Questions tagged [if]
The if tag has no usage guidance.
49 questions
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Is it natural to say "could he" instead of "if he could"? E.g.: "Could he have cast himself in the part of Mr Copthorne, he would not have attempted…"
I thought there were only three cases when we can use an inverted word order instead of "if":
If X should ... = Should X ...
If X were ... = Were X ...
If X had ... = Had X ...
But in the ...
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"…as if he didn't do anything wrong" can this also refer to the present?
I wanna make sure how to use as if and as though. On the internet it is possible to find information about that topic (which I did) but it is not accurate enough.
He acts as if he doesn't do anything ...
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Replacing comma in "If X, Y" with semicolon or period
Say there is a sentence like
If ice melts, then it becomes water.
Can you use a period or semicolon as well?
If ice melts; then it becomes water.
If ice melts. Then it becomes water.
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If I <think> I'm going to be late, I'll call you
If I think I'm going to be late, I'll call you. (source)
Question: Is think a dynamic verb (rather than a stative verb)?
I think that think is semantically in the future, but I am not sure.
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"would" after "if" - "If you would just tell me, it would be easier for the both of us"
"If you would just tell me, it would be easier for the both of us"
Why is there "would" after "if"? It has to be an exception because normally you can't do it.
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Understanding this particular usage of "only if"
I am confused about the usage of "only if" in the below sentences:
Only if the two votes are in agreement will the deal go through.
Only if Ted and Kate both bring pies to the picnic, will ...
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if not your intelligence
a. I admire your courage, if not your intelligence.
Does that mean
b. I admire your courage, but not your intelligence.
or
c. I admire your courage, although I am not sure whether I admire your ...
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"I would follow you if that is what you wanted" Why is "would" used here? [duplicate]
God knows that I would follow you if that is what you wanted.
This is a quote from a song called "God knows" (from an anime, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya).
Why is "would" is ...
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Difference between if and whether
I know that 'if' and 'whether' are sometimes interchangeable but what is the main reason that 'if' can't be used in following sentence?
________ philosophy should be taught at school has become a ...
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If you would not date yourself
A current trend on TikTok is captioned: "If you would not date yourself, you should lower your standards."
The sentence makes sense to me and seems grammatical. However, I keep telling ...
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Is this a legitimate use of a mixed conditional (present perfect in if clause, future simple in main clause)?
Let's say I am describing the UI of a particular program. The name of the option displayed in one window (the window where the user is currently situated) depends on what the user selected in a prior ...
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Rephrasing a sentence with negation and "except"
I don't look as if I have done anything except study in the last three years.
I guess its meaning is two fold
In fact, there is only one thing that have been done which is "study in the last ...
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if it was built to help rather than harm
How do we make sense of the boldfaced if-clause? It's at odds with the traditional conception of conditional sentences, which would require a matching main clause containing "would," 'could,&...
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Should I include commas to offset an if clause?
In cases like this one, should I include commas to offset an if clause?
The article explored the benefits of natural forest regeneration – a cheaper and more viable, if less tangible, alternative to ...
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If clause classification confusion
Although it is clear what it was meant here, I kindly ask you what type of an if sentence is this, and is not it supposed to be 'were/was' instead of 'is'?
So whenever there is an outbreak, and to ...
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"as if " clause versus "if" clause
Suppose I know he was ill yesterday. Here are two examples referring to unreality.
He behaved as if he was not ill.
if he had not been ill, we would have had a nice time yesterday.
Why we must use &...
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Whether using present or past simple in the imaginary past event
I might have thought she __ not able to speak, if I had not heard
her singing.
It's just a made-up sentence, please apologize if it doesn't make sense. Anyway, if only if I have to choose between is ...
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Could this part of the sentence 'If on that day, everything were as usual' be inverted as 'On that day, were everything as usual' and so on?
I'm making present sentences I like to practice my subjunctive mood.
Several of the continuous sentences like that:
If on that day, everything were as usual...
If only he never came into
my life... ...
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Conditional statement
I'm Spanish and I'm doing some exercises to practise for my exams and I have just seen this question:
If I ___ eaten so much food, I wouldn't feel sick now.
The options to fill the gap were: hadn't /...
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Peculiar If Sentence
I'm not sure what is suggested here, can you shed light on this if usage:
The history of efforts to regulate cigarette- and their relative ineffectiveness- demonstrated the power of the industry to ...
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If I have a lot of money, I would buy the house. vs. If I had a lot of money, I would buy the house.(indicative vs. subjunctive)
If I have a lot of money, I would buy the house.
If I had a lot of money, I would buy the house.
What's the difference of the two sentences and which one is more widely used among native English ...
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What is the difference between “In case” and “if” in the context here?
In case/if Ghalib keeps on weeping like this, then o the earthians, just watch these settlements that they will have become desolate!
This is an Urdu couplet by Mirza Ghalib which I translated here. ...
