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Mixed Conditional Tenses

Hypothetical situations in mixed time frames

Past Events Affect Present Situations

REAL SITUATION
When a cause-effect situation occurs in different time frames, it can be stated as a fact. past ⇒ present.
You did not feed the dog, so the dog is hungry now.
You fed the dog, so the dog isn't hungry now. (She is content.)
The dog couldn't go outside, so the dog peed on the floor.
The dog went outside, so the dog didn't pee on the floor.
The dog didn't go outside, so the dog is peeing on the floor now.

HYPOTHETICAL SITUATION
The same situation can be stated hypothetically with an implied meaning of regret or praise.
If you had fed the dog, she wouldn't be hungry now. (regret)
If you hadn't fed the dog, she would be hungry now. Thank you! (praise)
If the dog had gone outside, she wouldn't have peed on the floor. (regret)
If the dog hadn't gone outside, she would have peed on the floor. (praise)
If the dog had gone outside, she wouldn't be peeing on the floor now. (regret)

pee (informal) –urinate

Mixed Tense Hypothetical Statements

General Truth

EXISTING TRUTH
The present or past tense can be used when adding a clause that expresses something that is still true. (Keeping all tenses in the past time frame is more formal.)
If I had known (that) your dog is aggressive, I wouldn't have offered to feed it. (noun clause – existing truth – The dog was aggressive then and still is now.)
If we had gone to the cafe (that) is outdoors, we would have gotten wet in the rain. (modifying clause – existing truth – The cafe was and still is outdoors.)
If I had known the size (that) you wear, I would have bought you a coat. (modifying clause – existing truth then and now)
If I had known (that) your brother is / was so competitive, I wouldn't have offered to race him. (noun clause – existing truth then and now)

PAST / EARLIER TRUTH
The past or past perfect is used when adding a clause with a statement that is in a temporary-past or earlier-past time frame.
If I had known (that) your dog was ill, I would have offered to help it. (noun clause – past truth – The dog was ill at that time.)
If we had gone to the concert (that) was outdoors, we would have gotten wet in the rain. (modifying clause – past truth – The concert was there, but is not now.)
If I had known the size (that) you wore, I would have bought you a coat. (modifying clause – past truth – You used to wear that size, but do not now.)
If I had known (that) your brother had been an Olympic runner, I wouldn't have offered to race him. (noun clause – earlier past truth – He was an Olympic runner.)

Practice

Pet Problems

Mixed Tense Hypothetical Sentences

Select the response from the list that best completes the sentence.
Compare your response to the answer by clicking the "Check" or the "Check 1-8" button.

Your office chair has wheels, so the dog is pushing the chair around the room.

If the chair didn't have wheels, the dog it around the room now.

Feedback 1

The dog learned how to push the chair next to the kitchen counter. As a result, the dog is walking on the kitchen counter now!

If the dog to push the chair next to the kitchen counter, it wouldn't be walking on the kitchen counter now!

Feedback 2

You did not neuter your cat, so now there are too many kittens.

If you had neutered your cat, there so many kittens here now.

neuter (V) – to remove an animal's ability to reproduce

Feedback 3

You left your dogs at home alone all day, so they are begging you for a walk now.

If you your dogs at home alone all day, they wouldn't be begging your for a walk now.

Feedback 4

Someone left the gate open, so now the goats are loose! (outside of their pen)

If someone hadn't left the gate open, the goats loose!

Feedback 5

There was a sufficient amount of rain this spring, so now there is enough grass for the farm animals to eat.

If there a sufficient amount of rain this spring, there wouldn't be enough grass for the farm animals to eat now.

Feedback 6

You didn't play with your cat earlier today.
Your cat is sulking. (upset)

Your cat wouldn't be sulking now if you with her earlier today.

Feedback 7

You didn't socialize your dog at an early age, so now your dog barks at all the other dogs on the beach.

Your dog at all the other dogs on the beach if you had socialized your dog from an early age.

socialize (V) – accustom it to other animals

Feedback 8

Practice 2

Animal Conditions

Verb Tense in Conditional Sentences with Clauses

Select the response from the list that best completes the sentence.
Compare your response to the answer by clicking the "Check" or the "Check 9-15" button.