More Mixed Conditionals
Hello everyone!
Today we will finish our series on conditionals in English. Last week we introduced the idea of mixing up different tenses in one sentence, to express different ideas in your conditionals. This week we will look at a lot of examples of different mixed conditionals, and explain what they say and how they work.
Remember, there are six different possible combinations. Here are some examples for each.
PAST - PRESENT
> If I had taken French in high school, I would have more job opportunities.
But I didn't take French in high school and I don't have many job opportunities.
Here we are saying that we wish we had studied french in the PAST, so that we could have a job NOW
> If she had been born in the United States, she wouldn't need a visa to work here.
But she wasn't born in the United States and she does need a visa now to work here.
This sentence is explaining the rule for visas in the US. People born in the US in the PAST can have a visa NOW.
PAST - FUTURE
>If she had signed up for the ski trip last week, she would be joining us tomorrow.
But she didn't sign up for the ski trip last week and she isn't going to join us tomorrow.
This is explaining the reason why our friend won't come with us in the FUTURE. That reason is, she forgot to sign up in the PAST.
>If Mark had gotten the job instead of Joe, he would be moving to Shanghai.
But Mark didn't get the job and Mark is not going to move to Shanghai.
This sentence is talking about how the FUTURE would be different if the PAST was different. That is, if the job situation in the PAST was different, Marks plans for the FUTURE would be different.
PRESENT - PAST
>If I were rich, I would have bought that Ferrari we saw yesterday.
But I am not currently rich and that is why I didn't buy the Ferrari yesterday.
This is talking about how I would act if I was rich. If I was rich NOW / GENERALLY / ALWAYS, I would have bought a car YESTERDAY.
>If I didn't have to work so much, I would have gone to the party last night.
But I have to work a lot and that is why I didn't go to the party last night.
Here we are imagining what life would be like if I had less work to do NOW / GENERALLY / ALWAYS. In this case, the PAST would have been different.
Notice that mixed conditionals involving the present tense are often about general ideas, not always about the exact present moment.
PRESENT - FUTURE
>If I didn't have so much vacation time, I wouldn't go with you on the cruise to Alaska next week.
But I do have a lot of vacation time and I will go on the trip next week.
This explains the reason I am able to join you on a cruise which will happen in the FUTURE. That reason is, I have a lot of vacation time RIGHT NOW.
>If Dan weren't so nice, he wouldn't be tutoring you in math tonight.
But Dan is nice and he is going to tutor you tonight.
This is explaining the reason that Dan will tutor you in the near FUTURE. That reason is, Dan is a nice person GENERALLY.
FUTURE - PAST
>If I weren't going on my business trip next week, I would have accepted that new assignment at work.
But I am going to go on a business trip next week, and that is why I didn't accept that new assignment at work.
This is explaining the reason I couldn't do something in the PAST. That reason is, something is going to happen in the FUTURE which prevented me.
>If my parents weren't coming this weekend, I would have planned a nice trip just for the two of us to Napa Valley.
But my parents are going to come this weekend, and that is why I didn't plan a trip for the two of us to Napa Valley.
This is again explaining that something that will happen in the FUTURE had an effect on a decision in the PAST.
FUTURE - PRESENT
>If I were going to that concert tonight, I would be very excited.
But I am not going to go to that concert tonight and that is why I am not excited.
>If Sandy were giving a speech tomorrow, she would be very nervous.
But Sandy is not going to give a speech tomorrow and that is why she in not nervous.
These sentences are talking about what the PRESENT, RIGHT NOW would be like if the FUTURE was going to be different.
And that's it! We have learned about the many different types of conditional sentences that we can use in English. As you use them more and more, you will learn to match the correct form to the situation naturally. Good luck!
See you next time, when we will move on to a new topic!
-Tim.
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