Conditional

   Share on Facebook  
Magda  #268550  Sun, 17 Sep 06 10:05 PM

Hi everyone,
could you tell me if this sentence is correct?

"If you will drink heavily, it's not surprising you have the risk of falling into unconsciousness."

Thank you
  
Top 150 Contributor
Joined on Sat, Sep 9 2006
Full Member (445)
Philip  #268552  Sun, 17 Sep 06 10:14 PM
 Magda wrote:

Hi everyone,
could you tell me if this sentence is correct?

"If you will drink heavily, it's not surprising you have the risk of falling into unconsciousness." Not necessary, even when talking about the future tense.  Implication here is that the person is already drinking heavily {if you continue to drink....}.  Unlike:  if you [will]do this for me, I will do that for you.

Thank you
  Hope this isn't too confusing.
  
Top 25 Contributor
Joined on Thu, Jun 23 2005
USA Pacific Northwest (Seattle)
Veteran Member (6,283)
ModeratorProficient Speaker
At reise er at leve! - H. C. Andersen
Magda  #268567  Sun, 17 Sep 06 11:08 PM
Maybe a little bit. But I got your point Smile [:)]. Thanks a lot, Philip.
  
nona the brit  #268611  Mon, 18 Sep 06 01:46 AM

'Will' is sometimes used to add emphasis. I've looked through the dictionary at all the meanings and can't quite decide which one is being used in this case, but it is quite common. Often used to express a lack of sympathy, a sort of 'well if you choose to do that, what did you expect to be the result' meaning.

It is often part of a parents' repertoire

Kid: Mum! The dog just bit me...

Mum: (in an exasperated voice)Well what do you expect. You will keep poking him!

The mother doesn't mean that the child will poke the dog in the future. She means 'it's your own fault'.

So the original could be re-phrased: You choose to drink that much so of course you will fall unconsious.

  
Top 10 Contributor
Joined on Wed, Sep 22 2004
England
Veteran Member (11,438)
ModeratorProficient Speaker
The name says it all.
AddThis Feed Button RSS Feed: ESL General English Grammar Questions
© 2008 MediaCET Ltd.
Terms and Conditions & Terms of Service