Questions tagged [conditionals]
An independent clause that refers to a hypothetical situation contingent on another set of circumstance.
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“would have been” without if-part but with “in retrospect”
I struggle with the following sentence:
In retrospect, it would have been an interesting experience.
The it refers to something in the sentence before:
I have never ascended Mount Everest ...
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Sentences beginning with 'If' [migrated]
Consider this sentence:
She did not sing well in the concert because she had a sore throat.
Now I want to change it into a hypothetical conditional beginning with If, is this sentence ...
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I would not have thought that I needed to say this - conditional? [migrated]
I would not have thought that I needed to say this. - here.
Is this is a conditional sentence? if so which one?
Why not to say "...I had needed to say this" or "I would not thought..."
Is there any ...
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I am trying to find out differences between between a bunch of “would” conditionals [duplicate]
I am confused about how to correctly use if with would (+have) or
could (+have) while talking about past activities in conditionals.
Please check out these sentences and help me to figure out their ...
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Which of the two following sentences is the correct one and WHY?
Original sentence: If you eat well, you will not be sick.
When we rewrite it using unless, which of the following sentences is the correct one and why is it the correct one:
Unless you eat well, you ...
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Questions about 'if' [migrated]
As for the use of ‘if’, especially when I’m not talking about ‘unreal’ situations, I’m confused about what is the correct way to use it when I talk about something that happened in the past. For ...
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SHOULD inversion in conditionals
In trying to use inversion with SHOULD to rewrite this sentence "because of the possibility of secondary devices - there were abandonned bags everywhere - arriving ambulance crews were kept back" I ...
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1answer
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“Could”: past and conditional question
I have a doubt about the use of could. I know that could is the past simple of can, and is also used in conditional constructions.
How native speakers distinguish one usage from the other in ...
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1answer
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Intersectionality status [closed]
I understand the concepts under the term where oppressed or minority group seek equality or recognition. However the unification of a number of groups must lead to a position of strength and ...
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“After” clause in Second Conditional
In this sentence:
If, in theory, they dedicated more time to working for the good of the
country (and themselves), it would be considerably easier to handle
the pressure of money debt and be ...
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1answer
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I have found 3 conditionals which have the word 'will' in the if clause!Are they correct?
I have found in Syntax and Grammar of English Language of George Giannakopoulos the following:
If you will sign this agreement,I will let you have the money.
You can rarely use 'will' in an if ...
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“would (enjoy)” + “if (I could)” referring to the past
I studied diligently when I was a student and I took as many projects as they were provided. I would also enjoy it if I could help my fellow classmates with theirs.
Is the above sentence ...
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Does the third conditional with past continuous exists? Examples are given below
If you had gone to the football game yesterday, you should have invited me to go with you. (Follows structure, sounds weird)
If you were going to the football game yesterday, you should have invited ...
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1answer
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If I was there vs if I had been there
I know that if I was there is a simple tense and if I had been there is used in conditional sentences.
But do both mean the same, or, if there is any difference, then what is it?
Can I use if I ...
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1answer
73 views
If I was vs. if I were - which is correct and why? [duplicate]
Which is right? "If I was from France, would I get a visa from Ghanaian embassy?" vs. "were from France"
"If I was taller, I would buy that dress." vs. "if I were"
"If I was 20, I would travel the ...
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1answer
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Conditional: if verb be + adjective, is it referred to the past?
Sentences:
Terms of a competition (2018): nothing.
Terms of a competition (2019): If the athlete is awarded, he will not be considered for future competitions.
For example: if I was awarded in ...
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1answer
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Conditional: if + past simple, future simple
I know that that there are conditionals to speculate about permanent state or situations which had a result in the past.
Is there a conditional: if + past simple, subject + will + verb.
For talking ...
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2answers
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If Oswald didn’t shoot Kennedy someone else will have
Cambridge Grammar of the English Language, page 200, reads
If Oswald didn’t shoot Kennedy someone else will have would be appropriate in a context where it was not known that Kennedy was shot.
I ...
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1answer
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Conditional in the past: using present or preterit?
A person is talking using past tense, because he is talking about events that happened in the past. Which one is correct?
They might come after me if they found out that Kudo Shinichi was still alive ...
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If he takes the later plane tonight he won’t have to rush
According to the Cambridge Grammar of the English Language, page 88,
if took could be the realisation of either
a preterite or an irrealis, there'd be no way of telling in cases
like [29ii] (If ...
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1answer
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Is “would” appropriate in this case?
"If these same situations would be held by people unable to change their behaviour in order to solve or to handle them the consequences would be catastrophic."
I know that usually the word "would" is ...
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Unreal Conditionals
If you want to use the inclined plane to help you move an object (and who wouldn’t?), then you have to move the object over a longer distance to get to the desired height than if you had started from ...
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'extra charge' or 'extra paid' - what is correct? [closed]
Is that sentence correct:
The situation in a restaurant, answer to a waiter:
If you had told me the appetizer was extra charge / extra paid, I would have given you a tip.
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3answers
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“Would + Verb” vs. “Were to + Verb”
"If they ___ me this job, I'd turn it down."
a) would offer
b) were to offer
I had this question in my test lately. The latter is the right answer, but I don't really get the difference ...
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1answer
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Subject–verb inversion in a conditional’s protasis: does that mean it happened or not?
