Mastering English Conditionals, Regrets, and Criticisms

Third Conditional

These describe hypothetical situations in the past that did not happen. The structure is:

Formula:

IF + PAST PERFECT (subject + had or hadn't + past participle) / Subject + CONDITIONAL PERFECT (would or wouldn't have + past participle).

Remember that the clauses can also be reversed, starting with the conditional clause and then the past perfect clause.

Examples:

• If I had won the lottery, I would have traveled around the world. (Si yo hubiera ganado la lotería, habría viajado por todo el mundo)

• If I had seen him, I would have told him about you. (Si lo hubiese visto, le habría contado acerca de ti)

• If my sister had been here, she would have enjoyed this. (Si mi hermana hubiese estado aquí, habría disfrutado esto)

Regrets

These express regrets or remorse about situations that are irreversible.

Formula:

I WISH or IF ONLY + subject + PAST PERFECT (had or hadn't + past participle) + rest of the sentence.

Examples:

(In the test, you will be given a situation and you will write the regret)

• Situation: We arrived late (llegamos tarde)

  Regret: If only I hadn't arrived late to the bus station. (Si solo no hubiésemos llegado tarde a la estación de bus)

• Situation: I feel sick (me siento enferma)

  Regret: I wish I hadn't eaten so much at the party. (Desearía no haber comido tanto en la fiesta)

Criticisms

Again, you will be given a situation and you will have to criticize it.

Formula:

Should or Shouldn't have + past participle

Examples:

• Situation: "Her camera was stolen" (su cámara fue robada)

  Criticism: She shouldn't have taken it to that crowded place. (ella no debería haberla tomado en un lugar lleno de gente)

• Situation: "He got a bad mark on the test" (se sacó una mala nota en la prueba)

  Criticism: He should have studied for the test. (él debió haber estudiado para la prueba)

Vocabulary related to anger

• Tantrum: pataleta, berrinche

• Furious: furioso

• Lose your temper: Perder los estribos, perder el temperamento

• Bite someone's head off: Te echan la foca de la nada (informal)

• Hot-headed: Impulsivo, exaltado

• Calm: calmo, calma

• Keep cool: mantener la cabeza fría, mantener la calma, no actuar precipitadamente