Timeline for The use of the present simple and the future simple after "if-clauses" when making threats
Current License: CC BY-SA 4.0
5 events
| when toggle format | what | by | license | comment | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 12, 2022 at 20:39 | comment | added | Colin Fine | @FumbleFingers: I agree that the present sounds more thratening. It sounds like an American gangster to me. | |
| Jun 12, 2022 at 20:38 | comment | added | Colin Fine | @Mari-LouA: with always, it's not future anyway. | |
| Jun 12, 2022 at 18:10 | comment | added | FumbleFingers | I agree that with OP's specific example, a Future tense "consequences" clause is probably more likely. But there's nothing wrong with Present tense, and to my mind it's actually better if you want that consequence to sound "threatening / inevitable" rather than just a description of how you expect to react if the specified condition arises. | |
| Jun 12, 2022 at 17:41 | comment | added | Mari-Lou A | "When customers don't pay, I always file a lawsuit." I think the present tense can be used in the subordinate clause if the main clause begins with "when". | |
| Jun 12, 2022 at 17:03 | history | answered | Colin Fine | CC BY-SA 4.0 |