An independent clause that refers to a hypothetical situation contingent on another set of circumstance.
0
votes
1answer
91 views
First conditional with “would” instead of “will”
Consider the following sentence with a first conditional:
If it rains tomorrow, I will go to the cinema.
All the examples of first conditionals that I found use "will" instead of ...
3
votes
2answers
77 views
Wording an 'If-Then' Statement Tense
I need help phrasing the last part of this conditional sentence (assume I can't change the first conditional statement):
If I died tomorrow, I would have wanted to go skydiving.
or
If I ...
0
votes
0answers
28 views
was vs were in hypothetical conditionals [duplicate]
Would it be considered incorrect if I said, "If it were 80 degrees outside, I would be at the pool", as opposed to, "If it was 80 degrees outside, I would be at the pool"?
2
votes
2answers
85 views
Tense agreement in conditional statements: “I could do whatever I want” vs. “I could do whatever I wanted”
Consider the following sentences:
If I had my own place, I could do whatever I want.
If I had my own place, I could do whatever I wanted.
She said I could do whatever I want.
She ...
1
vote
2answers
123 views
Future Subjunctive
I have a few issues to discuss linked to the Future Subjunctive.
1) Can "If I were you." mean the same as "If I were to be you." In other words, can "If I were you." have the reference to the future ...
1
vote
1answer
107 views
Tense agreement after “if it means that”
I've read that in conditional sentences, tenses don't have to match. Is this true for sentences that contain "if it means"? In the examples below, I'm trying to say something like "I won't write to ...
-2
votes
2answers
87 views
Can I use the 3rd conditional that way? [closed]
Is the sentence given below grammatically correct?
Had you born two days later and it would have been difficult to celebrate your birthdays.
Is it the only option to use the third conditional to ...
0
votes
5answers
651 views
Difference in meaning: “would have had to be” vs “would have had to have been”
Being a non native speaker, I cannot spot the difference here:
He would have had to have been there.
He would have had to be there.
The only thing that comes to my mind is that in the first case, ...
1
vote
0answers
34 views
The verb “should” as a conjunction [duplicate]
Here is the phrase from Wikipedia:
CFO Peter Klein has said that Microsoft has no alternate plan should its current mobile strategy fail.
Another example:
Should Microsoft’s tablet and phone ...
-2
votes
3answers
93 views
Should I insert is/was/were after an 'if'? [closed]
I have the following sentence:
if the foo is/was/were a bar and the baz truck a qux, how does the
working of a baz relate to coaching?
Should it be is/was/were? Searching the internet just ...
11
votes
5answers
667 views
“When I am 18, I will…” or “When I will be 18, I will…” [duplicate]
Should I say:
When I am 18, I'll take my driving test
or
When I'll be 18, I'll take my driving test
Which one is the correct sentence?
4
votes
3answers
174 views
Can the Future Perfect be used in a main clause of a conditional sentence that has a stative/non-action verb in the if-clause?
A student asked me this question today about a sentence like:
(1) If Canada's population is 40 million, the Canadian economy will have been more dynamic.
I was asked if it corresponded, in a future ...
1
vote
1answer
203 views
What is the correct way to construct a conditional sentence with “would”?
I was told several times that a conditional sentence with the following structure is incorrect:
If I would do this, then he would do that.
Rather it should be:
If I do this, then he will do ...
-1
votes
1answer
71 views
A conditional with present tense vs. the subjunctive?
I may just be in my own head, but I'm trying to figure out how these two sentences differ:
If you walk down the street, you'll see an oak tree.
If you were to walk down the street, you'd see ...
3
votes
2answers
132 views
“when” + conditional sentence + tense
1: She said she would do it when she came home.
2: She said she would do it when she comes home.
Which is correct, and why?
3
votes
3answers
127 views
“If it was not cold, I would like more” — conditional
Now I'm having hard time on something.
