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Mixed conditionals
Mixed conditionals are a combination of two types of conditional patterns, usually the second and third conditionals. We can have a third conditional in the if-clause and a second conditional in the main clause, or a second conditional in the if-clause and a third conditional in the main clause.
Grammar chart
Second and third conditionals
In a second conditional, we use past in the if clause and would/might/could + infinitive in the main clause. It is used to talk about hypothetical situations happening in the present or future.
- If I were rich, I‘d buy that house.
In a third conditional, we use past perfect in the if clause and would/might/could + have + past participle in the main clause. It is used to talk about hypothetical situations happening in the past.
- If you had studied more, you would have passed the exam.
A mixed conditional is a combination of second and third conditionals.
Mixed third/second conditional
We use this combination to talk about a hypothetical condition happening in the past (third conditional) with a present result (second conditional). We use past perfect in the if clause and would/could/might + infinitive in the main clause.
- If I had been elected, I would be the president now.
- If I had won the lottery, I would be rich.
- I might have a better job now if I hadn’t dropped out of school.
Mixed second/third conditional
We use this combination to talk about a hypothetical condition happening in the present (second conditional) with a past result (third conditional). We use past in the if clause and would/could/might + have + past participle in the main clause.
- If I were a man, they would have given me the job.
- If I didn’t have so much work, I would have gone to the party last night.
- I would have understood them if I spoke German.
Note that in this type of combination, the present condition also existed in the past when the result in the main clause took place. Let’s take a look, for example, at the first sentence:
- If I were a man, they would have given me the job.
If I were a man now would mean that I would also have been a man in the past, when I was not given the job. As I’m not a man now (which implies that I wasn’t a man when I applied for the job either), I didn’t get the job.
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