Conditionals: third and mixed

Do you know how to use third conditionals and mixed conditionals? Test what you know with interactive exercises and read the explanation to help you.

Look at these examples to see how third and mixed conditionals are used.

We would have walked to the top of the mountain if the weather hadn't been so bad.
If we'd moved to Scotland when I was a child, I would have a Scottish accent now.
If she was really my friend, she wouldn't have lied to me.

Try this exercise to test your grammar.

Grammar test 1: Conditionals 2: Grammar test 1

Read the explanation to learn more.

Grammar explanation

Do you know how to use third and mixed conditionals?

Third conditionals and mixed conditionals

Conditionals describe the result of a certain condition. The if clause tells you the condition (If I hadn't been ill) and the main clause tells you the result (I would have gone to the party). The order of the clauses does not change the meaning.

If I hadn't been ill, I would have gone to the party.
I would have gone to the party if I hadn't been ill.

Conditional sentences are often divided into different types.

Third conditional

The third conditional is used to imagine a different past. We imagine a change in a past situation and the different result of that change.

If I had understood the instructions properly, I would have passed the exam.
We wouldn't have got lost if my phone hadn't run out of battery.

In third conditional sentences, the structure is usually: If + past perfect >> would have + past participle.

Mixed conditionals

We can use mixed conditionals when we imagine a past change with a result in the present or a present change with a result in the past.

1. Past/Present

Here's a sentence imagining how a change in a past situation would have a result in the present.

If I hadn't got the job in Tokyo, I wouldn't be with my current partner.

So the structure is: If + past perfect >> would + infinitive.

2. Present/Past

Here's a sentence imagining how a different situation in the present would mean that the past was different as well.

It's really important. If it wasn't, I wouldn't have called you on your holiday.

And the structure is: If + past simple >> would have + past participle.

Do this exercise to test your grammar again.

Grammar test 2: Conditionals 2: Grammar test 2

Try another grammar lesson

Language level

B1 Intermediate

B2 Upper intermediate

Hello Ahmed Imam,

'Falls' is the normal word here. We use 'pours' to describe rainfall which is heavier than what is normal. Since your sentence is talking about what is normal or typical, 'pours' would not really fit.

You can use both 'pours' and 'pours down' with, I think, no change in meaning.

Peter

The LearnEnglish Team

Dear teachers, Happy New Year 2019. Wish U all a blessful new year. I would like to ask about this sentence: "If the transportation is lower, the price of the merchandise will obviously become less expensive and more people could afford it" My questions are : 1. I want to clarify this: did this sentence use "..could afford.." (past tense) instead of "..can afford.." to suggest less certainty? 2. The sentence uses both "..will obviously..." ( in the middle of the sentence) and also "..could afford.." (the last part of the sentence). I am not sure if using two different tenses like this in a sentence is correct? or should I better change "..will obviously.." (present tense) to "..would obviously..." (past) to synchronize it with the "..could afford.." (past)? A friend of mine who is a native speaker said to me that I don't have to. But why? Please help. Thank you.

Hello jiyi

Thank you -- we also wish you a happy 2019! Although I wouldn't say this sentence is incorrect, I think it would be clearer if it were changed to one of the following:

If the cost of transportation were lower, the merchandise would obviously become less expensive and more people could afford it.
If the cost of transportation is lower, the merchandise will obviously become less expensive and more people will be able to afford it.

I hope this helps you.

All the best

Kirk

The LearnEnglish Team

Sorry sir just a little edit If i had told

That sentence about mixed condition if it was wrong , could you kindly correct it , " if i told her about my love we would be getting married this year

Hello ramy brava,

That does not seem a logical sentence to me.

The phrase 'we would be getting married this year' suggests that a plan would be already in place; it means something like 'our wedding would already be planned'. However, the phrase 'if I told her' refers to a hypothetical future. This means that the time order is incorrect: there could not be a wedding plan already in place before you tell her about your love.

There are various ways to change the sentnece, but it depends what you want to say. For example:

If I had told her about my love, we would be getting married this year.

If I told her about my love, we would get married this year.

Peter

The LearnEnglish Team

Thanks sir , then the sentence if i had told , would be getting matried ,, is correct

Kindly i want more sentences about mixed conditional to be more clearly sir please ,

Hello ramy brava,

'Mixed conditionals' are simply conditional sentences which have two different time references: one for the if-clause and a different one for the result-clause.

You can read more about conditional sentences, and see some more examples, on this page:

https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/grammar/english-grammar-reference/verbs-in-time-clauses-and-if-clauses

Peter
The LearnEnglish Team