5.5.5: Mixed Conditionals
- Page ID
- 274395
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)Mixed Conditional : Hypothetical situations in mixed time frames
The two parts of a conditional sentence can refer to different times, and the resulting sentence is a "mixed conditional" sentence. Mixed conditional sentences can involve a past event with a present result or a present truth and an earlier past event.
Past Events Affect Present Situations
Compare the REAL SITUATION in the first chart with the corresponding HYPOTHETICAL SITUATION in the second chart.
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REAL SITUATION |
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When a cause-effect situation occurs in different time frames, it can be stated as a fact. |
| Past ⇒ Present |
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You did not feed the dog, so the dog is hungry now. |
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You fed the dog, so the dog isn't hungry now. (She is content.) |
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The dog couldn't go outside, so the dog peed on the floor. |
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The dog went outside, so the dog didn't pee on the floor. |
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The dog didn't go outside, so the dog is peeing on the floor now. |
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HYPOTHETICAL SITUATION |
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The same situation can be stated hypothetically with an implied meaning of regret or praise. |
| PAST EVENT PRESENT RESULT |
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If you had fed the dog, she wouldn't be hungry now. (regret) |
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If you hadn't fed the dog, she would be hungry now. Thank you! (praise) |
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If the dog had gone outside, she wouldn't have peed on the floor. (regret) |
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If the dog hadn't gone outside, she would have peed on the floor. (praise) |
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If the dog had gone outside, she wouldn't be peeing on the floor now. (regret) |
pee (informal) –urinate
Mixed Tense Hypothetical Statements
A mixed conditional can describe an existing (present) truth that is connected with a past event.
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EXISTING TRUTH |
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The present or past tense can be used when adding a clause that expresses something that is still true. (Keeping all tenses in the past time frame is more formal.) |
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If I had known (that) your dog is aggressive, I wouldn't have offered to feed it. (noun clause – existing truth – The dog was aggressive then and still is now.) |
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If we had gone to the cafe (that) is outdoors, we would have gotten wet in the rain. (modifying clause – existing truth – The cafe was and still is outdoors.) |
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If I had known the size (that) you wear, I would have bought you a coat. (modifying clause – existing truth then and now) |
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If I had known (that) your brother is / was so competitive, I wouldn't have offered to race him. (noun clause – existing truth then and now) |
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PAST / EARLIER TRUTH A mixed conditional can relate one past time period to another time period. Notice the inclusion of the simple past in these past unreal (third) conditional statements |
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The past or past perfect is used when adding a clause with a statement that is in a temporary-past or earlier-past time frame. |
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If I had known (that) your dog was ill, I would have offered to help it. (noun clause – past truth – The dog was ill at that time.) |
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If we had gone to the concert (that) was outdoors, we would have gotten wet in the rain. (modifying clause –past truth –The concert was there but is not now.) |
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If I had known the size (that) you wore, I would have bought you a coat. (modifying clause – past truth – You used to wear that size, but do not now.) |
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If I had known (that) your brother had been an Olympic runner, I wouldn't have offered to race him. (noun clause – earlier past truth – He was an Olympic runner.) |
Pet Problems
Mixed Tense Hypothetical Sentences
Select the response from the list that best completes the sentence.
1. Your office chair has wheels, so the dog is pushing the chair around the room.
If the chair didn't have wheels, the dog (won't be pushing / wouldn't be pushing / wouldn't have been pushing ) it around the room now.
2. The dog learned how to push the chair next to the kitchen counter. As a result, the dog is walking on the kitchen counter now!
If the dog (didn't learn/ hadn't learned ) to push the chair next to the kitchen counter, it wouldn't be walking on the kitchen counter now!
3. You did not neuter your cat, so now there are too many kittens.
If you had neutered your cat, there (weren't / wouldn't be ) wouldn't have been so many kittens here now.
neuter (V) – to remove an animal's ability to reproduce
4. You left your dogs at home alone all day, so they are begging you for a walk now.
If you (left / didn't leave / hadn't left ) your dogs at home alone all day, they wouldn't be begging your for a walk now.
5. Someone left the gate open, so now the goats are loose! (outside of their pen)
If someone hadn't left the gate open, the goats (would be / wouldn't / wouldn't be ) loose!
6. There was a sufficient amount of (enough) rain this spring, so now there is enough grass for the farm animals to eat.
If there (hadn't been / had been / wouldn't have been ) a sufficient amount of rain this spring, there wouldn't be enough grass for the farm animals to eat now.
7. You didn't play with your cat earlier today. Your cat is sulking. (upset)
Your cat wouldn't be sulking now if you (played / had played / hadn't played ) with her earlier today.
8. You didn't socialize your dog at an early age, so now your dog barks at all the other dogs on the beach.
Your dog (won't be barking / wouldn't be barking / wouldn't have been barking ) at all the other dogs on the beach if you had socialized your dog from an early age.
socialize (V) – accustom it to other animals
Verb Tense in Conditional Sentences with Clauses
Select the response from the list that best completes the sentence.
9. If I had known that a sea lion (climbs / climbed / had climbed) on board the boat, I wouldn't have left the port (harbor).
on board - on the boat
10. If I knew what kind of dog you (like / liked / had liked) , I would get it for you.
11. If you had told me how old the tortoise (is / was / had been) , I wouldn't have believed you
12. If the dog weren't whining, you wouldn't know that it (is / was / had been) her dinner time now.
whine - make high-pitch, complaining sounds
13. If I had seen that there (is / was / had been) a penguin on the rocks, I would have pulled out my camera to photograph it.
14. If the pelican thought that it (can steal / could steal / could have stolen) a fish, it would have tried already.
15. If you had seen the sea lions on the beach, you would have been surprised to see how tame they (are / were / had been)
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