Learn English – If + would have + past participle

conditional-constructions

If you would have told me you needed a ride, I would have left earlier.

I have very vague awareness of the fact that there is a special type of conditional clauses using this pattern: If + would have + past participle. Could you please explain to me how my exemplary sentence differs from If you had told me you needed a ride, I would have left earlier.

Best Answer

The technically correct way to say it is:

If you had told me you needed a ride, I would have left earlier.

As you noted in your question. I would say that formal usages still stick to this and never use "if you would have told ...".

However, there is a way in which there can be "would have" in the conditional:

I you would have just one piece of cake, I would be delighted. (Where the cake is the one I baked, of course.)

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