USE

To talk about how a past action or situation affects your life in the present

  • If I’d slept properly, I wouldn’t be so tired now.
  • George would still live in Korea if he hadn’t accepted his job at the BBC. 
  • If Covid hadn’t happened, I wouldn’t live where I live now.
  • If Phil hadn’t learnt Spanish when he was younger, he wouldn’t have a Spanish-speaking family now.
  • They wouldn’t be so hungry now if they had eaten breakfast like I told them to. 

 STRUCTURE

Example: If I had slept better last night, I wouldn’t be so tired now.

Condition (if-clause): past perfect

Result (main clause): would + base verb
You can change the order of the sentence and the meaning stays the same:

wouldn’t be so tired now if I had slept better last night.