Grammar › Conditionals

Mixed conditionals

480 fill-in-the-gap exercises, 48 tests of ten

When the two halves sit in different times: something that did not happen in the past, affecting now.

Why they exist

The third conditional keeps both halves in the past, but life is not always so tidy. Often a past event still has a result now:

If I had taken that job, I would be living in Oslo.

The condition is past; the consequence is today. Neither the second nor the third conditional can say that on its own, so English mixes them.

Past cause, present result

The commonest of the two. Take the if half from the third conditional and the result half from the second:

• If she had married him, she would be unhappy now.
• If they hadn’t sold the house, they would still have it.
• If I had set an alarm, I wouldn’t be late.

The word now or still often appears and is a good signal.

Present cause, past result

The reverse, and much rarer. Take the if half from the second conditional and the result from the third:

• If I were more organized, I wouldn’t have missed the deadline.
• If he weren’t so stubborn, he would have apologized by now.

Here a permanent trait explains a specific past event.

How to choose

Look at each half separately and ask when it belongs:

• the condition in the past → had plus the past participle
• the result in the present → would plus the plain verb
• the result in the past → would have plus the past participle

Then join them. The two halves do not have to match.

All forms

Examples

Taken from the 480 sentences in this drill. The answer is highlighted.

• If they had stacked the firewood under cover, it would be dry now.
• If he were honest with us, we would not be checking the figures.
• If they had reported the leak, the ceiling would have held.
• If we went to the park, we could have played soccer.
• If Sarah studied harder, she would have passed the exam.
• If she had accepted the transfer, she would be living in a city she has never once troubled to visit.
• If he finished his work earlier, he would have gone home.
• If she came to the party, I would have been surprised.
• If she went to the party, she would have met him.
• If they missed the bus, they would have been late.
• If she left, she would have caught the last train.
• If he had enough money, he would have bought the new phone.

Mistakes to avoid

Other forms of Conditionals