If I go to china, I would visit the Great Wall. Is it right?

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Anonymous

#306631 Sat, 23 Dec 06 01:43 PM

Could anyone explain me the meaning of following sentence :

If i went to china, I would visit the Great Wall.

I understand the above sentence like this :

If I go to china, I would visit the Great Wall.

Is it right?

Anonymous

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Ruslana

#306653 Sat, 23 Dec 06 02:38 PM

If I go to China, I will visit the Great Wall --> (1st conditional) implies that you have time/money/the wish to visit China and maybe you will really do it and will visit the Great Wall.

If I went to China, I would visit the Great Wall --> (2nd conditional) implies that you will hardly visit China due to some reasons (for example, due to the lack of time/money/wish) and, accordingly, you won't see the Great Wall.

If I go to China, I would visit the Great Wall --> (mixed conditional) implies that you may go to China (it's possible) but there are some reasons which will probably prevent you from visiting the Great Wall, i.e. you will hardly visit it (because of the lack of time, for instance). But actually the sentence sounds a bit awkward to me, let's wait for a native or teacher to confirm whether it's right or not.

Ruslana

Joined on Sat, Dec 17 2005

Russia

Senior Member (3,197)

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Philip

#306683 Sat, 23 Dec 06 04:41 PM

Ruslana wrote:

If I go to China, I will visit the Great Wall --> (1st conditional) implies that you have time/money/the wish to visit China and maybe you will really do it and will visit the Great Wall.

If I went to China, I would visit the Great Wall --> (2nd conditional) implies that you will hardly visit China due to some reasons (for example, due to the lack of time/money/wish) and, accordingly, you won't see the Great Wall.

If I go to China, I would visit the Great Wall --> (mixed conditional) implies that you may go to China (it's possible) but there are some reasons which will probably prevent you from visiting the Great Wall, i.e. you will hardly visit it (because of the lack of time, for instance). But actually the sentence sounds a bit awkward to me, let's wait for a native or teacher to confirm whether it's right or not.

I'm not familiar with any uses of "mixed conditional". I think the explanation for it is contrived. Your first two examples are perfectly correct. Then, as you know, there is the third conditional: If I had gone to China, I would have visited the Great Wall.

Philip

Joined on Thu, Jun 23 2005

USA Pacific Northwest (Seattle)

Veteran Member (6,181)

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Ruslana

#306694 Sat, 23 Dec 06 05:21 PM

Yes, I know about the third conditional.

The thing I called "mixed conditional" is something I read about in my grammar book. They say that it is a case when there is one type of condition in a main clause, and another type - in a subordinate clause. Here are some examples:

If you had worked harder last year (third conditional), you would know English well know (second conditional).

If he knew English well (second conditional), he would have translated the article without difficulty yesterday (third conditional).

That is what I refered to. Does that make sense with first conditional, like in the sentence "If I go to China, I would visit the Great Wall"?

Ruslana

Articles, Clauses, Conditionals, Grammar, Mixed conditionals

Philip

#306744 Sat, 23 Dec 06 08:13 PM

Ruslana wrote:

Yes, I know about the third conditional.

The thing I called "mixed conditional" is something I read about in my grammar book. They say that it is a case when there is one type of condition in a main clause, and another type - in a subordinate clause. Here are some examples:

If you had worked harder last year (third conditional), you would know English well know (second conditional).

If he knew English well (second conditional), he would have translated the article without difficulty yesterday (third conditional).

That is what I refered to. Does that make sense with first conditional, like in the sentence "If I go to China, I would visit the Great Wall"?

Thanks! I understand your two examples; in fact just last week I explained something on another forum that was influenced by the word 'now'. No, I don't think the last example is good.