Mixed conditionals combine two time frames: a condition in one time and a result in another. The most common type joins an unreal past with a present result: If I had studied medicine, I would be a doctor now. Have a look at the table, then work through the exercises. Each answer is explained.
| Type | If-clause | Result | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Second | past simple (now) | would + verb (now) | If I had a car, I would drive to work. |
| Third | past perfect (past) | would have + participle (past) | If I had left earlier, I would have caught the bus. |
| Mixed: past → present | past perfect (past) | would + verb (now) | If I had taken that job, I would live in Berlin now. |
| Mixed: present → past | past simple (always true) | would have + participle (past) | If I weren’t so shy, I would have spoken to her last night. |
Mixed conditionals exercises
Four sets of 20 questions: start by comparing the second and third conditional (B1), move on to mixed conditionals (B2) and inversion and alternatives to if (C1), or try the At work set. Prefer to check everything at the end? Switch to Exam mode.
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If I more money now, I would buy a new phone.
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If I more money last year, I would have bought a car.
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If she (be) here now, she would know what to do.
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If you had told me yesterday, I you.
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We the bus if we had left five minutes earlier.
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If I (speak) French, I would move to Paris.
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If he harder, he would have passed the test.
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If it weren’t so cold, we for a walk.
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If they (not / miss) the flight, they would have arrived on time.
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I you a lift if I had a car.
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If you that film, you would have loved it.
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If I (know) his number, I would call him. (I don’t know it)
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She would have come to the party if she invited.
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What you do if you lost your passport?
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If we (take) a taxi, we wouldn’t have been late.
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If I lived by the sea, I every day.
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If it yesterday, we would have stayed at home.
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I (not / say) that if I had known she was listening.
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If you the instructions, you wouldn’t have broken it.
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If I were taller, I basketball.
Teachers: download these questions as a printable worksheet with an answer key. It’s free to use in class.
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If I had studied medicine, I a doctor now.
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If she hadn’t missed the train, she here now.
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If I (not / eat) so much at lunch, I wouldn’t feel sick now.
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If we had bought that house, we in the countryside now.
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If I the job, I would be living in New York now.
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If you had listened to me, you (not / be) in this mess now.
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If I weren’t so shy, I to her at the party last night.
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If he so lazy, he would have finished the project last week.
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If I (speak) Spanish, I would have understood what they said yesterday.
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If it hadn’t snowed last night, the roads dangerous now.
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If I had saved more money, I able to retire next year.
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If she (not / be) afraid of flying, she would have come with us last summer.
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If they had invested in the company, they rich today.
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If you so stubborn, you would have accepted the offer.
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I (be) much fitter now if I had kept going to the gym.
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If I to bed earlier, I wouldn’t be so tired now.
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If he had been born in Spain, he Spanish fluently.
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If we (not / get) lost, we would be at the hotel by now.
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If I didn’t have to work, I to the concert last night.
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If the weather better, we would be on the beach right now.
Teachers: download these questions as a printable worksheet with an answer key. It’s free to use in class.
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I known you were in town, I would have invited you.
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I in your position, I would accept the offer.
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for her help, I would have failed. (inversion: if it hadn’t been for)
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If it weren’t for the internet, I my job now.
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If it hadn’t been for the rain, we the match.
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your advice, I would never have found this job.
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I took a taxi; , I would have been late. (if I hadn’t)
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If I hadn’t been driving so fast, I the dog in time.
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If she attention, she wouldn’t have crashed.
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If I (not / live) in London, I wouldn’t have met my wife. (I still live there)
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If he were a better leader, the team the last three matches.
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Were the government taxes, people would protest.
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If I (accept) that job in Dubai, I would be earning twice as much now.
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If you hadn’t woken me up, I still be sleeping.
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But the bad weather, the event would have been a success.
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the problem continue, call this number. (formal: if the problem continues)
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If I were more organised, I my passport last week.
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If we had left on time, we on the beach right now.
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If he hadn’t been so rude, she (still / talk) to him now.
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Had the company invested in technology, it in trouble now.
Teachers: download these questions as a printable worksheet with an answer key. It’s free to use in class.
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If we had hired more staff, we so busy now.
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If I the training last month, I would know how to use the new software.
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If the client (sign) the contract last week, we would be starting the project now.
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If I were better at maths, I the budget mistake yesterday.
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If we had launched the product earlier, we the market leader today.
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If our manager (be) more flexible, she would have let us work from home last month.
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If I hadn’t missed the deadline, I in trouble now.
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we known about the merger, we would have sold our shares.
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If I (not / accept) this job, I would still be living in Kraków.
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If the company so much on marketing, it would have made a profit last year.
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If you had backed up the files, we them now.
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If I (know) English better, I would have got the job in London.
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If it weren’t for our biggest client, we last year.
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If we hadn’t changed suppliers, we so many problems now.
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the support of our investors, we would have closed the business. (if we hadn’t had)
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If she weren’t so experienced, they her for the job.
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If I had studied business, I my own company now.
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If the meeting (not / run) over, I would be at home by now.
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We double-checked the numbers; , we would have sent the wrong invoice.
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If the economy were stronger, we more people last quarter.
Teachers: download these questions as a printable worksheet with an answer key. It’s free to use in class.
Look for the time words
The easiest way to choose is to ask when each part happens. Words like now, today, right now, still point to a present result (would + verb). Words like yesterday, last week, at the party point to a past result (would have + participle).
- If she hadn’t missed the train (past), she would be here now.
- If he weren’t so lazy (always), he would have finished the project last week.
Formal alternatives
- Inversion: Had I known… (= If I had known) · Were I in your position… (= If I were) · Should you need… (= If you need)
- If it weren’t for / if it hadn’t been for + noun = without: If it weren’t for the internet, I wouldn’t have this job.
- But for / without + noun: But for the rain, we would have won.
- Otherwise = if not: I took a taxi; otherwise, I would have been late.
Common mistakes
- ❌ If I had studied medicine, I would have been a doctor now. → ✅ …I would be a doctor now.
- ❌ If I would have known, I would have helped. → ✅ If I had known, I would have helped.
- ❌ Had I knew… → ✅ Had I known…
FAQ
Are mixed conditionals used in real English?
Yes, very often, especially when people talk about regrets and how their life would be different: If I’d moved abroad, I’d be speaking three languages now. They are also common in B2 First, C1 Advanced and IELTS exams.
What level are these exercises?
There are four sets: Basics (B1), Intermediate (B2), Advanced (C1) and At work (B2). If you need to review the zero, first, second and third conditional first, start with our conditionals exercises.