ESL General English Grammar Questions

Re: Going to Russia

Rotter — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 23:06:54 GMT

I hope Grammar Geek or someone else will tell me more about my latest comments.

Re: Going to Russia

Rotter — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 14:39:41 GMT

Thanks Grammar Geek
In the sentence you will read the words 'his has not allowed him to return to the stage'.
The above means present perfect tense.

1.I have allowed you to answer my questions.
2.I have not allowed you to answer my questions.
For me both of the above sentences are present perfect ones.

The sentence says this year. It means 2007 and has not allowed is suitable here.
I don't know why you classify it as a past event.

Re: Going to Russia

Grammar Geek — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 13:40:39 GMT

It is not wrong to pair "hope" with "will."

However, the sentence above (But despite hopes that he would be able to resume his farewell tour this year, his health has not allowed him to return to the stage.) is in the past.

Before the game: I hope we will win!
After the game. I had hoped we would win or I had hopes that we would win.
Despite hopes by English fans that they would win the match, they suffered a crushing defeat.

Re: Going to Russia

Rotter — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 10:13:21 GMT

Pavarotti, widely regarded as one of the world's greatest opera singers, has been dogged by ill health in recent years.

Before the cancer was found, he cancelled performances as a result of neck and back operations, the latter of which was complicated by an infection, and laryngitis.

After the surgery on his pancreas last year, his manager said the tumour was "completely removed".

But despite hopes that he would be able to resume his farewell tour this year, his health has not allowed him to return to the stage.

Before this latest stay in hospital, however, his manager said he was "feeling stronger" and recording an album of classical religious music as well as teaching students.

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Please look at the third sentence of the above.
But despit hopes that he would be able to resume his farewell ...

I belive the reason to use 'would be' is the imaginary nature.
However, it is not wrong to use the verb 'will' here.

England and Germany will play play a football match.

English fans could say ' We hope we will win.'

My point is that it is not incorrect to use the 'will' form when it comes to hope.
I would like to read your comment.

Re: Going to Russia

Rotter — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 23:01:20 GMT

Thank you Marius
I must print this out. I have learnt a lot.
This is one of my Achilles heel in English.

Re: Going to Russia

Marius Hancu — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 14:15:03 GMT

I fully agree with Yankee on 4, 5.

Whenever you see "would," this should tip you that the situation is really imaginary/hypothetical/optional.

"Will" inserts more confidence about the future situation. The indicative is then usually used in the if clause.

Re: Going to Russia

Rotter — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 08:40:16 GMT

I thank Yankee for the reply.
In my opinion, person like Yankee could distinguish the minute differences in my two sentences.

You approve both of my sentences. But to judge the difference in the meaning is not so easy unless you are an expert in English.

My question is on the theoretical possibility of producing a new drug. You suggested the following sentences.
It is good that you told me how to construct proper sentences.
If researchers produced a powerful drug to kill the AIDS virus, ...
-OR-
If researchers were to produce a powerful drug to kill the AIDS virus, ...

Re: Going to Russia

Yankee — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 06:01:48 GMT

Hi Rotter

Yes, the possibility of making a new drug always exists, but the degree of probability varies.

In sentences 4 and 5, the degree of probability that a powerful new drug to kill the AIDS virus will be developed is identical. You presented the condition (in the IF-clause) as likely in both sentences. It is the result that is presented differently. The most likely combination is sentence 4.

However, there is a good argument for a "mixed conditional" here in that it is well-known that the cost of AIDS medicine is frequently not affordable for AIDS patients. Therefore possibly only a limited number of patients might actually benefit from the new drug -- and thus the use of would rather than will might be justified for that reason.

If the development of the ultimate AIDS cure is seen more as theoretically possible rather than quite likely (as in your sentences 4 and 5), then you should begin the sentence this way:

If researchers produced a powerful drug to kill the AIDS virus, ...
-OR-
If researchers were to produce a powerful drug to kill the AIDS virus, ...

(And the sentence would end the same as 5.)

