Conditionals 3 (Mixed conditionals)

Mixed Conditionals

F3D English

Conditional Tenses Form

Condition

Possibility

Type 0

If/when +Simple
Present, + Simple
Present.

Used for scientific/
general truth.

Examples:

1. If you heat butter, it melts.

2. If you stand in the rain, you get wet.

*** “If ” may be replaced by “when” ***

Form

100%

Conditional Tenses Form

Condition

Possibility

Type 1

If+ Simple Present, Present Modal Verbs + verb (base form).

Present modal verbs:
will, may, shall, can,
must, ought to

Used to predict the
result of a future
action (things which
are very likely/might
happen in the future)

50-80%

Examples:

1. If it rains, we will cancel the trip.

2. If it is sunny, Connie will go to the park.

Form

Conditional Tenses Form

Condition

Possibility

Type 2

If+ Simple Past,
Past Modal Verbs + verb (base form).

Past modal verbs:
would, might, should,
could, must, ought to

An unreal/imaginary
possibility that the
condition will
happen. It can refer
to present or future.

0%

Examples:

1. If I were you, I wouldn’t buy that expensive coat.

2. If I went to the supermarket, I could get some bread.

Form

Conditional Tenses Form

Condition

Possibility

Type 3

If+ Past Perfect, Past Modal verbs + have + verb (p.p.).

Past modal verbs:
would, might, should,
could, must, ought to

-To talk about possible events in the past but didn’t happen
-Both the condition and result are impossible now.
-We often use it to express regrets.

0%

Examples:

1. If there had not been a typhoon last month, we would not have postponed the Sports Day.

2. I would have passed my test if I had studied the night before. (I didn’t study, and I failed the test.)

Form

Can this happen?

• If I had studied harder, I would pass my exam.

• If she had enough money, she would have bought a new car long ago.

Mixed Conditionals

Second conditional

→ [if + past simple], [would + infinitive]

→ unreal present/future situations

Third conditional

→ [if + past perfect], [would + have + past participle]

→ unreal past situations

Mixed Conditionals

Third conditional (unreal past)
•If I had studied harder, I would have passed my exam.

Mixed conditional (past condition, present/future result)

- If I had studied harder, I would pass my exam.

Mixed Conditionals

Second conditional (unreal present)
• If she had enough money, she would buy a new car.

Mixed conditional (present condition, past result)
• If she had enough money, she would have bought a new car long ago.

[if + past perfect],[would + infinitive]
past condition,present/future result

This type of mixed conditional refers to an unreal past condition and its probable result in the present/future.
In these mixed conditional sentences, the time is the past in the "if" clause and in the present in the main clause.

• If I had worked harder at school, I would have a better job now.
• If we had looked at the map we wouldn't be lost.
• You would be dead now if you had caught that plane.
• If I had taken an aspirin, I wouldn't have a headache now.

[if + past simple],[would + have + past participle]

present condition, past result

These mixed conditional sentences refer to an unreal present situation and its probable (but unreal) past result.
In these mixed conditional sentences, the time in the if clause is now or always and the time in the main clause is before now.

• If I wasn't afraid of spiders, I would have picked it up.
• If we didn'ttrusthim, we would have sacked him months ago.
• I would have been happy to help you if I wasn't in the middle of another meeting.
• If I was a good cook, I'd have invited them to lunch.

Book Exercise

Practice Makes Perfect!

• https://agendaweb.org/verbs/conditional-mixed-exercises.html

• https://elt.oup.com/student/solutions/upperint/grammar/grammar_09_022e?cc=nl&selLanguage=nl

• https://www.englishpage.com/conditional/conditionalintro.html

Practice Makes Perfect!

• https://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises_list/if.htm

• http://www.myenglishpages.com/site_php_files/grammar-exercise-conditionals.php

• https://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/tests/conditional-sentences-3

• https://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/conditional-sentences