Look at these examples to see how third and mixed conditionals are used.
We would have walked to the top of the mountain if the weather hadn't been so bad.
If we'd moved to Scotland when I was a child, I would have a Scottish accent now.
If she was really my friend, she wouldn't have lied to me.
Try this exercise to test your grammar.
- Grammar test 1
Read the explanation to learn more.
Grammar explanation
Do you know how to use third and mixed conditionals?
Third conditionals and mixed conditionals
Conditionals describe the result of a certain condition. The if clause tells you the condition (If I hadn't been ill) and the main clause tells you the result (I would have gone to the party). The order of the clauses does not change the meaning.
If I hadn't been ill, I would have gone to the party.
I would have gone to the party if I hadn't been ill.
Conditional sentences are often divided into different types.
Third conditional
The third conditional is used to imagine a different past. We imagine a change in a past situation and the different result of that change.
If I had understood the instructions properly, I would have passed the exam.
We wouldn't have got lost if my phone hadn't run out of battery.
In third conditional sentences, the structure is usually: If + past perfect >> would have + past participle.
Mixed conditionals
We can use mixed conditionals when we imagine a past change with a result in the present or a present change with a result in the past.
1. Past/Present
Here's a sentence imagining how a change in a past situation would have a result in the present.
If I hadn't got the job in Tokyo, I wouldn't be with my current partner.
So the structure is: If + past perfect >> would + infinitive.
2. Present/Past
Here's a sentence imagining how a different situation in the present would mean that the past was different as well.
It's really important. If it wasn't, I wouldn't have called you on your holiday.
And the structure is: If + past simple >> would have + past participle.
Do this exercise to test your grammar again.
- Grammar test 2
Hello Achmad Shocheb
Yes, that is grammatically correct. It means she lent you an umbrella and that you are going to school, but that you would not if you didn't have the umbrella.
If you wanted to speak about how you went to school (in the past), then you'd have to change it to: 'If she had not lent me an umbrella, I wouldn't have gone to school'. But I assume that is not the meaning that you want to express here.
You're right, there should be a comma after the word 'umbrella'. In a couple of the example sentences above, the comma was missing, but I have fixed this. Thanks for pointing it out!
All the best
Kirk
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello Ahmed Imam
I'm afraid none of these options is ideal. What would make most sense to me would be 'save'.
All the best
Kirk
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello Momonoki,
It is possible to use 'would have been' the action changes and what 'would have been' is no longer true. For example, if I ask someone to work during their holiday then I can say 'I know it would have been your holiday' because coming in to work stops it from being a holiday. However, with your example I cannot tell if this would be the case as I do not know the full context.
Please note that we do not generally correct sentneces like this. We're happy to answer questions relating to our own materials or questions about specific language points, but we don't check and correct users' emails and so on.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team