Complete the mixed conditionals
Exercise 1. Use the verb in brackets to complete the mixed conditionals.
Conditionals exercises with answers and grammar rules for pre-intermediate to advanced learners.
Mixed conditionals
In mixed conditional sentences we combine the second and third conditional. There are two types of such sentences in English.
Type 1:
If you had booked the tickets yesterday, we would be in the theatre now.
(But you did not book the tickets yesterday and we are not in the theatre now.)
If Josh hadn't broken his leg, he could go skiing with us.
(But Josh broke his leg and he can't go skiing with us.)
In this type of mixed conditional sentences we use the past perfect in the if-clause (had booked) + the present conditional in the main clause (would be). In the if-clause we speculate about past situations and in the main clause we speculate about present situations.
We can also change the order of the if-clause and the main clause:
I wouldn't be soaking wet now if I'd taken my umbrella in the morning.
(But I am soaking wet now because I did not take my umbrella in the morning.)
I could go out tonight with Jill if I hadn't fallen out with her last week.
(But I cannot go out with Jill because I fell out with her last week.)
Type 2:
If we weren't foolish, we wouldn't have believed the man.
(But we are foolish and we believed the man.)
If Marion wanted to come tomorrow, she would have sent us a message.
(But Marion does not want to come tommorow and she did not send us a message.)
In this type of mixed conditional sentences we use the past tense in the if-clause (wanted) + the perfect conditional in the main clause (would have sent). In the if-clause we speculate about present or future situations and in the main clause we speculate about past situations.
Similarly to type 1, we can change the order of the if-clause and the main clause:
I wouldn't have been frightened if I were you.
We could have travelled by plane if we were not afraid of heights.