Mixed conditionals combine the ‘if’ or ‘result’ clauses of different tenses.
It is usually the Second and Third Conditionals because we are imagining an unreal event and outcome in the past (3rd conditional) or present (2nd conditional).
The chart below outlines the structures with examples of mixed conditionals.
Third Conditional ‘if’ with Second Conditional ‘result’
When we use the Third Conditional first, it describes an imagined past condition, generally the opposite of what actually happened.
We then add a Second Conditional to describe the imagined present (or future) outcome of the condition.
We can switch the tenses and drop the comma, and, as mentioned previously, we can use the more formal version of ‘Had I’, instead of ‘If I had’.
We can also switch the ‘would’ in either clause to show less certainty. Generally we use could or might. For example:
- If I had saved more money, we would be able to pay for it. (regular structure)
- I would be able to pay for it if I had saved more money. (switch clauses, no comma)
- Had I saved more money, I would have been able to pay for it. (more formal version)
- If we had saved more money, we could have paid for it. (Alternative to would)
Second Conditional ‘if’ with Third Conditional ‘result’
When we use the Second Conditional first, it describes an impossible present or very unlikely future ‘if’ condition.
We then add a Third Conditional result clause, which describes something that ‘would have happened’ if something ‘were true’.
We can switch the clauses and drop the comma, however, with this structure there is no ‘more formal’ version such as ‘Had I’.
As with Second and Third Conditional, we can swap the ‘would’ for ‘might’ or ‘could’ to show less certainty. For example:
- If I didn’t have a cold, I would have gone to the party.
- If I didn’t have a cold, I might have gone to the party.