Unreal Conditionals

Unreal conditionals

In this lesson we are going to review and practise unreal conditional forms in English (sometimes referred to as 2nd, 3rd, and mixed conditionals).

But what does “unreal” mean?

It refers to a situation that is highly unlikely (improbable) or even impossible.

Real vs Unreal Meaning

Read the sentences and choose the best explanation for each.

If I see her, I’ll say hello. (1st conditional)

If I saw her, I’d say hello. (2nd conditional)

Real or Unreal? 1st or 2nd?

We need to decide if a situation is real or unreal- is it likely unlikely or impossible?

In the following situations, choose which form is more logical in each case

1. You don’t speak French and you're not planning to learn it.


2. It might rain later today.


3. You always forget people’s names at parties.


4. You’re at home and your phone might ring.


5. You don’t have any money and won’t win the lottery.


Second Conditional: Right or Wrong?

We use the second conditional to talk about unreal or unlikely situations in the present or future. The structure is:

  • If + past simple, would + infinitive

✅ If I had more time, I'd take a course.
✅ I'd take a course if I had more time.

⚠️ Warning: We never use would in the "if" part!

❌ If I would see him, I'd say hello.

Now decide if the following sentences are Correct or Incorrect:

If I won the lottery, I’d buy a house.
If I would win the lottery, I’d buy a house.
I’d call her if I had her number.
If I would know the answer, I’d tell you.
If I knew the rules, I wouldn’t make so many mistakes.
I’d help you if I would have time.
If she studied more, she’d pass the test.
We’d go camping if the weather were better.
If you would listen, you’d understand.
If he didn’t smoke, he’d be healthier.
I wouldn’t say that if I were you.
If I’d have money, I’d buy a new phone.

Second Conditional: Complete the Sentence

Fill in the correct verb. Press Enter or click Submit to check your answer. Remember:

  • Use past simple in the "if" clause.
  • Use "would" (or 'd) + verb in the other clause.
  • We often accept both "was" and "were".

If I the lottery, I’d travel the world. win

I’d be happier if I near the sea. live

If I had more time, I learn another language. can

If she his number, she’d call him. know

I you if I had more experience. help

If he more, he’d pass the exam. study

We out more if we had a car. go

If I taller, I’d play basketball. be

If we more money, we’d buy a bigger house. have

I more if flights were cheaper. travel

Real to Unreal Transformations

Ok! Now things are going to get a bit more difficult…

We are going to transform real situations into unreal (2nd) conditionals.

Example 1:

Real: I work from home, so I don’t have to commute.

Unreal: If I didn’t work from home, I would have to commute.

  • Work becomes didn’t work: from present to past, affirmative to negative
  • Don’t have becomes would have: from present to would + infinitive, from negative to affirmative

Example 2:

Real: I don’t live in Germany because I don’t speak German.

Unreal: I would live in Germany if I spoke German.

  • Don’t live becomes would live: from present to would + infinitive, from negative to affirmative
  • Don’t speak becomes spoke: from present to past, from negative to affirmative

⚠️ Remember: To make it unreal, we always imagine the opposite situation!

Are you ready? Try completing the following sentences:

I’m cold because the heating is off.

I’m lazy so I don’t exercise.

I’m tired because I go to bed too late.

I don’t have a car, so I walk everywhere.

She isn’t more confident because she never takes risks.

I don’t know what to do because you aren’t helping.

I live in the city, so I don’t see the stars.

They don’t have more money because they spend too much.

I’m not relaxed because I have too much work.

She can’t improve because she doesn’t practise enough.

He doesn’t travel because he’s afraid of flying.

We argue because we don’t understand each other.

Unreal Past (3rd Conditional)

We use the third conditional to talk about imaginary situations in the past.

We imagine that something had happened differently — and what the result would have been.

Structure: If + past perfect, would have + past participle

Example: If I had studied, I would have passed the exam.

Ready to start practising?

Third Conditional: Right or Wrong?

We use the third conditional to talk about imaginary or unreal situations in the past. The structure is:

  • If + past perfect, would have + past participle

✅ If I had studied harder, I would have passed the exam.
✅ I would have passed the exam if I had studied harder.

⚠️ Warning: Never use would have in the "if" part!

❌ If I would have studied, I would have passed.

Now decide if the following sentences are Correct or Incorrect:

If I had left earlier, I wouldn’t have missed the train.
If I would have seen her, I would have said hi.
If you studied, you would have passed.
She would have been angry if you had told her.
If we had taken the map, we didn’t get lost.
If he had went to the meeting, he would have known the plan.
We would have helped if we had known you needed us.
If I have set an alarm, I wouldn’t have overslept.
They wouldn’t have crashed if the roads had been dry.
If she had caught the train, she have arrived on time.
If I had listened to her, she wouldn't leave me.
If she had asked for help, I would have supported her.

Third Conditional: Complete the Sentence

Fill in the correct verb. Press Enter or click Submit to check your answer. Remember:

  • Use past perfect in the "if" clause.
  • Use would have + past participle in the other clause.

