Conditionals: third and mixed

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

Average: 4.1 (97 votes)

Hello BobMux,

Yes, that's correct. The idea is that athletes take their training very seriously, and this has enabled them to break many records in recent years. If they hadn't been taking their training so seriously (in the recent past and now in the present), then we they wouldn't have broken records (in the recent) nor would they be breaking them nowadays.

All the best,

Kirk

The LearnEnglish Team

Submitted by Stellaaa on Fri, 27/11/2020 - 08:11

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If I hadn't stayed at late yesterday ,I would be in class now. Am I right?

Hello Stellaaa,

That's almost correct. We only use 'at' if we say where we were, so you can say this, for example:

If I hadn't stayed at the party late yesterday, I would be in class now.

If you don't say where you were, then you don't need 'at':

If I hadn't stayed late yesterday, I would be in class now.

 

Peter

The LearnEnglish Team

Submitted by Maychin on Thu, 22/10/2020 - 09:20

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Thank you so much for giving me the cahnce to be able to comment on this website.It is very kind of you.

Thanks to you for joining, Maychin :) We hope you enjoy your learning here.

Best wishes,

Jonathan

The LearnEnglish Team

Submitted by Via on Thu, 15/10/2020 - 00:50

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Dear team, I'm confused about "Third conditional" and "Mixed conditional". Can I understand that "Third conditional" is unreal, like imagine a past that would never occurred and lead to a expected result. E.g, If I had studied Mathematics well, I would have scored high. While "Mixed conditional" is the event already occurred, but I would like to describe the situation of the event hadn't occurred? For example, I had broke my leg yesterday, when I'm skiing. E.g, If I hadn't ski, I wouldn't have broken my leg. And what is the difference between past tense and past participle? (I knew my grammer is terrible, but I had try my best to convey my ideas, please correct my mistakes) Thanks a lot.

Hello Via,

Can I understand that "Third conditional" is unreal, like imagine a past that would never occurred and lead to a expected result.

Yes, that's correct. The 'third conditional' describes an imaginary/counter-factual past condition and its imaginary/countrer-factual result.

 

'Mixed conditional' is a term given to conditional sentences which have more than one time reference. In other words, instead of being about a past conditon and a past result, you may have a past conditon and a present result. For example:

If I hadn't gone skiing, I wouldn't have broken my leg. [unreal past conditon, unreal past result]

If I hadn't gone skiing, I wouldn't be in hospital now. [unreal past conditon, unreal past result]

In the first sentence, the form is [if + past perfect > would have + past participle].

In the second sentence, the form is [if + past perfect > would + base form]

 

Remember that the terms 'first conditional', 'second conditional' etc. are really just useful labels. In reality, there are only two rules for conditonal forms:

1. Conditional sentences must be logical in terms of time: the condition must be earlier in time than the result.

2. Conditonal sentences are either about real situations or unreal situations. You cannot mix an unreal condition with a real result.

This means there are many possible patterns, of which 'first', 'second' etc. are only common examples.

 

Peter

The LearnEnglish Team

Submitted by MPhayTp on Fri, 02/10/2020 - 12:34

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Dear team, Could you correct my sentences? If I had prepared a job interview carefully, I'd have the job now.(Past/Present) If I studied more, I'd have got high marks in each subject. (Present/Past) Also, Sir, I've learned that there have other 4 types of mixed conditions. In this Lesson, they were only 2 types. So, maybe others are less common or advanced. Should I have to study others? Ty
Profile picture for user Kirk Moore

Submitted by Kirk Moore on Fri, 02/10/2020 - 14:49

In reply to by MPhayTp

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Hello Ty,

Well done -- the verb forms in your two sentences are correct!

Most of our grammar pages explain what we consider to be the most important aspects of that grammar, but, as you've noticed here, there is often much more. A comprehensive English grammar would take many hundreds, if not thousands, of pages.

Without knowing you better, I'm afraid it's difficult for me to make a useful recommendation. Sorry!

All the best,

Kirk

The LearnEnglish Team

Profile picture for user Ahmed Imam

Submitted by Ahmed Imam on Fri, 18/09/2020 - 15:02

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Hello. Is it correct using "unless" in the following sentence? If not, why? - It is illegal to drive a car unless you are 18. Thank you.