Third Conditional Questions for the ESL Classroom

Conditional sentences are an important part of the English language, and the third conditional is one of the most complex and interesting.

The third conditional is used to talk about situations in the past that did not happen, and the results that would have occurred if they had.

In this post, we will go over the structure of third conditional questions and provide several examples to help you understand how to use them correctly.


How to Make Third Conditional Questions

To form a third conditional question, you can use the following structure:

Structure Example
If If
Past PerfectYou had won the lottery
Would have + ParticipioWould you have bought a mansion?

Third Conditional Questions: Examples

Here are some other examples of third-conditional questions:

  • If you had bought that ticket, would you have enjoyed the concert?
  • If she had taken that job, would she have been happier now?
  • If they had learned Spanish, would they have traveled to Spain?
  • If I had gone to bed earlier, would I have felt more rested?
  • If he had studied harder, would he have gotten a better grade?
  • If we had left earlier, would we have avoided the traffic jam?
  • If she had known the truth, would she have left him?
  • If they had practiced more, would they have won the game?
  • If he had eaten healthier, would he have lost weight?
  • If you had invested in that stock, would you have made a profit?
  • If we had taken the other route, would we have arrived faster?
  • If she had taken her medication, would she have recovered faster?
  • If they had listened to the instructions, would they have completed the task?
  • If he had checked the weather forecast, would he have taken an umbrella?
  • If we had arrived earlier, would we have secured a better seat?
  • If she had exercised regularly, would she have been more energetic?
  • If they had followed the recipe, would they have made a delicious meal?
  • If he had practiced more, would he have played the guitar better?
  • If we had booked in advance, would we have saved money?
  • If she had stayed in school, would she have pursued a different career?

Conversation Questions: Third Conditional

These are some examples of third conditional questions to have a nice conversation with your students.

  • If you had won the lottery, what would you have done with the money?
  • If you had been born in a different country, do you think your life would have been very different?

Questions and Answers

These are some examples of questions for third conditional questions

1. If you had bought that ticket, would you have enjoyed the concert?

If I had bought that ticket, oh man, I would have totally enjoyed the concert! The band is my favorite, and their live performances are epic.

I would have been singing along, dancing like crazy, and feeling the energy of the crowd. It would have been an unforgettable experience!

2. If she had taken that job, would she have been happier now?

If she had taken that job, I think she would have been way happier now. It sounds like the perfect opportunity for her.

The job would have allowed her to pursue her passion and work with amazing people.

Plus, the company has a reputation for being fun and supportive. She would have been excited every day, loving what she does, and feeling fulfilled.

3. If they had learned Spanish, would they have traveled to Spain?

If they had learned Spanish, I bet they would have traveled to Spain! Knowing the language opens up so many possibilities.

They would have been able to communicate with the locals, immerse themselves in the culture, and explore all the beautiful places Spain has to offer.

It would have been a dream come true for them!

If I had gone to bed earlier, would I have felt more rested?

If I had gone to bed earlier, I would have definitely felt more rested.

Staying up late is fun, but it always leaves me feeling exhausted the next day.

If he had studied harder, would he have gotten a better grade?

If he had studied harder, I’m pretty sure he would have gotten a better grade.

He’s a smart guy, but sometimes he just didn’t put in the effort. If he had buckled down and dedicated more time to studying, he could have aced those exams.

With better preparation, he would have understood the material better and gotten the grades he wanted.

More Grammar Questions

Thanks for reading my post about third-conditional questions.

If you feel like learning some more, have a look at some of my other grammar questions posts

  1. Questions with Used to
  2. 60 Questions with Prepositions at the End
  3. Questions with Why: Guide & Examples
  4. Questions with Would
  5. Question with When: Guide & Examples
  6. 50 Questions with Get: Guide & Examples
  7. 50 Questions with How: Grammar Guide & Examples
  8. First Conditional Questions for the ESL Classroom
  9. Second Conditional Questions for the ESL Classroom
Manuel Campos, English Professor

Manuel Campos

Hi, I am Manuel Campos, The Professor behind GatherLessons.com. I am from Costa Rica and I currently teach English at UTN