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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Past perfect or past simple + if
Which one is more correct?
It is hard to say whether the more up-to-date file had indeed been on his desk before the meeting took place. If it had been he should be regarded as a liar.
It is hard to ...
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Using would with present tense
Is this correct?
I would buy it if it actually does what it is supposed to do?
Should we replace this sentence with this? If so, please explain.
I would buy it if it actually did what it was ...
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"Would be" in a conditional sentence [duplicate]
I heard this sentence in a series.
I would be a fan of your work if you could get us two seats on the
next flight.
What is the conditional type of this sentence?
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"If I would have given you my snail address, could you send me some reprints."
What is the difference between
If I would have given you my snail address, could you send me some reprints.
and
If I would give you my snail address, could you send me some reprints.
In particular,...
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what does "not if" mean here?
If I said,
"Jonathan ignore me not if I speak."
Does this mean:
"Jonathan do not ignore me if I speak."
Or does it mean:
"If I don't speak, Jonathan may or may not ...
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I could've if I wanted
I could've if I wanted to.
Aside from figuring out its meaning, is this grammatically correct?
Or it should be only: I could if I wanted to.
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"If you could sign up for my website, it would be great."
I have some vague queries about 2nd conditional sentence structure.
If you could sign up for my website, it would be great.
Is this a sort of 2nd conditional sentence that assumes an unlikely ...
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we don't know . . . unless
Are the following sentences correct?
We don't know how the word was used in the 13th century, unless we could go back in time.
We don't know how the word was used in the 13th century, unless we went ...
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If ... when ... then clause and Present Perfect/ Present simple
One father wants to say to his little baby something like:
If you work very hard when you grow up then you will achieve success.
If you work very hard when you have grown up then you will achieve ...
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Mix of the 2nd and the 1st Conditional
If she got back late last night, she won't come to school today.
Is it grammatically OK? It sounds right, but I couldn't find any reference to a conditional sentence that has Past Simple in the if-...
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Is the clause "I ever have" in the sentence "the best gift I ever have" grammatically correct?
I am hesitant whether the sentence "the best gift that I ever have", is appropriate for expressing that the gift that will be given to me in the future (might happen or might not) will be ...
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Examples of modal verbs with Zero Conditionals (Present Real Conditionals)
Yesterday I asked this question, but haven't got any answer so far... So I try to ask that my question in another way (thorough some simpler questions):
Can the following sentences be considered ...
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Modal verbs in Zero Conditionals (Present Real Conditionals)
What modal verbs can be used in Zero Conditionals (Present Real Conditionals)?
For example, I have stumbled across such examples:
If you want to go to university, you must study hard.
If it can be ...
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Mixed conditionals in a sentence
If I had won the lottery, I would be travelling the world.
OR
If I had won the lottery, I would have travelled the world.
Which one of these is correct?
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Is "If I die one day, at least I lived." grammatical?
Is “If I die one day, at least I lived.” grammatical?
I am not sure if it's correct or should I use "I have lived"?
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type 2 and type 3 conditional sentences (a subordinate clause within the protasis or apodosis)
I read this sentence today:
If I were five years old again, I would sleep in every Saturday while I still had the chance!
I am confused why is had used in the last part. When the first part is ...
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Type 1 conditional and Inverted should
I was studying about inverted conditional clause when I came across this sentence.
Should you require any further information about the program please do not hesitate to ask for it.
I am confused ...
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Can you tell if this conditional is wrong
I was writing a conditional sentence when I found out that it was not in any conditionals grammar(type 0,1,2,3). I also think it is grammatically incorrect.
If I were the Prime Minister, I would ...
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What is the correct "tense" that follows 'if' in this question, and the tense of the clause that follows next?
My sentence structure is:
However, if Steven refused (refuses? refuse?) to remove the instruction from the note, it will (would?) confuse people.
I am confused about the tense that follows 'if' in ...
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0
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mixed conditional sentence
Assumming that tommorrow my friend will take a examination, but he didn't study anything, so it's too late for him now, he is doomed for sure :). Is it grammatically correct if I say to my friend:
If ...
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How would I vs How I would
In the following sentence:
One of the questions in a test I solved was about how would I organize the process if I was HR
Google grammar checker suggests that I should put "I would" ...
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Is Future Tense for If Conditional Necessary in Mathematical Context?
We use a future tense for a conditional sentence.
If you rest, you will feel better.
If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.
Must one follow this rule in mathematical ...
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I was afraid he would offer vs I was afraid he offered
Are both sentences below grammatically correct and do they mean the same?
I was afraid he would offer me meat.
I was afraid he offered me meat.
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Why is, "If I don't use the microphone, nobody will hear me," not considered a double negative
I understand that you can't have a double negative...but also, 'anyone/anybody' in this sentence wouldn't make sense:
If I don't use the microphone, nobody will hear me
So why is this not considered ...
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What type of conditional is this
Well, I was reading a book when I read this sentence
Should you fail to do so, we would have no choice but to take further action.
I want to know what type of conditional is this? The if statement ...
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"To do something, it's required to do something else" - Is this construction correct?
