Conditional Type 5

These mixed conditional sentences refer to an unreal present situation and its probable (but unreal) past result. In these mixed conditional sentences, the time in the if clause is now or always and the time in the main clause is before now.

Examples

• If I wasn't afraid of spiders, I would have picked it up.
• I would have picked it up if I wasn't afraid of spiders.
• If we didn't trust him we would have sacked him months ago.
• We would have sacked him months ago if we didn't trust him.
• If I wasn't in the middle of another meeting, I would have been happy to help you.
• I would have been happy to help you if I wasn't in the middle of another meeting.
• If she wasn't afraid of flying she wouldn't have traveled by boat.
• I'd have been able to translate the letter if my Italian was better.
• If I was a good cook, I'd have invited them to lunch.
• If the elephant wasn't in love with the mouse, she'd have trodden on him by now.

For example, "If I wasn't afraid of spiders" is contrary to present reality -- I am afraid of spiders. "I would have picked it up" is contrary to past reality. I didn't pick it up.

Structure

As in all conditional sentences, the order of the clauses is not fixed. You may have to rearrange the pronouns and adjust punctuation when you change the order of the clauses, but the meaning is identical.