Mixed Conditionals (Is this allowed?)

Question

Hello.
I was reading jack112 threads because he had many questions on conditionals. I wanted to know more about mixed conditionals in particular, so I did a search on google. I came across a couple of sites, and I was wondering if you could verify the authenticity of their contents.

http://www.edufind.com/english/grammar/IF8.cfm
http://www.englishpage.com/conditional/mixedconditional.html

For instance, it says you could use sentences like "If I wasn't afraid of spiders, I would have picked it up" that have a If + simple past, Perfect conditional form.

One more thing:
I know the following sentence is grammatically correct:
If his father hadn't lost all his money, John would be studying at the university.
But why is this not correct?
If his father hadn't lost all his money, John would study at the university.

I thank you in advance for you help.

Eimai_Anglos · Accepted Answer

"If I wasn't afraid of spiders, I would have picked it up" sounds acceptable to me, as an English native. However, I would prefer to say: "If I weren't afraid of spiders, I would have picked it up".

Martin

MrPedantic · Answer

...For instance, it says you could use sentences like "If I wasn't afraid of spiders, I would have picked it up" that have a If + simple past, Perfect conditional form...

Yes, it sounds fine to me too. You might have expected a straightforward 'type 3' protasis (if I hadn't been afraid...); but 'was/were' often replaces 'had been', where a condition that was true at that time ('I was afraid of spiders then') is current at the time of speaking ('I am still afraid of spiders').

Cf.

1. If I had been a few years younger, I would have accepted her invitation.

2. If I were a few years younger, I would have accepted her invitation.

#1 sounds as if it happened 10 years ago. #2 sounds as if it happened yesterday.

MrP

MrPedantic · Answer

AnonymousHello.
I came across a couple of sites, and I was wondering if you could verify the authenticity of their contents.

http://www.edufind.com/english/grammar/IF8.cfm
http://www.englishpage.com/conditional/mixedconditional.html

The pages look ok. The first site should mention that the subjunctive 'were' is standard in place of 'was' in the first and third person singular:

1. If MrQ were here, you wouldn't have done that.

Though you hear this use of 'were' slightly less often in BrE than in AmE.

The last set of examples on the second site don't sound like mixed conditionals to me. They seem like standard type 2s. But maybe other members will have other opinions.

2. If his father hadn't lost all his money, John would study at the university.

This structure (IF past perfect, main clause 'would' + base form) isn't incorrect, with the right context:

3. If his father hadn't throttled him at birth, MrQ would be prime minister now.

The present progressive is used where the context requires a sense of a continuing action:

4. If I'd braked sooner, I wouldn't now be paying $300 for repairs.

MrP

Anonymous · Answer

Thank you both for the reply.

I know "past perfect + conditional progressive" forms such as the following are grammatically correct.
If I had had time, I would be talking to her now.

But are "past perfect + simple conditional" forms allowed too?
If I had had time, I would talk to her. <- Is this okay?

How about,
If I had time, I would be talking to her (simple past + conditional progressive).
If I weren't being afraid of spiders, I would have picked it up (past progressive + conditional perfect).
Are these allowed? Are these considered colloquial?

Thank you

MrPedantic · Answer

Hello Anon

1. are "past perfect + simple conditional" forms allowed too?

In some contexts, e.g. 'If I hadn't killed her puppy, I would stop and talk to her'.

2. If I had the time, I would be talking to her.

Yes, this structure is fine – where it makes sense, of course.

3. If I weren't being afraid of spiders, I would have picked it up

The structure is ok, in certain contexts; though the 'spider' example doesn't really work.

"If you weren't being so annoying today, I'd have paid for your lunch."

MrP

Mixed Conditionals (Is this allowed?)

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