Does
Had there been no support from others, I would not have asked him for help.
mean the speaker did ask for help or that they did not do so?
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1answer
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Which one of my possible translations for this sentence best reflects the time construct of the original sentence? [closed]
I'm translating a book (from Japanese), and character A says the following line to Character B during the conversation shown at the bottom of this page.
平穏な暮らしをしている限りはわからないわ。
The above can be ...
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2answers
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In the following sentence, why is perfect conditional used instead of present conditional
From the Economist(soft paywalled)
The well-respected senator, who said he was stepping down because of “mounting health challenges”, would not otherwise have been up for re-election until 2022, ...
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1answer
56 views
What tense should I use in the following sentence
I would like to know what is the appropriate tense in the following sentence.
An emperor would/will always be an emperor, no matter how badly he botched/botches his job, but a president or a PM ...
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1answer
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Start statement with infinitive
Is it possible to use infinitive and start statement with it to express conditional statement?
For example:
To go out with you today, I need to finish my job.
If it isn't correct way, could you ...
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1answer
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“When” clause in second conditional
I would like to ask you for clarification, if the usage of the when clause is correct in the second conditional.
In one book I found the sentence:
When the factory came online in 1990, he would ...
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0answers
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When can a “first conditional” be mixed with the “second”? [duplicate]
From my own research, I have seen people say that the first conditional cannot be mixed with the second, or the zero with the second. I have some example sentences, however, which I took from an essay ...
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Make a guess about historic events
I am wondering what's the right structure to make a speculation about a past event. I have a GRE writing in which I've put forth a few speculations which could weaken the argument. I've tried to use a ...
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1answer
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'Unless' in hypothetical constructions
I have been told that 'unless' can't be used in hypothetical clauses as follows:
Unless Ann had studied hard, she would have failed the exam.
My question is, why is using 'unless' in the ...
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1answer
68 views
Condition in future
Is it correct to say "Can the period be changed if I will not get the visa in time?"
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1answer
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The use of the grammar structure “if” + “would” in context
I stumbled upon it in this video. It is at 1 hour 21 minute and 42 second.
If the Israelis would ever once just say we got screwed in 1948, and we are sorry it happened, we would be willing to make ...
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2answers
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Past Hypothesis vs Past Condition
I know the title might look confusing, so I would like to explain it in detail here.
As far as I know, we can use past perfect construction when referring to a situation that didn't happen in the ...
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2answers
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“Haven't we wasted our time, we'd be in better shape today” [closed]
Is the above sentence grammatically correct?
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1answer
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“If you are a bird I am a bird” VS “If you were a bird I …” which is right?
Why "If you are a bird I am a bird" is right?
In my case "If you were a bird, I would be a bird" or "If you were a bird I will kill you" are right. Please tell more detailed about it.
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Case of atypical conditional
I wonder how this sentence sounds in the ears of a native English speaker:
"If I had not gone there yesterday, I would not be here today"
The classic grammar lessons do not cover this combination of ...
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2answers
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Which tense should this be? “are to” vs “were to”
I've been doing some exercises lately when one thing struck me:
Miss Baiocci would, I am sure, be a real asset to your organisation, knowing as she does a great deal about the way a company such as ...
2
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2answers
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Logical implications of 'than they would be if …'? [closed]
Given:
Proof-of-concept technologies, although important, are less valuable
than they would be if they were supported by careful experiments that
identify key attributes of the design or ...
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0answers
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If first condition or zero condition? [duplicate]
I saw these two sentences and was wondering which one is right,
1) If you are a well-organized person you manage your time.
2) If you are a well-organized person you will manage your time.
I know zero ...
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1answer
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1st conditional: will / going to [closed]
I have read that even though it is the not the most common structure, we can use "be going to + infinitive" in the first conditional. Is there a difference in the meaning of these sentences?:
If it ...
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2answers
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Why do conditional sentences with “would have had to” have an extra “had” in them?
Well, i was reading about Type Three conditionals. In the main clause we use if + past perfect (had), then in the second clause we use either the "perfect conditional" or the "perfect continuous ...
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2answers
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conditionals: what's the difference between these two sentences?
There is a sentence in a paragraph from the novel 'And the Mountains Echoed':
"But these were gestures, Abdullah knew, acts of duty, drawn from a
well far shallower than the one she reached into ...
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1answer
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CONDITIONAL 2 or 3
Mark didn’t apply for the job because he didn’t get his diploma on time.
i'm not sure if i should use conditional 2 or 3.
personally, i think it's 3. because it is contrary to reality.
if mark had ...
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Is the following acceptable: was expecting + if I hadn't had
I sent an email recently to a hotel where I'm going to stay, but I got a flight cancelation. Here's a passage from my email,
I had my flight canceled today, I was expecting to arrive at the hotel ...
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1answer
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Would be or would have been
I'm thinking both of the following are correct but seems like I'm mistaken.
If we had started studying Spanish three years ago, we would be much more fluent in it now.
If we had started ...
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1answer
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Conditional: “…if he makes a wrong statement.”
The members of the opposition party in the parliament shout upon the minister if he makes a wrong statement.
According to me: if + simple present clause, + future clause.
So "The members of the ...
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1answer
46 views
Constructions after “have to”
According to Murphy's English Grammar in Use you can use "have to" in all forms, and he offers an example in the past simple and another one in the present perfect tense. Hence, I was wondering if had ...