I ate something yesterday and it was cold. Now grammatically, it must be
If it was not cold, I would like it more.
But I feel like it does not sound right, ...
0
votes
1answer
101 views
Conditional statement
On Facebook, Libyans started inviting each other to something like random gift giving event on the occasion of Feb, 17, in Libya. It is a very good idea. Giving a gift to somebody else you don't know ...
0
votes
4answers
204 views
If I Were You and You Were I
These are song lyrics, so there's poetic license--yes. However, it raises a grammar question that some friends and I have wondered about for years.
Song goes:
If for a moment I were you, and you ...
1
vote
3answers
140 views
Saying about many related events in the future
My question relates to these questions :
Conditionals in the future
Future tense in conditional clauses
“If I go..” vs. “If I will go..” referring to the future
About two mutually related, future ...
2
votes
3answers
297 views
Second conditional when making plans for the future: “If it rained tomorrow, I would go to the cinema.”
If it rained tomorrow, I would go to the cinema.
If it didn't rain tomorrow, I would go to school.
Which conditional is the best for this use case? Is it correct to use the Second ...
-2
votes
3answers
109 views
Usage of “even if” [closed]
Could you please suggest me the usage of "even if" in the English sentence?
For example, is the following statement correct grammatically?
Even if this approach scale for a large number of ...
5
votes
3answers
242 views
“Even were he not to…”
I am currently reading "Do androids dream of electric sheep?" by P.K. Dick and I have come across a grammatical structure I don't quite understand. The excerpt is the following (no spoilers, don't ...
0
votes
3answers
214 views
Can I always use “unless” interchangeably with “if not”? [closed]
I have been bothered by the question whether 'unless' and 'if not' can be used interchangeably. I think they can have the opposite meaning, but I am not sure. Could you support my opinion with some ...
0
votes
1answer
327 views
“If I was to” vs. “If I were to” [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
“If I was” or “If I were”. Which is more common, and which is correct?
If I was to sum up my computer knowledge in one word, it would be “destitute”.
If I were ...
-1
votes
2answers
192 views
Is this sentence using tenses correctly? [closed]
If such stage was completed based on un-signed English financial statements (USEFS), the doer is to initial all pages of the USEFS.
Is the above sentence grammatically correct with two different ...
7
votes
4answers
295 views
Usage of 'had been' or 'were'
I was doing an exercise. I completed the sentence as following.
If you were my child, I would have demanded that such an irresponsible teacher be fired.
But the answer given in the book is ...
9
votes
2answers
319 views
Is this an imperative sentence?
Is this sentence an imperative sentence, or does it have conditional meaning?
You hang around with riffraff like the Weasleys and that Hagrid, and it’ll rub off on you.
4
votes
4answers
2k views
“If I didn't have” vs. “if I hadn't had”
Can someone please tell me if these sentences are correct? I prefer number one. Here I am trying to talk about a past condition that didn't actually happen because the person had the example sentences ...
3
votes
2answers
386 views
When is “will” used in an “if” clause?
Given the following sentences that use will in the if clause (which is seldom with if-clauses and therefore, I'm not sure they all are even grammatical or not).
If you will/would kindly lend me ...
3
votes
0answers
45 views
Contrary-to-fact conditionals usage error [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
“If I would have lost you” vs “If I had lost you”
My question is about a usage error involving contrary-to-fact conditionals. Instead of something like this:
If I knew ...
3
votes
5answers
154 views
Right tense for conditional event in nondescript time?
What is the right tense to describe an event that might have occured, be occuring or occur in the future, if (not) for something that happened in the past?
Unike, in the examples, which anchor the ...
1
vote
2answers
71 views
Is “if zoomed out” a complete clause?
Consider the following:
The picture loses its quality if zoomed out far enough.
I found many instances of this on Google, but I dont see any subject in the if clause and I wonder if it's correct ...
