MIXED CONDITIONALS

James Wilson

BEFORE WE START... Second Conditional

If I was a lawyer and not a teacher, I would be rich.

Imaginary present situation, with its present result.

Third Conditional

If I had studied medicine, I would have become a doctor.

Imaginary past situation, with its past result.

WHAT ARE MIXED CONDITIONALS? A mixed conditional gives a situation

and result - but one is in the past, and the other is in the present. For example:

If we had taken the car, we wouldn’t be late.

We didn’t take the car(in the past)

We are late now (in the present)

ANOTHER EXAMPLE... If he didn’t have to work today, he

wouldn’t have been so miserable yesterday.

He does have to work today(in the present)

He was miserable yesterday(in the past)

LET’S PRACTICE...1. I don't know how to ski, so I didn't go skiing with

Simon last week.If I ....... how to ski, I ....... skiing with Simon last week.

2. I forgot to bring my umbrella - that's why I'm so wet.If I ....... to bring my umbrella, I ....... so wet now.

3. I'm really worried about tomorrow's exam - that's why I didn't go to the party last night.If I ....... worried about tomorrow's exam, I ....... to the party last night.

4. A dog bit me when I was a child, so now I'm really scared of dogs. If a dog ....... me when I was a child, I ....... scared of dogs now.

SOME SPEAKING... How would the world be different if the

internet had never been invented?

How do you think your life would be different (today) if you had been born in Africa?