Mixed Conditionals

Explanations and Examples

Mixed conditionals are ​conditionals​ where the tense in the main clause is different from the
tense​ in the conditional-clause (also called ​if-clause​).

This happens in second and third conditionals (unreal conditionals).

Examples of conditionals:

● If I won the prize, I would take you shopping.

Future + Future

● I would be happy if Tom asked me to the dance.

Future + Future

● Bob would have known what to get only if he had asked his father.

Past + Past

● If I had put air in the tires, I wouldn't have had a flat tire last night.

Past + Past

Mixed conditionals

Present​ + ​Past
If I were you​, ​I would have bought the red dress​.

(I am not you, so I did not buy the red dress in the past.)

If the teacher were here​, s

​ he would have turned on the heater this morning​.

(The teacher is not here right now, so the heater was not turned on this morning.)

If the students had more time​, ​they would have finished their work yesterday​.

(The students do not have more time, so they did not finish their work yesterday.)
 Present​ + ​Future
If I were you​,​ I would call Tom and apologize​.

(I am not you, but you should call Tom and apologize.)

If Bob had more time​, ​he would attend the cooking class next week​.

(Bob does not have more time, so he will not attend the cooking class next week.)

If Fred were here​, ​he would go with us to Colorado on Thursday​.

(Fred is not here right now, so he will not go with us to Colorado on Thursday.)
 Future​ +​ Past
If they weren't traveling to France on Thursday​, ​they would have planned to
attend your birthday party​.

(They are planning to travel to France in the future, so they did not plan to attend the
party.)

If I weren't quitting my job in two weeks​, ​I would have purchased you a gift for
Christmas​.

(I am quitting my job in two weeks, so I did not purchase you a gift for Christmas.)

If Don's sisters weren't going to the theater​, ​they would have agreed to babysit​.

(Don's sisters are going to the theater in the future, so that is why they did not agree to
babysit.)

Future​ + ​Present
If I were getting married tomorrow​, ​I would be relaxing right now​.

(I am not getting married tomorrow, so I do not need to relax right now.)

If Jenny and Eric were going to be here for the holidays​, ​they would be making
plans​.

(Jenny and Eric are not going to be here for the holidays, so they are not making plans
now.)

If Dan were traveling with us to Boston in March​, ​he would be saving money​.

(Dan is not traveling with us to Boston in March, so he is not saving money now.)

Past​ + ​Present
If I had studied in school​, ​I would have a diploma now​.

(I did not study in the past, so I do not have a diploma now.)

If Nick had turned in his application​, ​he would be working here now​.
(Nick did not turn in his application in the past, so he is not working here in the present.)

If you had recorded the show last night​, ​we could watch it​.

(You did not record the show last night, so we can't watch it now.)

Past​ + ​Future
If Rose had not called him​, t​ hey wouldn't be going to the party together tomorrow​.

(Rose did call him, so they are going to the party together tomorrow.)

If Nathan and Lisa had finished their chores​, ​they would receive their allowance
tonight​.

(Nathan and Lisa did not finish their chores, so they will not get their allowance tonight.)

If the television had not broken​, ​we would watch the game this weekend​.

(The television broke in the past, so we cannot watch the game this weekend.)

Note
You can switch the order of the conditional-clause (if-clause) and the main clause.

Use a comma​ after the ​conditional-clause ​when it comes ​first​.

Do not use a comma​ if the ​conditional-clause​ comes ​second​.

Examples:

● If I had studied in school​, I would have a diploma right now.

I would have a diploma now ​if I had studied in school​.

● If Nathan and Lisa had finished their chores​, they would receive their allowance
tonight.
 Nathan and Lisa would receive their allowance tonight ​if they had finished their
chores​.

● If Dan were traveling with us to Boston on Sunday​, he would be saving money.

Dan would be saving money ​if he were traveling with us to Boston on Sunday​.

● If I were you​, I would have bought the red dress.

I would have bought the red dress​ if I were you​.