Conditionals: third and mixed
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
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
Hi, I have a question regarding the third conditional. How would the verb "can" work in the if clause? Theoretically, if the structure is if + past perfect, it should be "If I had been able to..., I would have", but I have come across "If I could have, I would have" many times. Is it a possible option? What about other modal verbs? Thank you in advance!
Hello,
Company A wanted to hire the Ukrainian boxer Oleksandr Pusyk to endorse their products. The negotiations got locked in a stalemate after Pusyk had asked for three times the money Company A had offered. While negotiating with Company A, Pusyk was in close contact with a few representatives from Company B. Having been rejected by Company A, he played the Company B card, and the latter gladly paid his asking price. Now, Pusyk is advertising Company B's products.
The question is: Can I use both of these options?
Which one would you choose in this situation? What is the difference between the two?
Thank you
Hello Tony_M,
Both forms are possible. The only difference is the second clause, obviously, and the difference is this:
In sentence 1 the result is expressed using a perfect modal form which describes an action which began at a prior time and continues to the present.
In sentence 2 the result is expressed with a modal verb which describes a present situation.
Obviously, in this context there is no real difference between the two sentences.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello Tony_M,
Both forms are possible. The only difference is the second clause, obviously, and the difference is this:
In sentence 1 the result is expressed using a perfect modal form which describes an action which began at a prior time and continues to the present.
In sentence 2 the result is expressed with a modal verb which describes a present situation.
Obviously, in this context there is no real difference between the two sentences.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Thank you very much.
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