3
votes
2answers
199 views
Perfect tenses in conditionals
Why does one sometimes use the perfect tense in conditions of the first type? Say,
I will do something if you have done something.
I did something when he had done something.
instead of,
...
1
vote
1answer
273 views
'Should xxx to be' vs 'Should xxx'
When is it fine to drop to be when should precedes it? For example:
It should prove to be successful.
vs
It should prove successful.
6
votes
3answers
213 views
Conditionals with multiple verbs
I'm an ESL teacher. Normally I teach lower intermediate but I also teach a mixed level grammar review class. I pride myself on being able to explain things clearly but today I found myself in THREE ...
-1
votes
1answer
247 views
Native speakers and the use of conditional statements
I often hear people say that native English speakers don't make grammatical mistakes. But I don't understand the use of conditional statements as most people don't really pay much attention to the ...
-1
votes
2answers
77 views
Should the statement after “then” be followed with modals?
Consider the following:
If you were to buy this, then ask me.
Or should it be:
If you were to buy this, then you would need to ask me.
Is the use of would necessary here? If we go with the ...
7
votes
3answers
732 views
Different conditional clauses — “if you saw”, “if you were to see”, “if you had seen”
Given the following sentences, what is the difference between the conditional clauses in them?
If you saw a lion in a thick forest, what would you do?
If you were to see a lion in a thick ...
3
votes
3answers
1k views
“would love/like to” usage?
What is the difference between the sentences
"I would love/like to play cricket" and " I want to play cricket." Is there any difference in the moods?
7
votes
3answers
4k views
“It would be better if you drink/drank all the water”
Which one of the following is grammatically correct?
It would be better if you drink all the water.
It would be better if you drank all the water.
The question is, obviously, about the use ...
2
votes
2answers
299 views
Past perfect sentence in “I would have killed the snake if I had hit him…”
Is the following a correct past perfect sentence?
I would have killed the snake if I had hit him hard with a stick.
1
vote
3answers
736 views
Conditional: “… would not have been turned …” (is it grammatical?)
I came across the following piece:
So sensible, indeed, was the President of the weakness of the excuse,
that he sought to make a diversion in favor of the Crown by demanding
of M. ...
0
votes
1answer
133 views
“Would have” in the following
Reading a J.K Rowling book, I came across the following:
It's only dying a bit later than I would have, because I am never going to the dark side!
Is the would have part compete here or ...
0
votes
3answers
221 views
If-clause with either
Which of these sentences look better?
In addition, if the vertices that have outedges to this vertex are more central it will also be more central.
or
In addition, if the vertices that have ...
2
votes
4answers
979 views
Is “if they would do something” correct English?
We were discussing if the following sentence would be proper English:
I asked them if they would do me a favour. (A)
The meaning is that I am referring to a point in the past where I asked ...
1
vote
3answers
1k views
Would be glad to
I was writing an email and faced the following situation:
I am coming to Oxford this summer. If you are still around, I would be glad to hang out with you.
Now normally we don't construct the ...
1
vote
1answer
1k views
“If not for you” meaning
Today I have encountered a phrase:
If not for you, I would be poor.
I would think it is like "if there were not you", is it like that?
On the other hand, how would I say the following as the ...
1
vote
2answers
2k views
Usage of “would have been”
In the movie "A Walk to remember" Jimmie's father says the following to his son-in-law who got into medical school. Actually Jimmie is dead when he says,
We are proud of you, son. Jimmie would ...
3
votes
3answers
353 views
3rd conditional plus 2nd conditional?
"If you had seen him as a child, you would agree that he is extraordinary."
In this sentence, changing the past perfect to simple past strikes me as wrong, and changing the "would agree" to "would ...
1
vote
1answer
1k views
Using 'would' to talk about past with examples
The following are sentences,
I would take the dogs out on a walk.
I would have took the dogs out on a walk.
I would took the dogs out on a walk.
I understood them as follows:
Possible action to ...
