Intermediate conditionals. 45 questions on the Third Conditional, Mixed Conditionals, and conditional variants.
What this test covers
- Third Conditional
- Mixed Conditionals
- Unless and Conditional Variants
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All 45 questions with answers
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Q1If I ___ the email, I would have replied immediately.
Answer: C. had seen
The result clause 'would have replied' indicates a Third Conditional, used for hypothetical past situations. This structure requires the Past Perfect ('had seen') in the if-clause. 'Saw' is Past Simple (Second Conditional), and 'have seen' is Present Perfect, which does not fit this conditional pattern.
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Q2Which sentence is correct?
Answer: A. If she had known about the party, she would have come.
This is a Third Conditional sentence describing a past event that didn't happen. The correct structure is 'If + Past Perfect' (had known) followed by 'would have + past participle' (would have come). We never use 'would' or 'would have' inside the if-clause itself.
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Q3If they ___ more careful, the accident wouldn't have happened.
Answer: A. had been
The result clause 'wouldn't have happened' tells us this is a Third Conditional. To form the if-clause for a past hypothetical state, we must use the Past Perfect ('had been'). 'Were' is Past Simple, which is used for Second Conditionals (present or future hypotheses).
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Q4Which sentence is correct?
Answer: C. If he had arrived on time, he would not have missed the start.
The Third Conditional follows the pattern: 'If + Past Perfect' (had arrived) and 'would have + past participle' (would not have missed). 'If he would have arrived' is a common error; 'would' belongs in the result clause. 'If he arrived' is Past Simple, which refers to a hypothetical present.
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Q5If the team ___ the match, they would have celebrated all night.
Answer: D. had won
The phrase 'would have celebrated' signals the Third Conditional (imagined past). The condition must be in the Past Perfect ('had won'). The Past Simple 'won' would be used for a present/future hypothesis (Second Conditional), and 'would have won' is incorrect inside an if-clause.
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Q6If I ___ you, I would have accepted the job offer.
Answer: B. had been
Because the result clause 'would have accepted' refers to a past opportunity, we must use the Third Conditional. The Past Perfect 'had been' describes a hypothetical past state. 'Was' uses the indicative past rather than the subjunctive form needed here. 'Am' is present tense and does not fit a past hypothetical. 'Would have been' is incorrect inside an if-clause.
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Q7___ I known about the delay, I would have left earlier.
Answer: A. Had
This is an example of inversion in a Third Conditional. To make the sentence more formal, we can drop 'If' and move the auxiliary verb 'Had' to the start: 'Had I known' instead of 'If I had known'. 'Would' is not used to start the if-clause, and 'If' cannot work here because the clause would then be missing the auxiliary 'had' needed to form the Third Conditional, leaving the ungrammatical 'If I known'.
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Q8If she ___ the keys, she wouldn't have been locked out.
Answer: D. hadn't lost
The result clause 'wouldn't have been' indicates a past hypothesis (Third Conditional). The if-clause needs the Past Perfect ('hadn't lost'). 'Didn't lose' is Past Simple, and 'wouldn't lose' or 'wouldn't have lost' are incorrect because 'would' is not used within the if-clause.
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Q9Which sentence is correct?
Answer: A. If they had practiced, they would have passed the exam.
A standard Third Conditional uses 'If + Past Perfect' (had practiced) and 'would have + past participle' (would have passed). 'Would pass' and 'would be passing' describe present results, which would make this a mixed conditional, but the context of an exam suggests a completed past event.
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Q10If the weather ___ better, we would have gone hiking.
Answer: D. had been
The result clause 'would have gone' refers to the past, requiring a Third Conditional. This means the if-clause must use the Past Perfect ('had been'). 'Was' (Past Simple) or 'is' (Present Simple) do not match the past time frame of the result.
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Q11If he ___ the truth, he wouldn't have lied to us.
Answer: C. had told
In the Third Conditional, we use the Past Perfect ('had told') in the if-clause to describe a past condition that didn't happen. 'Told' is Past Simple (Second Conditional), and 'would have told' is incorrect because 'would' belongs in the result clause, not the if-clause.
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Q12Which sentence is correct?
Answer: C. If she had studied, she would have passed the test.
The correct Third Conditional structure is 'If + Past Perfect' (had studied) and 'would have + past participle' (would have passed). 'If she studied' is Past Simple (Second Conditional). 'If she would have studied' is incorrect because 'would' should not appear in the if-clause.
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Q13If they ___ earlier, they would have caught the last train.
Answer: D. had left
The result 'would have caught' indicates a Third Conditional. We need the Past Perfect ('had left') in the if-clause to refer to this past hypothetical action. 'Left' is Past Simple, used for Second Conditionals, and 'would have left' is grammatically incorrect inside the if-clause.
