + past perfect 2nd clause: would/could/might + have + past participle Contractions in spoken English: I would have Ö I’d’ve L~fKÇ]îL= or I woulda L]KïrKÇ]L= She could have Ö She could’ve Lp]KârKÇ]îL or She coulda Lp]KârKÇ]L could / should / might = no contractions possible Examples: Positive Form: If you’d booked before the twelfth, you could’ve saved fifteen percent Negative Form: If you hadn’t booked before the twelfth, you couldn’t have saved… Question Form: If I’d booked before the twelfth, could I have saved…? Answers: Yes, you could (have) / No, you couldn’t (have) Passive form: If the room had been booked before the twelfth, you could’ve… Used with state verbs? Yes, e.g If I’d remembered to post that letter, you would have got it Tips: • • There is no chance of this action happening – it’s impossible Sometimes the “if” clause is not spoken, but rather implied by the speaker: I would’ve got you some tickets for the concert [i.e “If you had asked me to, but you didn’t.”] 13