if

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Instead, we'd pop into the theatre in Brooklyn Heights at any point in a film, watch to the end, sit through the break, and then watch the beginning—which naturally led to watching a movie we liked twice, even if we hadn't been late.

http://chud.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-3549.html

About the part in red, is it third conditional (subjunctive), or not?

Taka · Accepted Answer

Anyone?

A Cornish Pasty · Answer

No, this isn't the third conditional because there is no main clause, (a result of the if-clause "if we hadn't been late", what could we have done, etc). "We hadn't been" is the pluperfect tense.

MrPedantic · Answer

Hello Taka,

I wouldn't take the last part as a third conditional; it can be roughly paraphrased as:

1. [This] naturally led to watching a movie we liked twice, even when we hadn't arrived late.

The past perfect here isn't counterfactual, to my mind: it deals with real occasions in the past.

All the best,

MrP

Marius Hancu · Answer

My first reaction was just what MrP said: isn't counterfactual.

I feel this will be seen both ways (indicative/subjunctive) by different people:

http://thegrammarexchange.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/340600179/m/8021001654

MrPedantic · Answer

I think the slightly clumsy "even if we hadn't been late" misleads some of those posters. The real meaning is "even when we weren't late"; and "when" doesn't require a subjunctive.

MrP

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