Re: Going to Russia

Rotter — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 19:11:19 GMT

I thank both Grammar Geek and Yankee for the excellent replies.
It seems Marius is not on line today. I hope he will read this thread today too.

So I should be able to draw a line between impossible events and hypothetical events.


4] If researchers produce a powerful drug to kill the AIDS virus, millions of AIDS patient will benefit.

5] If researchers produce a powerful drug to kill the AIDS virus, millions of AIDS patient would benefit.

It is my understanding that the possibility of synthesizing a new drug is always exist.
In your opinion, which is the correct one. The fourth or fifth.

It shouln't be a drug for AIDS. It may be a drug for curing diabetes, arthritiis, etc.
As far as I understand there is no drug to cure diabetes,arthritis etc. People who suffer from such disorders have to go on taking drugs to keep the problem at bay.

Re: Going to Russia

Yankee — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 16:47:37 GMT

Rotter wrote:

1.If I go to Russia, I will speak Russian.

2.If I go to Russia, I would speak Russian.

Which is the correct one?

My guess is the first one is correct provided that you know I speak Russian.
If I don't know Russian, the second one is correct.
[ As a matter of fact, I have a smattering of Russian.]

Marius taught me about the hypothetical aspect when writing the verb 'would'. This is tricky for me.
I would like to hear from you all.

Hi Rotter

Maybe looking at it this way will help:

If I go to Russia = a probable condition
I will speak Russian = result of fulfilling the condition

If I go to Russia = a probable condition
I will only be able to speak broken Russian = result of fulfilling the condition

If I went to Russia = a hypothetically possible situation
I would speak Russian = result of fulfilling the condition

If I went to Russia = a hypothetically possible situation
I would only be able to speak broken Russian = result of fulfilling the condition

Whether or not you can speak Russian fluently doesn't actually have anything to do with fulfilling the condition ("go/went to Russia") in the sentences above.
.
Especially in your second sentence, you seem to be trying to assign a condition where a result should be.

Re: Going to Russia

Grammar Geek — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 14:43:26 GMT

Yes, you do you "would" to talk about a situation that isn't real, but you don't use to express someting impossible. If you don't speak Russian, you can't say "I would speak Russian."

If I were to go to Russia - this part is the imaginary part. I didn't go to Russia - then I would speak Russian - this part is what you WOULD do if you were in this imaginary situation.

If I knew it was going to rain, I would have brought my umbrella. (The imainary part is knowing it was going to rain. I didn't, so consequntly, I did not bring an umrella.)

Re: Going to Russia

Rotter — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 11:30:42 GMT

Thanks everybody for the replies.

So the following is incorrect in this context.

2. If I go to Russia, I would speak Russian.

Recently Marius taught me some aspects of using the verb 'would' when writing sentences.

What he taught me was engraved in my memory. If you want to talk about things which are imaginary, you can write a sentence using the verb 'would' to indicate the hypothetical nature.
So I thought the second sentence is fine if I don't speak any Russian.

Re: Going to Russia

Marius Hancu — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 03:06:21 GMT

Francesca's example is better than the original 2.

Re: Going to Russia

Grammar Geek — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 01:18:03 GMT

Hi Rotter,

I'm not sure what you mean about the two people, one who speaks Russion and one who doesn't.

If I go to Russia, I will speak Russian - sure, we all agree this is okay
If I were to go to Russia, I would speak Russian
If I had gone to Russia, I would have spoken Russian

Heck, even this: If I had known I was going to Russia, I would have learned Russian.

But I don't understand how anyone who doesn't speak Russian could use a sentence about actually speaking Russia.

Re: Going to Russia

Rotter — Sat, 18 Aug 2007 16:01:15 GMT

Franceska
I would agree with you to say that the following is correct.
For the best of my knowledge, this borders maintaining the same sentence.
The following is same as your sentence.

If I had money, I would buy a new car.

If you know two people who plan to visit Russia, one speak Russian and the other one can't speak Russian, you will use both sentences.
I would like to hear from you again.