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Q14If I ___ that film, I would have told you.
Answer: D. had seen
Since the result is in the past ('would have told'), we use the Third Conditional. The if-clause requires the Past Perfect ('had seen'). 'Saw' is Past Simple, which would imply a present/future hypothesis. 'Would have seen' is incorrect because 'would' is not used in if-clauses.
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Q15If I had studied harder at school, I ___ a doctor now.
Answer: A. would be
This is a Mixed Conditional. The past condition ('had studied') has a result in the present ('now'). We use 'would + infinitive' (would be) to describe the present outcome. 'Would have been' would refer to a result that stayed in the past.
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Q16If she were more patient, she ___ that argument yesterday.
Answer: A. wouldn't have started
This Mixed Conditional links a general/present trait ('If she were more patient') to a specific past event ('yesterday'). We use the Third Conditional form 'wouldn't have started' for the past result. 'Wouldn't start' would refer to the present or future.
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Q17If I ___ Spanish at that time, I would have understood what they said.
Answer: D. had spoken
This is a Third Conditional referring to a specific moment in the past. The Past Perfect ('had spoken') shows that the speaker did not speak Spanish at that past time. 'Would speak' is incorrect inside an if-clause. 'Am speaking' (present continuous) and 'have spoken' (present perfect) are wrong tenses for a past hypothetical condition.
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Q18If he hadn't missed the flight, he ___ here right now.
Answer: A. would be
This Mixed Conditional links a past action ('hadn't missed') to a present result ('right now'). We use 'would + infinitive' (would be) for the present outcome. 'Would have been' refers to a hypothetical past state, not the current moment.
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Q19If they ___ the work yesterday, they wouldn't be busy today.
Answer: A. had finished
This Mixed Conditional connects a past condition ('yesterday') with a present result ('today'). The past condition requires the Past Perfect ('had finished'). 'Finished' (Past Simple) would typically refer to a hypothetical present or future condition.
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Q20If you were more organized, you ___ that mistake last week.
Answer: D. wouldn't have made
This Mixed Conditional connects a present/general state ('If you were' – using the Past Subjunctive) with a past result ('last week'). We use the Third Conditional result form 'wouldn't have made' to refer to that past event.
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Q21If she ___ the job, she would be living in London now.
Answer: B. had taken
This Mixed Conditional shows how a past decision ('had taken' - Past Perfect) affects a current situation ('would be living' - present result). 'Took' is Past Simple and is used for present/future hypotheses in Second Conditionals.
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Q22If I ___ you, I would have apologized yesterday.
Answer: A. had been
Because the result refers to the past ('yesterday'), this is a Third Conditional. The if-clause requires the Past Perfect ('had been'). Using 'was' or 'were' would make this a Mixed Conditional about a present state, but 'had been' is the standard choice for past hypotheses.
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Q23If they ___ so lazy, they would have finished the project.
Answer: D. hadn't been
The result 'would have finished' indicates a Third Conditional. This means we are talking about a past state of laziness, which requires the Past Perfect ('hadn't been'). 'Wouldn't be' refers to the present and does not fit the past result clause.
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Q24If we ___ the map, we wouldn't be lost in the city now.
Answer: A. had brought
This is a Mixed Conditional: the past action of not bringing the map ('had brought') results in the current state of being lost ('now'). The if-clause uses the Past Perfect for past actions. 'Brought' (Past Simple) would refer to the present or future.
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Q25If he ___ more careful, he wouldn't have broken the vase.
Answer: A. had been
The result 'wouldn't have broken' is a past event. Therefore, we use the Third Conditional, which requires the Past Perfect ('had been') in the if-clause to describe a hypothetical past state.
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Q26If I ___ that, I wouldn't be in this mess today.
Answer: B. hadn't done
This Mixed Conditional relates a past action ('hadn't done') to a present situation ('today'). We use the Past Perfect for the past condition. 'Didn't do' (Past Simple) is used for Second Conditionals (present hypotheses).
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Q27If she ___ the truth from the start, she wouldn't be so upset now.
Answer: D. had known
This Mixed Conditional links a past condition to a present result. We use the Past Perfect ('had known') in the if-clause to show she didn't know the truth at an earlier point, which is still affecting her mood now. 'Would have known' is incorrect inside an if-clause. 'Is knowing' is wrong because 'know' is a state/feeling verb that does not take the continuous form.
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Q28If they ___ the tickets, they would be at the concert now.
Answer: D. had bought
This Mixed Conditional links a past action ('had bought' - Past Perfect) to a present outcome ('now'). The Past Simple 'bought' is usually reserved for hypothetical present/future scenarios in Second Conditionals.
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Q29If I ___ naturally talented, I would have won the competition.
