Hypothesis (1)

would have needed

1. Hypothesising about the past.

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.

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

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.

Choose the correct option to complete each sentence.

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 the previous exercise, 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.