top of page
Conditionals 3rd & Mixed Exercises

Conditionals 3rd & Mixed Exercises

These exercises are based on the Reading and Use of English paper where you may be tested on this grammar point.

Open close - write one word to complete the sentence.

Key word transformation - ​complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using the word given. Do not change the word given. You must use between two and five words, including the word given. 

Key word transformation

He didn’t study at university and now he isn’t a doctor.
STUDIED

If he _____________________, he would be a doctor now.

had studied at university

Mixed conditional (types 3 & 2). Past condition affecting a present situation.

Key word transformation

You forgot to water the plants and now they’re dead.
HAD

If you _____________________ the plants, they wouldn’t be dead.

had remembered to water

Mixed conditional (types 3 & 2). Past condition affecting a present situation.

Key word transformation

I’m not tall so I couldn’t reach the top shelf yesterday.
TALLER

If I were _____________________ reached the top shelf yesterday.

taller, I would/I'd have, taller, I'd have

Mixed conditional (types 2 & 3). Present state affecting past result.

Key word transformation

She isn’t confident so she didn’t speak at the meeting.
MORE

If she _____________________ , she would have spoken at the meeting.

were/was more confident

Mixed conditional (types 2 & 3). Present state affecting past result.

Key word transformation

You don’t like dogs. Going to the shelter yesterday was a mistake.
SHOULD

If you don’t like dogs, you _____________________ the shelter yesterday.

should not/shouldn’t have gone to

Mixed conditional (types 1 & 3) to criticise past decision.

Key word transformation

He is very forgetful so travelling alone was a terrible idea.
HAVE

If he is so forgetful, he _____________________ alone.

should not/shouldn’t have travelled

Mixed conditional (types 1 & 3) to criticise past decision.

Key word transformation

She didn’t ask for help so I wasn’t able to assist her.
MIGHT

If she had asked for help, I _____________________ help her.

might have been able to

Third conditional. Might have expresses a possible past result.

Key word transformation

Nobody opened the door so we couldn’t get in.
COULD

We _____________________ if someone had opened the door.

could have got in

Third conditional. Could have expresses a possible past ability.

Key word transformation

I didn’t know about the meeting so I didn’t attend it.
KNOWN

If I _____________________, I would have attended the meeting.

had known about it

Third conditional to express a possible past action.

Key word transformation

They didn’t move abroad and now they aren’t earning much money.
MORE

If they had moved abroad, they _____________________ money now.

would be earning more

Mixed conditional (types 3 & 2). Past condition affecting a present situation.

Key word transformation

We left too late so we missed the beginning of the concert.
EARLIER

We wouldn’t have missed the beginning of the concert if we _____________________ .

had left earlier

Third conditional to express a possible past action.

Key word transformation

She isn’t organised so she submitted the report late.
ORGANISED

If she _____________________ , she would have submitted the report on time.

were/was more organised

Mixed conditional (types 2 & 3). Present state affecting past result.

Key word transformation

He didn’t take that job offer so he isn’t living in Canada now.
TAKEN

If he _____________________, he would be living in Canada now.

had taken that job offer

Mixed conditional (types 3 & 2). Past condition affecting a present situation.

Key word transformation

You don’t like classical music so you shouldn’t have gone to that concert.
LIKE

If you _____________________ , you shouldn’t have gone to that concert.

do not/don’t like classical music

Mixed conditional (types 1 & 3) to criticise past decision.

Key word transformation

I’m not good at cooking so I ruined the dinner yesterday.
BETTER

If I _____________________ , I wouldn’t have ruined the dinner yesterday.

were/was better at cooking

Mixed conditional (types 2 & 3). Present state affecting past result.

Key word transformation

We didn’t follow the directions and that’s why we got lost.
WOULD

We _____________________ if we had followed the directions.

would not/wouldn’t have got lost

Third conditional to express a possible past action.

Key word transformation

He didn’t listen to my advice and now he isn’t very successful.
LISTENED

If he _____________________, he would be more successful now.

had listened to my advice

Mixed conditional (types 3 & 2). Past condition affecting a present situation.


Key word transformation

She didn’t wear sunscreen so she got sunburnt.
NOT

She _____________________ if she had worn sunscreen.

would not/wouldn’t have got sunburnt

Third conditional negative result clause.

Key word transformation

She drove too fast and had an accident.
NOT

If she _____________________, she wouldn’t have had an accident.

had not driven so fast

Third conditional to show past fact and unreal past result.

bottom of page