Why use "isn't" in the sentence "if it isn't too much trouble, i'd love a cup of coffee?why English users do not use "weren't" instead of "isn't"?
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1Are you thinking that the "If is [isn't]... I would..." requires the subjunctive?– ChapCommented Sep 3, 2013 at 1:06
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3It's a tense issue. Weren't is past tense and the conversation is about the present. If your question is about the subjunctive, it needs to be rephrased.– bibCommented Sep 3, 2013 at 1:08
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That was the first thought I had about why the question came up. I may be wrong.– ChapCommented Sep 3, 2013 at 1:10
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1 Answer
We do use "weren't", when it is in the past:
He asked me yesterday if I'd like a cup of coffee, and I replied that I would if it weren't too much trouble.
The difference is in the tense of the statement being made. If the response above was instead a direct quote, it would read like this:
He asked me yesterday if I'd like a cup of coffee, and I replied "I would if it isn't too much trouble."
The first case is a description of a past event, and uses the past tense; the second is in the present and uses the present tense.
Update:
However, if your question is about the use of the subjunctive as suggested in comments, then the phrasing would resemble this:
He asked me yesterday if I'd like a cup of coffee, and I replied "I would, if it weren't that my diet forbids caffeine."
Admittedly that last sentence is a bit contrived, but hopefully illustrates the difference.
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Isn't this a question about using the subjunctive? "I would ... if it weren't for ..."?– ChapCommented Sep 3, 2013 at 1:02
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@Chap: I don't believe so. Should we ask OP for clarification? It still seems to me that the tense of the description is controlling the tense of the wording. Commented Sep 3, 2013 at 1:03
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@Chap: I am not following your reasoning. What am I missing? Commented Sep 3, 2013 at 1:06
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1I don't think your weren't is correct. It ought to be: He asked me yesterday if I'd like a cup of coffee, and I replied that I would if it wasn't too much trouble.– JimCommented Sep 3, 2013 at 1:37