1. Hypothesising about the past.

They would have needed heavy logs and strong ropes.
The huge leaves would have provided roofing material for their houses.

Use would + have + past participle to say what was probably the case or what was predictable, in the past, because of what we now know.


Rewrite the sentences using the above structure.

2. Hypothesising about things that did not happen.

You can also used would have done to hypothesise about things that were or are impossible.

I would have phoned, but I didn’t have your phone number.
My late grandfather would have liked this book.
Without her connections, she wouldn’t have found a job.


Match the two parts of the sentences.

3. Hypothetical conditions.

The structure would have done is often associated with a conditional clause beginning with if. The if-clause describes a hypothetical (imaginary) situation. The main clause describes the hypothetical result of that situation.

Hypothetical condition Hypothetical result
If they hadn’t cut down the trees, the culture would’ve survived.

This structure is sometimes called "the third conditional".


Rewrite these sentences from exercise 2, using an if-clause. Use contractions where appropriate.

4. Hypothetical conditions.

I would have phoned you if I’d had your phone number.
= I didn’t phone you because I didn’t have your phone number.

Write sentences using the third conditional for these situations. Use contractions where appropriate.

Now you should go to TUTORIAL 1 and do exercise 1. When you have finished, return to GRAMMAR exercise 5.

5. Speak: Hypothetical conditions.

Can you remember? Say and record the second sentence, with the missing words, to rephrase the first sentence. Use contractions where appropriate.

6. Passive: review.

Choose the correct category for these sentences.

7. Passive.

Choose the correct word (or no word ----) to complete these sentences.

Now you should go to TUTORIAL 1 and do exercise 2. When you have finished, return to LISTENING.