If you your alarm, you wouldn’t have been late. set

She longer if she hadn’t been so tired. stay

If he his passport, he could have travelled. not forget

You the vase if you’d been more careful. not break

If we more, we would have passed easily. study

They the mistake if they had checked the report. notice

We that mistake if we had double-checked everything. not make

If I the earlier train, I wouldn’t have missed the meeting. take

It easier if we had prepared more. be

If you me earlier, I could have helped. tell

He a lot of money if he had booked in advance. save

If she so early, she would have seen them arrive. not leave

Unreal Past Transformations

Let’s practise transforming real past situations into unreal (3rd) conditionals.

Example:

Real: I forgot to set an alarm, so I missed the meeting.

Unreal: If I hadn't forgotten to set an alarm, I would not have missed the meeting.

  • Forgot becomes hadn't forgotten: from past to past perfect, affirmative to negative
  • Missed becomes would not have missed: from past to would + have + past participle, affirmative to negative

⚠️ Remember: In third conditionals, we imagine a different past. Use if + had + past participle in the if-clause and would/could have + past participle in the result clause.

Now try to complete these sentences:

She failed the exam because she didn’t study enough.

They arrived late because they left too late.

I got locked out because I lost my keys.

I didn’t go to the concert because I was sick.

They didn’t follow the instructions, so the machine broke.

We got soaked because we didn't take an umbrella.

I missed the end of the film because I left early.

She was angry because I didn’t tell her the truth.

I forgot her birthday because you didn’t remind me.

I didn’t see the email, so I didn’t reply.

I didn’t meet your brother because I left too soon.

We didn’t go out because it was raining.

Mixed Conditionals

Mixed conditionals are used when the condition and the result refer to different time frames.

There are two common patterns:

  • Past → Present:
    If + past perfect, would + base verb
    ➤ To show how a past situation affects the present
    Example: If I had gone to bed earlier, I wouldn’t feel so tired now.
  • Present → Past:
    If + past simple, would have + past participle
    ➤ To show how a present condition explains or affects a past result
    Example: If you really cared about me, you would have told me the truth.

⚠️ Be careful: These structures describe unreal situations, mixing past and present meaning.

Ready to try some?

Past or Present? 3rd or 2nd?

Mixed conditionals combine elements from second and third conditionals. Let’s look at two examples:

I wasn’t born in Spain…

…so I don’t have a Spanish passport.

I’m not Spanish…

…so I didn’t go to school here.

Mixed Conditionals: Right or Wrong?

Decide whether each sentence is Correct or Incorrect. Watch for errors with tense, form, and structure.

If I had taken that job last year, I wouldn’t be unemployed now.
If I studied harder these last months, I wouldn’t be failing this class.
If he would have told the truth, we wouldn’t be in this mess.
She wouldn’t have missed her flight if she were a more organised person.
If you had more confidence, you would speak up yesterday.
If they had remembered the meeting, they wouldn’t be in trouble now.
If I wouldn’t be afraid of dogs, I had gone to the park with you.
He would have passed the exam if he were a better student.
If I didn’t hate public speaking, I would give the speech yesterday.
If we were better prepared, we wouldn’t have made so many mistakes last week.

Mixed Conditionals – Fill the Gap

Complete the sentences with the correct verb form.

If she harder at school, she’d have more opportunities now. study

If he cared about you, he you the truth last week. tell

If your computer , you could still access the files today. not crash

If you'd listened to my advice yesterday, you in this mess now. be

If I the earlier train, I wouldn’t be late now. take

If you hadn’t skipped breakfast, you more focused now. be

If you her birthday, she wouldn’t be upset now. forget

If he were more organised, he to lock the door this morning. remember

If you your leg last month, you could go skiing now. break

If she weren’t so shy, she the debate last Friday. join

If it yesterday, we’d be playing tennis now. rain

If I hadn’t missed that opportunity in 2020, I something completely different now. do

Mixed Conditionals – Real to Unreal

This is it! Time to put everything you’ve learnt to the test.

Once again, we’re going to transform real situations into unreal ones — combining past and present elements.

Example:

Real: I didn’t study medicine, so I’m not a doctor now.

Unreal: If I had studied medicine, I would be a doctor now.

  • Didn’t study becomes had studied: from past to past perfect, negative to affirmative
  • Am not becomes would be: from present to would + base verb, negative to affirmative

⚠️ Remember: To make it unreal, imagine the opposite of what actually happened or is true — and mix the tenses when needed!

Are you ready? Try completing the following sentences:

I didn’t study medicine, so I’m not a doctor now.

I don’t have money, so I didn’t travel last summer.

You weren’t careful, so your phone is broken now.

She missed the train, so she isn’t here now.

We didn’t leave earlier, so we’re stuck in traffic now.

I didn’t revise, so I failed the test.

He doesn’t care about me, so he didn’t call yesterday.

I ate badly for years, so I’m not healthy now.

You didn’t tell me earlier, so I can’t help you now.

He doesn’t trust me, so he didn’t share the news last week.

She didn’t practise much, so she’s not confident now.

We took too many breaks, so we’re working now.