1. Past Unreal Conditional
The past unreal conditional consists of two clauses, an if clause and a would
clause.
The if-clause refers to an unreal past event or condition:
• If I had arrived on time... (I didn't)
• If it hadn't rained yesterday... (it did)
The would clause describes the consequence:
• ...I wouldn't have missed the train.
• ...we would have gone to the beach.
• It wasn't warm yesterday. We didn't go to the beach.
• If it had been warm yesterday, we would have gone to the beach.
An unreal past condition may have a consequence in either the present or the
past.
• If you had listened to my advice, you wouldn't be in trouble now. (now)
• If it had rained an hour ago, we would have stayed inside.
• If it had rained an hour ago, the streets would be wet. (now)