I learn that there are 3 types of conditional sentences:
- Type 1 (present and possible): If I have money (and it's possible one
day), I will donate. - Type 2 (present and impossible): If I had money
now (but I don't), I would donate. - Type 3 (past and impossible): If I had had money (but I didn't), I would have donated.
What if I want to express something in the past that is possible, eg. If he had money before (and I don't know if he did, but it is possible), then he would donate?
Best Answer
No, it's not possible because when commenting on the past, the third conditional is required, so:
If he had had money, he would have made a donation. (But he didn't have money and he didn't make a donation.)
The second conditional refers to a theoretical present/future:
If he had money, he would make a donation. (But, as yet, he doesn't have money and he won't make a donation until he has money.)