Conditional IF Clause 3

Mixed Conditional is the last and final type of Conditional used to convey an unreal condition of one time tense with the unreal/hypothetical result of another time tense unlike 2nd and 3rd conditional which belong to the same time tense. In case of 2nd and 3rd conditional, time tense of IF clause precedes or coincides with that of independent clause on the time line as a cause of an outcome. However in case of Mixed Conditional, time tense of independent outcome clause can precede the time tense of IF clause. As such six types of Mixed Conditionals are possible based on combination of two made out of past, present and future, as tabulated below with examples. It may be recalled as explained in the chapter on ‘Conditional IF Clause 2’, it is to be noted that in case of 2nd conditional present>present, present perfect>present, present>future and future>future are all considered under the category of same tense which is present. Similarly in case of 3rd conditional past perfect>past, past>past, past>present perfect are all considered under the category of same tense which is past. 1. Mixed Conditional (Present Cause continuing from past > Past result)