An independent clause that refers to a hypothetical situation contingent on another set of circumstance.
2
votes
0answers
88 views
if or should to ask possibility? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
A special use of “should”?
I have received an email which was starting wih this:
Should you have any questions, please call at this number...
So could ...
1
vote
5answers
193 views
“I was going to be called Kate if I was a girl”
This is an excerpt from a grammar book by Longman. It was discussing tense and time distinctions and the excerpt is about future time.
As you can see in the next example, the reference can be to a ...
4
votes
1answer
198 views
Trouble with second conditionals (with **could**)
"I would do B if you could do A."
This is a statement which has been bothering me for quite a while. I come across such statements often and, to me, they make no sense. Could is the subjunctive of ...
0
votes
2answers
302 views
would have and would in non conditional statements
Can we use both would have and would in non conditional past statements? For example:
Last year during the summer, I would go home on weekends. past habitual
Last year during the summer, I ...
2
votes
3answers
989 views
past perfect + would have + ed-participle / past simple + would + infinitive
Could you clarify difference between sentences:
If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses
If I asked people what they wanted, they would say faster horses
...
0
votes
2answers
355 views
Meaning of sentence with 'would'
The sentence is:
What would the people eat?
Can it mean "What are the people going to eat?" in future Or, "What were the people going to eat?" talking about future from past Or, both?
1
vote
4answers
405 views
What to use for hypothetically completed future actions
I was talking to a friend where I had to make a hypothetical statement about an activity that was completed in the future. So I came up with the following statements.
If he continued college, he ...
-1
votes
1answer
215 views
Can Present Perfect be used for Past Conditional
Does present perfect in conditional only mean future situations? Can it be used for hypothetical future?
When I went to Africa, I thought as if I have already been there.
If you have studied, ...
1
vote
1answer
418 views
Subjunctive mood: 'was' usage after 'I wish' and 'if only'
SFX Magazine had declared the sentence below as follow: 1) STAR TURN, 2) BEST LINES.
I wish Bernard Cribbins was my grandad. Perhaps he would be willing to
adopt?
Rattigan: “If only that ...
1
vote
1answer
253 views
'Would' and 'might': differences and usage
Let us suppose that a hurricane is expected tomorrow in the place you are visiting.
Would it be better that you say either "I think it would be better to leave early." or "I think it might be better ...
1
vote
4answers
185 views
Expressing rumour with the conditional
Is it grammatically correct to report a rumour using the conditional ('would be', 'would have') to express the simple present ('is', 'has')?
Supposing that the story is not a confirmed fact regarding ...
1
vote
1answer
325 views
Third conditional would have and would
I read the following on a website and I was wondering if it was okay? Because the books only talk about the standard three forms. What would it mean if we changed the second part of the statement to ...
1
vote
3answers
298 views
Is this hypothetical (if-clause) question grammatically correct?
I came across the following question at a chat room:
If I were an admin responsible for the security of an organization's
network who were using X products in their network, how would I know
...
0
votes
2answers
442 views
Correct tense form after “if”
Let's say I use a misunderstood word in direct speech. After that, which is correct to use from the following?
I can explain, if you don't catch the meaning.
I can explain, if you haven't caught the ...
2
votes
4answers
5k views
“If I go..” vs. “If I will go..” referring to the future [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Future tense in conditional clauses
Which one is correct?
option 1: If I go there, I can meet her
or
option 2: If I will go there, I can meet her
I clearly ...
0
votes
2answers
263 views
Tense for second sentence in conditional statements
I run into the following sitatution:
If he had bothered Mike, he would have bothered him back so much that he would have forgotten about bothering anyone in his life again.
Is 'would have' the ...
1
vote
3answers
771 views
The third conditional for “if I could”
What is the third conditional for "if I could"? For example, we say:
If I had studied hard, I would have passed the exam. How about this:
If I could study, I would have passed the exam.[Is ...
1
vote
4answers
5k views
If conditional “didn't” vs “hadn't”
Grammar rules say that hadn't is used for unreal past conditions, but why can't we use simple past negation instead of past perfect?
If I hadn't come to the meeting, it wouldn't have happened.
...
0
votes
1answer
870 views
“If something were” or “If something was” in the 2nd conditional? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Which is correct: “what if there was” or “what if there were”?
Correct usage of was/were on the object of a sentence
“Was” or ...
3
votes
3answers
584 views
Conditional + Let you know
The context is that a group of us asked a friend to come and have a breakfast, instead of study for a test (bad influence, I know). Initially she said she wouldn't come, but after some badgering on ...
0
votes
1answer
3k views
Usage of 'if' and 'if not' to mean 'and perhaps even/also'
Consider the sentence:
While this assumption, on its own, is relatively innocuous, if
implausible, in practice, it is supplemented by assumptions...
The 'if' here really means something more ...
0
votes
2answers
524 views
“If we were going outside” in polite requests [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
“Was” or “were” in subjunctive clauses
Can we use "if you were going outside, please let me know" or "I was wondering if you were going outside" ...
8
votes
5answers
2k views
Future tense in conditional clauses
All the textbooks I have ever come across during the course of my studying English emphasize that future tense should not be used in conditional clauses.
For example,
If it rains in the evening, ...
2
votes
1answer
14k views
“have been” versus “had been” in questions [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
How do the tenses in English correspond temporally to one another?
"I can tell that he's not English, but I wouldn't had been able to tell that he's french if you didn't ...
2
votes
3answers
620 views
Would vs Will in future events
What is the difference between the following:
Sorry, mate. I wouldn't be able to come for dinner.
