simple past

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Diamondrg

#391232 Thu, 12 Jul 07 12:50 PM

The manager had us over a barrel - either we worked on a Saturday or we lost our jobs. (Longman)

Would "... - either we would work on a Saturday or we would lose our jobs" be correct too? Is it common to use simple past this way, to express a condition?

In the new version, they have changed "worked - lost" to "work - lose". I wonder why.

Diamondrg

Joined on Fri, Dec 2 2005

Turkey

Contributing Member (1,041)

Simple past

Marius Hancu

#391246 Thu, 12 Jul 07 01:28 PM

>Longman

Is this is site (pls post the URL) or the printed dictionary?

Marius Hancu

Joined on Wed, Apr 26 2006

Montreal, Canada

Veteran Member (11,673)

Diamondrg

#391285 Thu, 12 Jul 07 03:08 PM

Marius Hancu wrote:
>Longman

Is this is site (pls post the URL) or the printed dictionary?

printed dictionary 1995 edition, also the latest one http://pewebdic2.cw.idm.fr/

headword: barrel (n)

Diamondrg

Yankee

#391336 Thu, 12 Jul 07 05:14 PM

I see "worked" and "lost" as a sort of reported zero conditional.

The manager's direct speech in the past may have been this:
"Either you work on a Saturday or you lose your jobs."

The meaning is this:
"You have two choices. If you work on a Saturday, you don't lose your jobs. If you don't work on a Saturday, you lose your jobs."

Yankee

Joined on Sat, Apr 15 2006

Connecticut, USA

Senior Member (4,157)

Amy "You can't depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus." - Mark Twain

Conditionals, Direct speech

Teo

#391371 Thu, 12 Jul 07 06:25 PM

The zero conditional is a structure used for talking about general truths -- things which always happen under certain conditions.

The first conditional (also called conditional type 1) is a structure used for talking about possibilities in the present or in the future.

Teo

Joined on Tue, Sep 28 2004

Taiwan

Contributing Member (1,612)

Thank you very much for your reply.

Conditionals

Marius Hancu

#391373 Thu, 12 Jul 07 06:28 PM

You may have a look at the answers I've got though someone at:

http://thegrammarexchange.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/340600179/m/7731030444

Marius Hancu

#391377 Thu, 12 Jul 07 06:34 PM

Yankee is right with the reference to indirect speech, this alternative of the original sentence would be correct based on indirect speech:

INDIRECT: The manager said/told us that either we worked on a Saturday or we lost our jobs.

Marius Hancu

Direct speech, Indirect speech

Diamondrg

#391385 Thu, 12 Jul 07 06:46 PM

Thank you, Yankee, Marius and Teo.

Diamondrg