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Can the following sentence (without if) be regarded as a conditional type 2 sentence?
I was wondering if the following question can be regarded a conditional sentence of the 2nd type:
To hear some men talk, you'd think that women belonged to a different
species!
In fact the sentence ...
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If clauses: What is "likely to happen"?
I learned that there are three if-clauses:
if + simple present, will-future: stuff that is highly likely to happen
if + simple past, conditional I: stuff that is not so likely to happen
if + past ...
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present or past tense in conditional sentence?
Look at the following sentence:
The importance of leisure time would be more vivid if we consider / considered that
too much work will result in burnout.
Which one is correct? consider or considered?...
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Rewriting "He doesn't study hard, so he can fail the examination."
Rewrite the following sentence:
He doesn't study hard, so he can fail the examination.
If .........
And the answer is:
If he studied hard, he wouldn't fail the exam.
Can I write the sentence as ...
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When can we skip 'if'?
I was walking on the web and came across this question:
What do you say we get out of here?
It's seems to me a tad slangy. I don't quite follow the structure of this sentence. It's like something is ...
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Would/Do you mind?
After would/do you mind, which of the following is correct (for each 3 of them)?
Would you mind if she come/comes +...?
Would you mind me to tell/telling +...?
Would you mind if I leave/left +...?
...
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I expect Jay will come, so I'll be disappointed if he does/will not
I expect Jay will come, so I'll be disappointed if he does/will not.
I expect Jay to come, so I'll be disappointed if he does/will not.
Do the alternatives, doesn't and won't, have the same meaning ...
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sequence of tenses: if ..is.. , .. is
Why this sentence is legal (from a popular US university book):
If the spring in Fig. 14.2 is an ideal one, the total overall range of the motion is 2A.
(According to rules it should be:
If the ...
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If you leave now / If you are leaving now
What's the difference between these sentences?
Of course, I know about Present Simple & Present Progressive. )
As I understand these sentences, I can translate them similarly. But there must be a ...
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Conditional use of "if" in past tense
I found a sentence that says, "If any man were lurking in dark, we would know it."
Should we use 'if any man were'? Or should we write "If any men were...."?
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If + should vs. if + would
In certain clauses, should is used for all three persons:
If I/you/he should decide to go, we will need a larger car. If it should begin to snow, we will stay here tonight.
Would is not acceptable ...
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If you asked him what his name was/is
Are these sentences interchangeable?
If you asked him what his name was, he wouldn’t tell you.
If you asked him what his name is, he wouldn’t tell you.
I think it is wrong to use “is” in this ...
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Omitting "if" at the middle of a sentence
In my book, it just told me about omitting "if" at the beginning of a sentence. Then what about "if" in the middle of a sentence?
Example:
I wouldn't do that if I were you.
I ...
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Why is there "will" after "if"?
Why is there "will" after "if"?
The results will decide if he will win a place at a good university.
As I know it, after "if" we don't use Future Simple, need to use ...
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Future Tense OR Simple Present?
Which sentence is correct?
If it's humid, the air will feel warm and wet.
If it's humid, the air feels warm and wet.
If both are correct, are there any differences in their meaning?
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what is "not" serving as?
I will go to the beach, but not if it is raining.
What is the independent clause(s) in the above sentence to which "if it is raining" is/are attaching to.
Is "not" serving as the ...
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If needed, if necessary and if any
I would like to know how to use "if needed", "if necessary" and "if any".
Like can I say "Please give me advices if needed"; "Please give me advices if any&...
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What message is conveyed by "He asks if he is allowed to ..."
I want to know whether the following phrase makes sense
The letter is about asking permission for eating during the class time.
I asked a native speaker and he answered yes, it is easy to understand,...
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If..., that/this/it
What pronouns should be used to refer to the whole content of a preceding "if" clause? For example, Which pronoun should be used in the sentences below?
i) If the vase did not fall over, it/...
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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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Is "As if I lived" correct?
Please charge me for the book as if I lived in Australia .
Is this sentence correct? Does it mean that I am not living in Australia?
Would it better to write "as if I was living"?
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How to use "if any"? How would you finish this sentence?
Is this sentence correct? Is there a better way to say this?
It is debated which method is better if any.
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“What if + (past simple), but (present perfect)?”
Does it make sense to ask a question like this: “What if you wanted to open the door, but I have taken your keys?”
It’s just an example but is it possible to use this structure? Would it be correct to ...
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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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Would .. If and Will..If
What is the difference between these two sentences:
Would it be OK if I asked for a raise?
Will it be OK if I ask for a raise? (if correct)
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If I was going to or If I were going to
In response to "If you were going to start a company, what would you do?" what should be the correct answer between the following two---
If I was going to start a company, I would...
or
...
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Do you think (if) you could
Do you think if you could check this essay for me?
Is if legitimate in that place, or it is a dish best served without if?
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