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If you went to bed earlier you would not be so tired

Which is the meaning of this sentence?

  1. You didn't go to bed earlier and as a result you're tired.

  2. You don't go to bed earlier and as a result you're tired.

Source Type 2 conditional : http://www.ef.com/english-resources/english-grammar/conditional/

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  • It could be either one, depending on context. You need to add some.
    – user3169
    Jul 23, 2017 at 19:23
  • Because of the subordinating clause headed by "if", this is the "irrealis" use of the modal "would". It speaks of a "condition contrary to fact". A better phrasing is "If you had gone to bed earlier you would not be so tired", and without context to the contrary, the first option is closest to the intended meaning. To say the same thing as in number 2), we could write: "If you go to bed earlier you won't be so tired"
    – P. E. Dant Reinstate Monica
    Jul 23, 2017 at 19:42
  • I see , and what about what @JustAnotherPerson Said ? And I can't Add context it's from here ef.com/english-resources/english-grammar/conditional Type 2 conditional.
    – VeryBadAtEnglish
    Jul 23, 2017 at 20:01
  • Unfortunately, although I'm sure he or she has the best intentions, JustAnotherPerson has provided JustAnotherIncorrectAnswer.
    – P. E. Dant Reinstate Monica
    Jul 23, 2017 at 20:31
  • By the way, you'll spare yourself a lot of grief if you forget all about "type 1", "type 2" etc. conditionals. There are many more than 3 "types" of conditionals. The "type N" stuff was invented by ESL teachers, and the nomeclature is unknown to everyone else.
    – P. E. Dant Reinstate Monica
    Jul 23, 2017 at 20:43

3 Answers 3

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It means the second version. If you'd like to create the sentence that would match the first version, you'd say it this way: If you had gone to bed earlier you wouldn't be tired(now)

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  • Ok thanks and this ? just to be sure If I won the lottery, I would be happy. ( 1- If win the lottery I will be happy but it's unlikely that I will win the lottery / 2- I don't win the lottery , I'm not happy )
    – VeryBadAtEnglish
    Jul 23, 2017 at 19:04
  • @VeryBadAtEnglish: I think I too could quite reasonably say that, even though I've never bought a lottery ticket ('cos I might buy a winning ticket in the future). But it wouldn't really make sense to say If I had won I'd be rich, since I was never in contention.
    – FumbleFingers
    Jul 23, 2017 at 19:07
  • So it's (1) not (2) :)
    – VeryBadAtEnglish
    Jul 23, 2017 at 19:13
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Either could be correct. In the past:

I know you were working hard but you fell asleep during the meeting. You didn't go to bed earlier and as a result you're tired.

In the present:

I wish you would get a job rather than sleep all afternoon. You don't go to bed earlier and as a result you're tired.

though these would read better with early rather than earlier, since we don't know what it is earlier than.

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If I wanted to say that you wouldn't be so tired all the time if only you would go to bed earlier:

If you went to bed earlier, you wouldn't be so tired all the time.
or
If you would go to bed earlier, you wouldn't be so tired all the time.

If I wanted to say that you wouldn't be so tired today if you had gone to bed earlier last night:

If you had gone to bed earlier, you wouldn't be so tired.

If I wanted to say that you would not have fallen asleep at the theater two weeks ago if you had gone to bed earlier the night before:

If you had gone to bed earlier, you wouldn't have been so tired.

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