Conditional 2 & Conditional 3

[chameleon82]

Hello ,

I am learning Conditional Sentences these days.

Conditional 2 Example:
I would not let them in if they were late.

Conditional 3 Example:
I wouldn't have let them in if they had been late.

Can anyone please make me understand the difference between Conditional 2 and Conditional 3. And when to use Conditional2 and when to use Conditional3.

Thanks.

 

[jutfrank]

A simple way of understanding the difference is that they refer to different time.

Your conditional 2 example is about an imagined future and your conditional 3 is about an imagined past.

 

[TheParser]

NOT A TEACHER


Hello, Chameleon:

Do these three sentences give you the general idea?

1. If have time today, I will visit you. ( = Don't be surprised if I knock on your door. It all depends on what time the boss lets me leave work today.)

2.If I had time today, I would visit you. ( = But I don't have time. The boss wants me to work until midnight.)

3. If I had had time last week, I would have visited you. ( = But I didn't have time last week.)

P.S. If "had had" sounds strange to you, you can use a contraction: If I'd had time ....