Questions tagged [conditional-constructions]
For questions about constructions which associate a hypothetical or imagined 'condition' with a 'consequence' which is inferred to be true if the 'condition' is true OR predicted to occur if the 'condition' occurs. "If John arrives tonight we will have a party."
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Factual conditionals: simple present or future?
At times I find it difficult to decide whether to use a zero conditional sentence or a first conditional. Would you mind helping me with the following example:
If they want to get there fast, they ....
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Did I understand the third conditional correctly?
All of these are sentences I would like write in the Third Conditional:
1: I would have gone by taxi, if I had had enough money.
2: He gladly would have taken his children for a walk, if he ...
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Is "would + present tense" bad grammar?
Is using "would + present tense" bad grammar?
I said "Would it be alright if I go with you?" to a classmate and she replied with "Sure, it would be OK if you came with me." which threw me off a bit.
...
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Correct usage of "If I were"
Which of the following sentences are correct?
If I was him, I'd buy a car later when I have money.
If I was him, I'd buy a car later when I had money.
If I was in her place, I'd ask the kids if they ...
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How to speak about future unreal conditional statement?
How can I speak suppose I want to ask a gentleman, "If there had a dress code tomorrow, it would be better". Is this the right way to talk about the future possibility?
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Can you justify this "would" in a real conditional
If we go someplace else, it would be different, but maybe not as good. (Seinfeld)
It is a conditional with Present Simple in the conditional clause and would in the main clause. It is not correct, as ...
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Not using Past Perfect in constructing past unreal conditionals
If I didn't go to the show business, I was going to become a fireman. (Curb Your Enthusiasm)
It is real life English, seems very incorrect to me, because the guy actually went to show business, so it ...
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Construction of conditional sentences when the context involves Perfect Tense
This is the context I'm starting from:
I am waiting for Tom. I have been waiting for him for 20 minutes.
1) How to construct a conditional statement when something happens now?
a) If Tom came ...
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Is "would" possible in the first conditional?
"If I give you money, would you go and get me some fruit?" (Seinfeld)
As I know would is not used in either zero or first conditionals. I would not have noticed that if it'd been will. Can you ...
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"If you were to do" compared to "If you did"
If they were to cancel the deal, I would be devastated.
If they canceled the deal, I would be devastated.
My thextbook says, the "if ... were to" construction gives much less probability ...
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Simple + Simple clauses when one event interrupts another
If he had been standing near the house when the wall collapsed, it would have killed him.
If he had stood near the house when the wall collapsed, it would have killed him.
Does the second sentence ...
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"She will be visiting" vs. "she will visit"
When she goes to Mexico, she will be visiting Chichen Itza.
When she goes to Mexico, she will visit Chichen Itza.
Is there a particular difference in meaning, or it is just the matter of style?
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Subjunctive mood in a 3rd conditional [duplicate]
If you had been my child, I would have demanded that such an irresponsible teacher be fired.
It is the subjunctive mood, I suppose. Why every verb in the sentence in the past, but be is in the ...
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Does Present Perfect suit unreal conditionals?
If you knew that, you’ve passed what used to be one of Google’s mind-scrambling job-interview questions. (the source)
I can't understand what conditional it is and wether it is a conditional at all. ...
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Should I say "I will be using" or "I am using" in conditional sentence?
If I am in Figi next week, I will be using my scuba diving gear.
If I am in Figi next week, I am using my scuba diving gear. (maybe incorrect)
I think the second sentence is incorrect. Can you point ...
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Use of Modals "would" and imaginative situations
Which of the following sentence is correct or both of them are correct?
If i were a bird, i had flown in the sky.
If i had been a bird, i had flown in the sky.
Also please tell how to express the ...
Abhishek
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If and would in the same sentence
I remember hearing that if and would should never be in the same sentence. I however don't know what is actually considered the same sentence, so here are to examples.
If he would only stop ...
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The many...the more
I'd like to know if a sentence like the following is grammatically correct and, if not, how it can be written.
The many friends you have, the more important you are.
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turning "would have" sentences into questions
Can you turn "would have" sentences into questions? I don't think I've ever heard people use it to ask questions. Is "would have" strictly for answering questions or conditionals? Here are some ...
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Confusing conditionals
I don't think these sentences follow the rules of conditional I, II, and III (but I could be wrong).
Does that mean I don't have to stick to the tense agreement rule when using conditionals?
If ...
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'Would have' used alone for unreal past situations, not in conditional
Can I use would have alone like
The situation would have been worse without his help.
