MIXED CONDITIONALS

LENGUA INGLESA II
(1º GEI - 2010-11)

Outline

MIXED CONDITIONS [Types 2 and 3]:

I. For Past Events which have a Result
continuing in the Present.
E.G.: If you had saved some money, you
wouldn’t be so hard up.

II. For Present Events which could affect the

Past.
E.G.: If there weren’t so many distractions, you
would have tidied up your bedroom by now.

1
 1º Grado Estudios Ingleses - 2010-2011
Lengua Inglesa II
Lecturer: Dr. Mar Vilar García

MIXED CONDITIONALS
These structures mix up Conditionals Types 2 and 3.
I. For Past Events which have a Result
continuing in the Present.
This Mixed Conditional is used to talk about how a Change
in a Past Situation would have caused a different Present

Second Conditional Third Conditional

If + past perfect tense would(n’t) / might(n’t) / could(n’t)
/ should(n’t) + infinitive
If you had saved some … you wouldn’t be so hard
money, … up.
Facultad de Letras -
Departamento de Filología Inglesa 3
Campus Universitario de La Merced. C/. Santo Cristo 1 - 30001 Murcia
T. 868 883 191 – F. 868 883 185 – www.um.es/dp-filologia-inglesa

1º Grado Estudios Ingleses - 2010-2011

Lengua Inglesa II
Lecturer: Dr. Mar Vilar Garcia

MIXED CONDITIONALS
I. For Past Events which have a Result
continuing in the Present.
MORE EXAMPLES (I)
 If you had saved some money, you wouldn’t be so hard
up.
 If we had set off earlier, we couldn’t be stuck in this
traffic jam.
 If I hadn’t seen that programme, I would be less well-
informed.
 If we had bought that house, we would be short of
money now.
 If she hadn’t answeredFacultad the deadvert,
Letras -
she would still be
4
living at home. Departamento de Filología Inglesa
Campus Universitario de La Merced. C/. Santo Cristo 1 - 30001 Murcia
T. 868 883 191 – F. 868 883 185 – www.um.es/dp-filologia-inglesa

2
 1º Grado Estudios Ingleses - 2010-2011
Lengua Inglesa II
Lecturer: Dr. Mar Vilar García

MIXED CONDITIONALS
I. For Past Events which have a Result
continuing in the Present.
MORE EXAMPLES (II)
 If you had told me about the skiing trip, I would be there
with you now.
 If people hadn’t objected to the plans, the building
would look much worse.
 If 60s architecture hadn’t happened, we would be making
similar mistakes today.
 If Tom had remembered to book a table at the restaurant,
we wouldn’t be starving now.
Facultad de Letras -
Departamento de Filología Inglesa 5
Campus Universitario de La Merced. C/. Santo Cristo 1 - 30001 Murcia
T. 868 883 191 – F. 868 883 185 – www.um.es/dp-filologia-inglesa

1º Grado Estudios Ingleses - 2010-2011

Lengua Inglesa II
Lecturer: Dr. Mar Vilar García

MIXED CONDITIONALS
I. For Past Events which have a Result continuing
in the Present.
COMPARE: Would (Do) and Would Have (Done)

If I had gone to the party last night, I would be

tired now. [Mixed Types 3 and 2]
MEANING: ‘I am not tired now’ – Present

If I had gone to the party last night, I would have

met lots of people. [Type 3]
MEANING: ‘I didn’t meet lots of people’ - Past
Facultad de Letras -
Departamento de Filología Inglesa 6
Campus Universitario de La Merced. C/. Santo Cristo 1 - 30001 Murcia
T. 868 883 191 – F. 868 883 185 – www.um.es/dp-filologia-inglesa

3
 1º Grado Estudios Ingleses - 2010-2011
Lengua Inglesa II
Lecturer: Dr. Mar Vilar García

MIXED CONDITIONALS
These structures mix up Conditionals Types 2 and 3.
II. For Present Events which could affect the Past.
This Mixed Conditional is used to talk about how a Change
in a Present Situation would have affected a Past Situation

Second Conditional Third Conditional

If + past tense would(n’t) / might(n’t) / could(n’t)
/ should(n’t) + present perfect tense
If there weren’t so many … you would have tidied up
distractions, … your bedroom by now.

Facultad de Letras -
Departamento de Filología Inglesa 7
Campus Universitario de La Merced. C/. Santo Cristo 1 - 30001 Murcia
T. 868 883 191 – F. 868 883 185 – www.um.es/dp-filologia-inglesa

1º Grado Estudios Ingleses - 2010-2011

Lengua Inglesa II
Lecturer: Dr. Mar Vilar García

MIXED CONDITIONALS
II. For Present Events which could affect the Past.

MORE EXAMPLES (I)

 If I weren’t so busy all the time, I could have come along.
 If were meant to live up in the sky, we would have been
born with wings!
 If there weren’t so many distractions, you would have
tidied up your bedroom by now.
 If the suburbs were smaller, local taxes wouldn’t have
been so high for the last 20 years.

Facultad de Letras -
Departamento de Filología Inglesa 8
Campus Universitario de La Merced. C/. Santo Cristo 1 - 30001 Murcia
T. 868 883 191 – F. 868 883 185 – www.um.es/dp-filologia-inglesa

4
 1º Grado Estudios Ingleses - 2010-2011
Lengua Inglesa II
Lecturer: Dr. Mar Vilar García

MIXED CONDITIONALS
II. For Present Events which could affect the Past.

MORE EXAMPLES (II)

 If high-rise buildings were of better quality, more people
would have chosen to live in them.
 If the city centre was traffic-free, the council wouldn’t
have needed to build all these car parks.
 If the supermarket was open 24 hours, I would have gone
out at 3am this morning to buy you some paracetamol.

Facultad de Letras -
Departamento de Filología Inglesa 9
Campus Universitario de La Merced. C/. Santo Cristo 1 - 30001 Murcia
T. 868 883 191 – F. 868 883 185 – www.um.es/dp-filologia-inglesa

1º Grado Estudios Ingleses - 2010-2011

Lengua Inglesa II
Lecturer: Dr. Mar Vilar García

References
ADAPTED FROM:
Capel, A. & W. Sharp (2008). Objective. First Certificate.
Self-study Student’s Book. Cambridge: CUP.
Murphy, R. (2005). English Grammar in Use with
Answers. A Self-study Reference and Practice
Book for Intermediate Students of English. (7th
revised ed.). Cambridge: CUP.
Swan, M. (1995). Practical English Usage. Oxford: OUP.
Vince, M. (1996). First Certificate Language Practice. With
Key. Oxford: Heinemann.
Facultad de Letras -
Departamento de Filología Inglesa
Campus Universitario de La Merced. C/. Santo Cristo 1 - 30001 Murcia
T. 868 883 191 – F. 868 883 185 – www.um.es/dp-filologia-inglesa

5
LENGUA INGLESA II
(1º GEI - 2010-11)

TOTAL TIME
DEVOTED TO THE STUDY OF
‘MIXED CONDITIONALS’
...... h..... mins