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Latest post Wed, Oct 21 2009 3:29 AM by Anonymous. 3 replies.
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tashiro  +  798834 Sun, 28 Jun 09 06:22 AM
Hi, teachers. Please help me when you are free.

 

Michael Jackson would have celebrated his fifty-first birthday in August. (from VOAspecialEnglish)
http://www.voanews.com/specialenglish/2009-06-26-voa9.cfm

 

I think if-clause (if he were alive) hides in the sentence above,

So I wonder if I could change would have celebrated into would celebrate beacause of containing in August.

 
tashiro
Joined on Thu, Jan 22 2009
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Philip  +  799308 Sun, 28 Jun 09 02:57 PM
would have celebrated if he hadn't died 

 

You could also say "he was to celebrate"

 

 
Philip
Joined on Thu, Jun 23 2005
Veteran Member 8,738
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RayH  +  799388 Sun, 28 Jun 09 03:48 PM
tashiro
“So I wonder if I could change would have celebrated into would celebrate beacause of containing in August.”

No. If, and only if, Jackson were still alive and then only in relatively unusual contexts could you make the change you suggest.
RayH
Joined on Sat, Mar 22 2008
Contributing Member 1,555
Native speaker of U. S. English. Not a grammar expert.
Anonymous, 33 days ago
Here's how it should be:

 

  • Jackson would have celebrated his fiftieth birthday this August if he were alive.
  • Jackson would have celebrated his fiftieth birthday this August if he had not died earlier this year.

 

There are a few different ways.  The protasis (if part) is in present time and contrary to fact whereas the apodasis (then part) is in the past.  It all depends when this was written, too.  It could read this since it was written in June:

 

  • Jackson would celebrate his fiftieth birthday this August if he were still alive.
  • Jackson would celebrate his fiftieth birthday this August if he had not died.
  • Jackson would be celebrating his fiftieth birthday this August if he had not died.
  • Jackson would be celebrating his fiftieth birthday this August if he were stil alive.

 

So there are a few ways to say it.  Don't be afraid.  This is just simple present conditional and present progressive conditional.  The protasis, though, is either in simple past subjunctive or past perfect subjunctive.  Again, it all depends on when this state statement might have been said. 

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