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10: MIXED REAL CONDITIONALS

Mixed Real Conditionals

(Download this e.\planation in PDF here.)

i: We can use mixed real conditionals to talk about specific past situations with a present result. So. we can use a past tense, o«r the present perfect in the if-dause to say that w re not certain that the action in the if-dause happened. but if it did. this is the result in the present.

•    If John has seen my mes sagę. he is on his way here dov. (I dont know if John has seen my message or not. but if he has. he is on his way here now.)

If s veiy comnx>n to use a modal verb in the main dause here. especialh- •will + infinitive’. or 'will + be + verb-ing. to make a guess about the present. We don t use 'would' in this case.

•    If Lucy went home. she'11 be there now.

•    If she caught the piane, she should be arrńing now.

•    If the parcel arrned. the children will be happy at the moment.

•    If he missed the train. he could stfll be at the station.

•    If he didn t cali Lucy. she might not know about the meeting.

2: We can use mL\ed real conditionals to talk about specific past situations. but this time with futurę results. So. again w can use a past tense. or the present perfect. in the if-dause and 'will in the main dause to say that w re not certain that the action in the if-dause happened. but if it did. this will be the result in the futurę.

•    If Julie went home early, in the past. she'11 be there when the delirery arri\-es later. (The result is in the futurę.)

•    If Amanda has been worldng today. she ll be tired tonight.

If s also \‘eiy common here to use a modal verb in the main cłause.

•    If Julie went home early. she might be there later.

•    If John went to school today. he could be at home at 5 p.m.

•    If she s done the shopping. she can make us a lovely meal tonight.

3: We can use mixed real conditionals to talk about specific present situations with futurę results. We can use a present tense in the if-dause. and a futurę tense in the main dause, if w want to say that a situation happening now will have an effect on the futurę. Even though this looks the same as the first conditional the present tense here in the if-dause is talking about the present (In the first conditional the present tense in the if-dause is talking about the futurę.) We usually use a time word to make that dear.

•    If David s studying now, he’11 go to the gym later.

•    If Luc\^Js at work at the moment, she won t leave until at least 7 p.m.

Again. we can choose to use a modal verb. apart from wilL in the main dause.

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Course Progress

Course Contents

►    1: Present Real Conditionals

^ 2: Present Real Conditionals Theory Quiz

^ 3: Present Real Conditionals Exercise

^ 4: Past Real Conditionals

►    5: Past Real Conditionals Theory Quiz

^ 6: Past Real Conditionals Exercise

^ 7: Futurę Real Conditionals

►    8: Futurę Real Conditionals Theory Quiz

^ 9: Futurę Real Conditionals Exereise

►    10: MLxed Real Conditionals

►    u: Mbced Real Conditionals Theory Quiz

^ 12: Mixed Real Conditionals Lxercise

►    13: Real Conditionals Theory Review

^ 14: Present Unreal Conditionals

^ 15: Present Unreal Conditionals Theory Quiz

^ 16: Present Unreal Conditionals Exercise