Answer: B. were
This Mixed Conditional describes a general or permanent state ('were' - Past Subjunctive) that would have changed a past event ('would have won'). Using 'had been' is also possible, but 'were' emphasizes the permanent nature of the talent.
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Q30___ you hurry, we will miss the beginning of the movie.
Answer: A. Unless
'Unless' means 'if... not.' The sentence means: 'If you do NOT hurry, we will miss the movie.' 'If' would require a negative verb ('If you don't hurry'). 'Supposing' and 'Provided' are usually used for positive conditions.
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Q31You can borrow my car ___ you return it by tomorrow.
Answer: B. as long as
'As long as' is used to set a condition or limitation, meaning 'only if.' It fits perfectly for giving permission. 'Unless' would mean 'if you don't return it,' which does not make sense here.
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Q32___ that you had a million dollars, what would you do?
Answer: A. Supposing
'Supposing' (or 'Suppose') is used to introduce an imaginary or hypothetical scenario, often in a question. 'Provided' and 'As long as' are used for real-life conditions or promises rather than purely imaginary 'what if' situations.
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Q33I will go to the party ___ I have to work late.
Answer: B. unless
'Unless' means 'except if' or 'if not.' The speaker will go to the party except in the case that they have to work. 'As long as' or 'provided that' would imply that working late is the requirement for going to the party, which is illogical.
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Q34You can stay here ___ you keep quiet.
Answer: A. on condition that
'On condition that' is a formal way of saying 'only if.' It sets a specific rule for the permission given. 'Unless' would mean 'if you don't keep quiet, you can stay,' which is the opposite of the intended meaning.
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Q35Which sentence is correct?
Answer: D. Unless you study, you will fail.
'Unless' means 'if you don't.' Therefore, 'Unless you study' means 'If you don't study.' We do not use a negative verb after 'unless' because it creates a double negative. We also don't use the future 'will' in the clause immediately following 'unless'.
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Q36___ the weather is nice, we will have a picnic.
Answer: B. Provided that
'Provided that' means 'if' or 'on the condition that.' It is used here to set a positive condition. 'Unless' would mean 'if the weather is NOT nice.' 'On condition' requires 'that' to act as a full conjunction.
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Q37I'll lend you the money ___ you pay me back next week.
Answer: D. as long as
'As long as' expresses 'if' when making a deal or promise. It indicates that paying back is the condition for the loan. 'Unless' (if you don't pay me back) does not logically fit this offer.
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Q38___ it rains, we will move the party inside.
Answer: D. If
'If' is the standard conjunction for a possible future event in a First Conditional. 'Unless' would mean the party moves inside only if it does NOT rain. 'Supposing' and 'Provided' are possible but much less common for simple cause-and-effect like this.
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Q39Which sentence is correct?
Answer: B. Unless you are hungry, don't eat.
'Unless you are hungry' means 'If you are NOT hungry.' This logically matches the command 'don't eat.' 'Unless you are not hungry' is a double negative, meaning 'If you are hungry, don't eat,' which is confusing and likely incorrect.
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Q40We will sign the contract ___ both parties agree to the terms.
Answer: A. provided that
'Provided that' is a formal way of saying 'on the condition that' or 'only if.' It is common in legal and business contexts to specify requirements. 'Unless' would mean they sign only if they disagree, which is illogical.
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Q41___ you had lost your passport, what would you have done?
Answer: B. Supposing
'Supposing' is the best choice for introducing a hypothetical question about an imagined situation. It invites the listener to consider a 'what if' scenario. 'Unless' and 'Provided' are used for conditions, not for exploring imagined problems.
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Q42You won't get a refund ___ you have the receipt.
Answer: D. unless
'Unless' means 'if you don't.' The sentence states that having the receipt is a necessary condition; without it, you won't get a refund. 'As long as' would mean the opposite: that having a receipt prevents you from getting a refund.
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Q43I'll help you ___ you do the dishes.
Answer: A. on condition that
'On condition that' is a formal expression used for bargaining. It means 'I will help you only if you do the dishes.' 'Unless' would mean 'I will help you unless you do the dishes,' which implies the help stops if the dishes are done.
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Q44___ that you won the lottery, would you quit your job?
Answer: C. Supposing
'Supposing' introduces a hypothetical scenario ('that you won the lottery') and is often followed by a question. 'Provided' and 'As long as' are for real conditions or requirements rather than imaginary 'what if' situations.
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Q45If I ___ the time, I would have helped you yesterday.
Answer: C. had had
The Third Conditional refers to a past situation. It requires the Past Perfect in the if-clause. The Past Perfect of 'have' is 'had had' (the first 'had' is the auxiliary verb, the second is the past participle). 'Had' is Past Simple (Second Conditional).
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