Question

If I _______ the thieves, I ____ them a lesson.
a)find, teach
b) had found, would have taught
c) found, would have taught
d) find, would teach

Answer 1

If I had found the thieves, I would have taught them a lesson.

Explanation:

• The above sentence is an example of type-3 ''if conditional clause''.  
• In type-3 ''if conditional clause'', we use ''would + have + past participle'' in the "main clause" and ''past perfect'' in the ''if clause''.

Example:

I would have passed the test if I had studied.

I would have passed the test = main clause

if I had studied. = if clause

Answer 2

Answer:

If I had found the thieves, I would have taught them a lesson.

Explanation :

• A Conditional Sentence is a sentence that contains a if clause and a main clause. Verb of main clause depends on verb of if clause : If we fail, we shall try again.

• Conditional Sentences are of three kinds and they are : 1. Probable Conditional Sentence, 2. Improbal Conditional Sentence, 3. Impossible Conditional Sentence.

• The above sentence is an example of Impossible Conditional Sentence because I did not found the thieves, so I could not teach them a lesson. Structure : If + subject + past perfect tense + comma + Subject + would + have + past participle : If I had known his house, I would have shown it to you.