[Grammar] If I had been serious about music when I was young, ...

[NAL123]

Consider this sentence of mine, please:

a) If I had been serious about music when I was young, today I could participate in the music show.

Is sentence a) possible or do we have to use "could have participated" in the result clause? In other words, can we use the following construction in English:

IF + SUBJECT + HAD + PAST PARTICIPLE, THEN + SUBJECT + COULD/MIGHT/WOULD + BARE INFINITIVE?

 

[teechar]

Mixed conditionals of all sorts exist. Yours above is one example. However, I would move "today" to the end of that sentence.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Both ways are grammatical.

If you say "could participate," it means that today's show hasn't happened yet.

If you say "could have participated," it means that today's show is over.

If you say "could be participating," it means that the show is happening now.