I have a technical document with the following sentence:
Exception: To assign a_very_special_variable, use a separate line.
Exception: To assign a_very_special_variable, it’s required to use a ...
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Omitting relative pronoun in a conditional clause
Though it's generally discouraged, this approach is acceptable in some rare cases.
Though generally discouraged, this approach is acceptable in some rare cases.
"it" in the first sentence ...
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1
answer
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Conditional 2nd type, with might; what tense is it referring to?
If I tell this to someone:
If you asked me nicely, I might get you a drink.
Do I mean 'Please ask nicely, and I get you a drink' or am I emphasizing that 'you have already asked me but it was not ...
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Past simple in the second conditional
In the Friends TV show Phoebe complains about her bank and five hundred extra dollars in her account. She explains that she can't spend that money in the following words:
Let's say I bought a really ...
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Past tense of "Would like to"
When someone wants to ask politely for something, they use “would like to” structure. For example:
“I would like to try on this jacket, please.”
I wonder if this structure has past tense. I know ...
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Would be or Would have been, and why?
He would be a king, unfortunately he died due to a disease
He would have been a king, unfortunately he died due to a disease
Would be or Would have been, and why?
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Could a conditional cause confusion between hypothetical and what happened?
I have a scenario where I would normally use a second conditional like this:
"If I wanted to, I could do this and that even now". Now from the context it was somewhat implicit, that it was ...
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"are" or "were" in a clause embedded within a counterfactual clause
In the following sentences, the boldfaced coupular verb is found in a clause within a counterfactual clause. Should "are" or "were" be used? Why?
Imagine a 100-story skyscraper ...
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Nature of the use of -ing after some 3rd conditional constructions
Good day.
I am a student currently about to finish English Studies at college. I usually have observational competence to whether a sentence is grammatically correct or not, but I am now trying to ...
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"If you weren't guilty, you wouldn't have gone on the run." or "If you had not been guilty, you wouldn't have gone on the run."
If you weren't guilty, you wouldn't have gone on the run.
When I first read this sentence, I thought that it should have been written like the below one.
If you hadn't been guilty, you wouldn't have ...
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What's the difference between "If I had done" and "If I did"?
If I had known she was coming, Id have come too.
1st Question: I really understand this sentence but what if I say it like “If I knew she (would come or not or was coming or not?), I'd come too.”
Am ...
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If he owns a Cadillac, I own an invisibility cloak
Does B's reply sound natural in the following dialogue? Here, he is obviously denying he has an invisibility cloak to show he doesn't believe John has a Cadillac. Are there any constraints on this ...
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modifying a gerund with a counterfactual if-clause
I'd like to know whether it is correct to modify a gerund with a counterfactual if-clause. Does the following sound okay?
I like the idea of buying a castle if I were a billionaire.
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if he arrived two hours ago
Suppose that I knew John arrived today, but I didn't know exactly when he arrived. Maybe he arrived two hours ago, maybe not. I just wasn't sure. Now consider the following sentence:
If he arrived ...
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yet with how many things are we upon the brink of becoming acquainted
The following is from Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. I'm wondering whether the boldfaced part is likely to have been "would we be":
Whence, I often asked myself, did the principle of life ...
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Can you reword conditional setence in subjunctive and still retain the same meaning?
For example
If he were alive today, he would've supported the independence movement.
Here the speaker is talking about somebody who has passed away in a present interview. Wouldn't it be more ...
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Can I use "I was" in the second conditional structure?
I know that I should write "I were" in the following sentence, but I wonder whether writing "I was" is grammatically acceptable.
I'd prepare well for the interview if I was in ...
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Understanding second conditional
If I had a day off from work next week, I would go to the beach.
What does this mean ?
1). I know that there is little possibility for day off next week and imagining if I have a day off next week
2)...
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2
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Greece had not been enslaved
The following is an extract from Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. Is the "had not been" correct? Should it have been "would not have been"?
"A human being in perfection ought ...
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Second conditional without "if"
The Second Conditional is used to express something that is unlikely to happen and it can only refer to future events.
According to this explanation I don’t really get these two sentences below, even ...
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Why is the phrase "applied for" used in the past tense here?
The paragraph I have a question with:
If I were in a position where I were a principal hiring teachers, I would definitely hire Leah. She would be an asset to any teaching staff, and judging her by ...
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Is it correct way to use second conditional in this sentence?
I got a question from my english teacher if I wanted to participate in October in a course on new rules and I want to answer using second conditional:
If there wasn’t another option, I would be ...
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If I had time so much to do... vs If I managed so much to do
Are both sentences correct? Have they got the same meaning? Which one is better to use?
I have a lot to do today. If I had time so much to do, we could go out.
I have a lot to do today. If I ...
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When you speak to Richard, you will ask him... vs When you speak to Richard, you ask him
Are both sentences correct? What is the difference in the meaning?
When you speak to Richard, will ask him about his new job.
When you speak to Richard, ask him about his new job.
TIA
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to get some sleep vs to get enough sleep [closed]
Are both sentences are correct? How to say better if I say about sleeping during 8-10 hours - "to get enough sleep"?
If you go to bed early tonight, you have enough time to get some sleep.
If ...
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