Mixed Conditionals - Extra Explanation and Practice

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• havo
• Leerjaar 4

Conditionals

if + past simple + would/could/might - for hypothetical situations in the present or future, suggestions and advice

if/unless + present simple + will/ won't might - for a future possibility

if + past perfect + would have + past participle - for hypothetical situations in the past or regrets about the past

if/when + present simple + present simple - for general truths or the result of a situation/action

Zero conditional

first conditional

second conditional

third conditional

If I worked harder, I might get better grades.

Unless the rules change, classes will still be online tomorrow.

If they had bought snowboots, they wouldn't have had cold feet.

If the temperature stays below 0 degrees for a while, water turns into ice.

Zero conditional

first conditional

second conditional

third conditional

Mixed Conditionals

Used to speculate on the present results of a hypothetical past situation/event. Can also be used to show regret or criticism.
Past condition:                                                              Present result:

3rd conditional  (past perfect)                              2nd conditional (would + infinitive)

If I hadn't been born in the Netherlands,       I wouldn't be able to speak Dutch. (now)

(past)

Present (/general) condition:                           Past result:

2nd conditional  (past simple)                         3rd conditional (would + have + pp)

If she wasn't so intelligent,                               she wouldn't have had such good grades.

Als ze niet zo intelligent was,                           zou ze niet zulke goede cijfers hebben gehaald.

In pairs (preferably):
Write your own example sentences
for the two types of mixed conditionals.

Practice Time

If I hadn't logged in today,

1. I will not be learning these conditionals now.
2. I would not be learning these conditionals now.
3. I would not have been learning these conditionals now.

Mixed (3rd+2nd)

Past event (3rd) + Unreal situation in present (2nd)

If Sheila studied more,

1. she could still make it.
2. she will still make it.
3. she could have still made it.
4. she can still make it.

2nd conditional

Unlikely/unreal/imaginative situation in the present.

... I would have won that competition.

1. If I am a bit stronger,
2. If I were a bit stronger,
3. If I had been a bit stronger,

Mixed (2nd+3rd)

Unreal general situation (2nd) + Past event (3rd) (regret)

If only I hadn't eaten so much, I ... much better now.

1. feel
2. will feel
3. would feel
4. would've felt

Mixed (3rd+2nd)

Past event (3rd) + Unreal situation in present (2nd)

If we'd left the house earlier,

1. we won't be so late.
2. we wouldn't be so late.
3. we wouldn't have been so late.
4. we are not so late.

The difference is:

Mixed (3rd+2nd)

B - time of speaking is now

3rd conditional (all in past)

C - time of speaking is in the past

Write mixed conditional clauses to the given situations.

E.g. Tim overslept on the train. He isn’t with us now.

If Tim hadn’t overslept on the train, he would be with us now.

Mary doesn’t know how to play badminton. We didn’t invite her to play with us.

If Mary knew how to play badminton, we would have invited her to play with us.

We don’t have access to the company’s network. We couldn’t enter the data yesterday.

I spent too much on holiday, I’m broke now.

I have so much to do today. I couldn’t spend the whole night at the party yesterday.