The lack of anybody's cooperation would have caused us a lot of problems.
to provide the same meaning as using ...
user1513
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What does "be she" mean?
Lo was enraged by all this - called me a lousy crook and worse - and I
would probably have lost my temper had I not soon discovered, to my
sweetest relief, that what really angered her was my ...
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Can we use 'may' instead of 'might' in this case?
Saturday. (Beginning perhaps amended.) I know it is madness to keep
this journal but it gives me a strange thrill to do so; and only a
loving wife could decipher my microscopic script. Let me ...
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Is there some omission in this noun phrase followed by subjunctive clause?
Despite the huge death toll, more than 200,000 Hungarian Jews survived
the war, a number inconceivable had Horthy not secured relative
independence for his country for so long. (The Telegraph)
‘A ...
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Verb tenses when using will/would?
I have a question regarding what verb tenses to use when using "will" and "would".
So if I start my sentence using "will", do I need to stick to using will throughout my sentence? I was recently ...
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What does 'would' mean following 'certainly'?
We certainly wouldn't advise you to approach the site yourself.
(Source: BBC, The Archers, 2013-04-19 Friday, 5’40”.)
What's the meaning of would when it follows certainly? Would might produce ...
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Would and could in the same sentence
I wanted to stress the importance of being bilingual to a friend, so I said "I wouldn't be able to speak to my parents if I couldn't speak Spanish".
Is this grammatically correct? I've been saying ...
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Is this a correct way of combining two conditional clauses?
The process is ended if the ‘a’ and ‘b’ values of the object are lower than the given value.
The process is ended if the condition ‘c’ is not fulfilled.
Can I combine these sentences as below?
...
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Grammar about present tense in a conditional phrase
Which one is the correct one?
If the worker [verb] something, the company will show something.
If the worker [verb] something, the company shows something.
The context is that I am writing ...
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modal verbs in conditional clauses
If it should rain tomorrow, the party would not be held.
If I were to be young again, I would go to America to study.
If the sun were to rise in the west, I would not break my word.
(...
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subjuctive mood and tense
He now furtively raised his eyes: he glanced at me, irresolute,
disturbed: he again surveyed the picture. (1) “That I should like
to have it is certain: whether it would be judicious or wise is
...
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First, second and third conditional
On grammar.ccc Rob De Decker, who (as it is written there) teaches English at a Flemish grammar school in Belgium, explains the so-called first, second and third conditional.
Instant English, a best-...
user114
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the potential or hypothetical events which have not yet occurred in the future
We have seen that the basic meaning of the Past tense in English is to
locate an event or state in the past. It situate the event at a
‘temporal distance’ from the moment of speaking, whether in ...
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At the time of speaking, should I use "do", "will", or "would"?
Just before I ask a question to someone, what should I have to say?
Do you mind if I ask you a question?
Will you mind if I ask you a question?
Would you mind if I ask you a question?
...
user1114
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What to use after "to think"
I have to translate a sentence and I'm checking some options. Can you tell me which one is correct?
The contest is more or less this one: "If I wear this t-shirt..."
Do you think it will suite me?
...
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tense combined present with past
If I were her, I would have killed him months ago. [englishforum]
A person asks whether the expression can be acceptable. In my mother tongue, that also can be a way of saying. In English, is it a ...
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May I use "will" in an "if" clause?
Which is of the following sentence is correct?
If you sit here 10 minutes, I will tell the manager you have been here for an hour.
If you will sit here 10 minutes, I will tell the manager you ...
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What is the difference between "If" and "When" in a conditional clause?
For these two expressions:
I will give it to you when I no longer need it.
I will give it to you if I no longer need it.
Let us say it is an object such as a book or a laptop or something similar.
...
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Is this sentence grammatically wrong?
Had Nick been here on time, we would not have missed the train. [Introduction]
Had Nick been here on time, we would not miss the train.
Is the second sentence grammatically wrong, or are the two ...
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What are the differences between should, were, and if conditional clauses?
Mr. Brocklehurst, I believe I intimated in the letter which I wrote to you three weeks ago, that this little girl has not quite the character and disposition I could wish: should you admit her into ...
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"Might" vs. "may". What's the difference?
What is the difference between might and may? Is one a more formal way to speak, or is one correct and the other wrong?
user47
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Difference between "even if" and "even though"
When I was at university, my English teacher used to insist a lot on the difference between these two expressions, telling us that even if was to be used when introducing a hypothetical situation (...
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