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conditional sentences

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Tung Quoc  #330492  Sun, 18 Feb 07 02:20 AM
Hi,

Today, Saturday:

If I had enough time now, I would write to my parents. (1)

Please change (1) in the past and the future:

Yesterday (Friday), if......
Tomorrow (Sunday), if......

Thanks
Quoc

  
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Yankee  #330493  Sun, 18 Feb 07 02:32 AM
Why don't you give it a try first, Quoc.
  
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Tung Quoc  #330494  Sun, 18 Feb 07 02:39 AM

Yesterday, if I had had enough time, I would have written to my parents.
Tomorrow, if I have enough time, I will write to my parents.

But I don't think they're right. You know, I am in the present and I'd like to report (1). I am in the future and I'd like to report (1).

So, pls help me.

Thanks

Quoc

 

  
Philip  #330495  Sun, 18 Feb 07 02:43 AM
 Tung Quoc wrote:

Yesterday, if I had had enough time, I would have written to my parents. Correct!
Tomorrow, if I have enough time, I will write to my parents. Correct!

But I don't think they're right. You know, I am in the present and I'd like to report (1). I am in the future and I'd like to report (1).

So, pls help me.

Thanks

Quoc

 

Good for you!
  
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Yankee  #330504  Sun, 18 Feb 07 03:09 AM

Hi Quoc

Your sentence structure is fine.

I'm not sure what you mean by "report" it.  Your sentences would be the direct speech used to talk about the letter you want(ed) to write on Saturday:

On Friday (yesterday) you decided to try to write a letter on Saturday.  So, on Friday your direct speech was: "Tomorrow, if I have enough time, I will write to my parents." 

On Saturday (today) you say:  "If I had enough time now, I would write to my parents."  (This if-sentence tells me that you want to write the letter now, but don't have time.)

On Sunday (tomorrow) you might talk about how you didn't write the letter on Saturday: "Yesterday, if I had had enough time, I would have written to my parents." 

  
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