In the following question, out of the four alternatives, select the alternative which will improve the underlined part of the sentence. In case no improvement is needed, select “No improvement”.

If I had money, I would bought myself a home theatre.

The correct answer is would buy.

Key Points

• ​Conditional sentences are statements discussing known factors or hypothetical situations and their consequences.
• One of the structures is mentioned below:
• This particular type is followed when we talk about something in the past which is purely imaginary.
  • If + Simple Past, Subject + Would + V₁ + Object.
  • Example:
    • If I had wings, I would fly like a bird.
• In the underlined part of the given question, 'would buy' will be used as per the rule given above.
   

Correct Sentence: If I had money, I would buy myself a home theatre.​​​​Additional Information

• In this question 'had' is denoting possession and not referring to 'perfect' tense.
• There is one more type of conditional sentences in the past tense given below:
• This particular type is followed when something didn't happen as a certain condition wasn't fulfilled.
  • If + Subject + had + V3 + object, Subject + Would have + V3 + Object.
• For example:
  • If I had noticed you, I would had call you.
  • If I had noticed you, I would have called you.

Mistake Points

Dear students, you might feel that it is a third conditional sentence but for this sentence to be third conditional you need 'had + V3'. Find V3 in this sentence. There is no V3 in this sentence because here 'had' is not used as a helping verb instead it is used as a main verb. So kindly adhere yourselves from committing such silly mistakes.