Temas Varios

MIXED CONDITIONAL SENTENCES

It is possible for the two parts of a conditional sentence to refer to different times, and the resulting sentence is a "mixed conditional" sentence. There are twotypes of mixed conditional sentence:
A. Present result of past condition:

1. Form
The tense in the 'if' clause is the past perfect, and the tense in the main clause is the presentconditional:
|'IF' CLAUSE |MAIN CLAUSE |
|If + past perfect |Present conditional|
|If I had worked harder at school |I would have a better job now. |
|If we had looked at the map|we wouldn't be lost. |

2. Function
In these sentences, the time is past in the 'if' clause, and present in the main clause. They refer to an unreal pastcondition and its probable result in the present. They express a situation which is contrary to reality both in the past and in the present:
'If I had worked harder at school' is contrary to pastfact - I didn't work hard at school, and 'I would have a better job now' is contrary to present fact - I haven't got a good job.
If we had looked at the map (we didn't), we wouldn't be lost (we arelost).
Examples:
• I would be a millionaire now if I had taken that job.
• If you'd caught that plane you'd be dead now.
• If you hadn't spent allyour money on CDs, you wouldn't be broke.
B. Past result of present or continuing condition.
1. Form
The tense in the If-clause is the simple past, and the tense in the main clause is theperfect conditional:
|'IF' CLAUSE |MAIN CLAUSE |
|If + simple past |Perfect conditional...