Advanced English · 22 min
Mixed conditionals
The point
A past cause with a present result uses if plus had plus the participle, then would plus the base. If she had sent the note, we would be ready now. Would have belongs to a past result, not to a result that is true now.
Form and use
A mixed conditional crosses two times. The if-clause and the result do not share one frame. A past cause can have a present result. A present cause can have a past result. Will and would still stay out of the if-clause.
Past cause, present result: If I had taken the job, I would be in Seoul now. If I had not taken the job, I would not be in Seoul now. Had plus the participle is the finished choice. Would plus a base verb is the result now. Present cause, past result: If she were more careful, she would not have lost the file. If she were not so careful, she would have lost the file. Were is an unreal present state. Would have plus the participle is the past result.
Read the time in each half. Now in the result points to would plus a base verb. A finished past result points to would have plus the participle. A finished past condition points to had plus the participle. A present unreal condition uses a past form, and were for a state.
Do not force both halves into one pattern when the times differ. If I had taken the job, I would have been in Seoul now fights with now. Prefer I would be in Seoul now. If the file is already lost, the result is past: she would not have lost the file, not she would not lose it.
Don't translate it like this
Don't say
If she would have sent the note, we are ready now.
Say
If she had sent the note, we would be ready now.
그녀가 메모를 보냈더라면 우리는 지금 준비됐을 것입니다.
Had sent in the if. Would be in the result, because the result is now.
Short examples
If she had sent the note, we would be ready now.
그녀가 메모를 보냈더라면 우리는 지금 준비됐을 것입니다.
If I had left earlier, I would be there now.
더 일찍 떠났더라면 지금 거기 있을 것입니다.
If I had taken the job, I would be in Seoul now.
그 일을 맡았더라면 지금 서울에 있을 것입니다.
If I had not taken the job, I would not be in Seoul now.
그 일을 맡지 않았더라면 지금 서울에 없을 것입니다.
If she were more careful, she would not have lost the file.
그녀가 더 조심스럽다면 파일을 잃지 않았을 것입니다.
If she were not so careful, she would have lost the file.
그녀가 그렇게 조심스럽지 않다면 파일을 잃었을 것입니다.
If we had left earlier, we would be home now.
더 일찍 떠났더라면 지금 집에 있을 것입니다.
If he were less stubborn, he would not have argued.
그가 덜 고집이 세다면 다투지 않았을 것입니다.
If they had saved the copy, the file would still be here.
사본을 저장했더라면 파일이 아직 여기 있을 것입니다.
If I were not tired, I would not have missed the step.
피곤하지 않다면 그 단계를 놓치지 않았을 것입니다.
Questions
Every question has to be right to close this point.
Answer every question, then check.