Sorry, mate. I won't be able to come for dinner.
1
vote
3answers
804 views
Is “even if…” followed by present or future tense?
Is it correct to say:
even if only James Bond will benefit from...
or
even if only James Bond benefits from...
3
votes
4answers
367 views
Past conditional statements
What is the difference between the following two statements?
If I went home for dinner, I took a glass of soft drink.
If I went home for dinner, I would take a glass of soft drink.
Are both ...
4
votes
3answers
626 views
What's an example of good style for an “if/then” statement?
I'm not sure what's common for conditional statements, with and without alternative consequent clauses, in speech—even my own—but as a computer programmer, I'm niggled whenever I have to write English ...
2
votes
5answers
1k views
'became' vs. 'become'
The following two sentences seem to have the same general meaning to me:
If I ever became a musician, I would grow my hair
If I ever become a musician, I will grow my hair
I was wondering ...
2
votes
2answers
708 views
Must conditional sentences begin with “if?”
I've been looking at conditional sentences (conditional clauses).
Every example I've see is along the lines of, "if [x] then [y]."
I've seen alternatives/substitutes for the if part:
were I ...
5
votes
5answers
527 views
Is it correct to say: “I would do something, be it me”?
I mean that "I would do something, if it only were me. But it was not me, so I've done nothing".
6
votes
5answers
1k views
“If I knew you're coming I wouldn't have come”
Is the statement
If I knew you're coming I wouldn't have come
correct? Should we use
If I had known you're coming, I wouldn't have come
instead? Please consider American-British ...
7
votes
5answers
520 views
What's the tense for repetitive past action?
In English, "would" usually denotes a conditional voice. "If I were sleepy, I would go to bed."
But I've caught myself using it to denote repetitive or habitual past action. "On Thursdays, we would ...
6
votes
2answers
773 views
Using “if” or not in a sentence structure when expressing doubt
I use the following sentence construction a lot.
I'm not sure if this is right.
I was not aware of any problem until recently I noticed that quite a few of my colleagues used it a little ...
4
votes
2answers
339 views
Conditionals in the future
My colleague and I have a hot discussion about which is correct.
My version is:
If you don't fix the bug I will send you a patch.
and his one is:
I would send you a patch if you don't fix ...
1
vote
2answers
645 views
Usage of “will” and “would”
Which one is correct?
What would I do without you.
What will I do without you.
You would always be my favorite travel buddy.
You will always be my favorite travel buddy.
1
vote
1answer
724 views
Past/Present tense in a conditional statement
I'm not an English speaker. Even though I do understand conditional statements that are written by others but when it comes to my turn I still feel confused and don't really know how to organize it.
...
1
vote
3answers
919 views
in case I won't *
A very quick question:
Is it correct to say "In case I won't be able to watch that"?
If it's acceptable to say that, what type of sentence is it?
UPDATE:
As a clarification, I want to say "Can ...
1
vote
1answer
424 views
Rule for when to use “could” as a helper?
It would be helpful if you could provide us further details.
Is the use of could wrong here? Should it be
It would be helpful if you provide us further details.
What is the rule when should ...
31
votes
13answers
1k views
Why do I instinctively want to use the present tense with a conditional?
My boss is not a native speaker of English, so he often asks me to correct his writing. The problem is, he wants me to explain why I make changes, and doesn't accept "it just sounds better that way" ...
1
vote
2answers
522 views
May conditional be used after “if”?
Is a sentence like
He asked if I would lend him my car.
correct, or should it be
He asked if I lent him my car.
or something else?
6
votes
2answers
651 views
Use of “should have” in conditional sentences
In Return of the Soldier (1918) I came across what appears to be a conditional sentence:
I never should have got this telegram if me and my husband hadn't been down there last September and told ...
0
votes
1answer
260 views
“If he is polite, then he gets the job”, or “if he be polite, then he gets the job”? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
When should I use the subjunctive mood?
Which sentence is grammatically correct? Which sentence make sense (apart from syntactical analysis)? First? Second? Both of ...
5
votes
2answers
4k views
“I would have never said” vs. “I would never say”
I know a lot of questions have been asked about would or would have but I haven't found any answers that help me understand this three-party conversation, with C possibly a native speaker:
A: How ...
4
votes
3answers
2k views
'Provided that' followed by two conditions
In a sentence where 'provided that' is followed by two conditions, is a second instance of 'that' required, optional or wrong?
1: [statement A], provided that
[statement B] and [statement C]
...
2
votes
4answers
1k views
A conditional sentence with present perfect
Is it correct to say:
If you have finished it by then, I'll come and take it.
thus using the present perfect in the "if" clause to mean the future instead of the present?
1
vote
3answers
1k views
Which tense after 'would I… if… ?'
I am struggling on a sentence here. Let me show u what I come up with;
Would I fail if I won't study?
In this sentence I am trying to indicate a possibility but I am not sure if I use this part ...
10
votes
3answers
813 views
“whether” vs. “if ”
How can I know when should I use whether or if in a sentence? I can not see any difference between whether and if. When should I use each? For me, they are the same and I am not sure if there is a ...
1
vote
3answers
2k views
Which of these sentences using “can” or “could” is better?
If you could increase your number of hours to 48/week, it will help you become a more fluent speaker.
If you can increase your number of hours to 48/week, it will help you become a more fluent ...
44
votes
4answers
3k views
How do the tenses in English correspond temporally to one another?
Non-native speakers often get confused about what the tenses in English mean. With input from some of the folk here I've put together a diagram that I hope will provide some clarity on the matter.
I ...
