ESL General English Grammar Questions

Re: Tense in conditional sentence

New2grammar — Sun, 04 May 2008 11:09:19 GMT

Thanks Tanit. I agree with your posts.

Re: Tense in conditional sentence

Tanit — Sun, 04 May 2008 10:56:28 GMT

Hi, N2G,

Besides in indirect questions (the examples previously given), if + will works also to indicate volition (or refusal in its negative form, "if + won't" ) or insistence, and, yes, it can be used at the beginning of a sentence. Here are the links to some other threads where these kinds of if + will were discussed. Hope you'll find them useful.

http://www.englishforums.com/English/IfAdjectiveClauses/zjqbg/post.htm
http://www.englishforums.com/English/NoCondition/vrcvh/post.htm
http://www.englishforums.com/English/IfClauseFuture/2/cwgxp/Post.htm

Re: Tense in conditional sentence

New2grammar — Sun, 04 May 2008 08:28:33 GMT

Good examples, YL. I totally forgot about them. I was thinking about If + will at the beginning of sentences. Do you think it's possible to start a sentence with if+will like in my previous post?

Re: Tense in conditional sentence

Takoyaki-English — Sun, 04 May 2008 08:02:39 GMT

Hello.

http://www.eslincanada.com/englishlesson4.html
Future Real Conditional
   If I have money, I will travel.
Future Unreal Conditional
   If I have money, I am going to travel. (I don't know if I will have money or not.)
   If I had money, I would travel. (I won't have money.)

I hope this helps.

Re: Tense in conditional sentence

Yoong Liat — Sun, 04 May 2008 07:59:06 GMT

Anduy
Yoong Liat, thank you for correcting me.
But sometimes I also see people use "If I will." Can you tell me in what cases it is acceptable?

Here are 3 examples.

I don't know if I will see my children again.

Iâm not asking if I will get the email.

I wonder if I will ever write a poem again.

Re: Tense in conditional sentence

New2grammar — Sun, 04 May 2008 07:46:55 GMT

IMO, if ...will is rare but I think it's possible:

Consider

If you'll listen,you won't always get into trouble ( To me, it sounds like the speaker implies the person he talks to is stubborn.) What do you think, YL?

Re: Tense in conditional sentence

Anduy — Sun, 04 May 2008 07:30:09 GMT

Yoong Liat, thank you for correcting me.

But sometimes I also see people use "If I will." Can you tell me in what cases it is acceptable?

Re: Tense in conditional sentence

Yoong Liat — Sun, 04 May 2008 06:56:40 GMT

Anduy
Find and correct one mistake in the sentence below:
Things will be better if I ~~will~~ get a job and earn some money so I don't have to live with my parents.

My teacher thinks that will get is uncorrect (incorrect) (will get => get).

I think don't have has to be changed to won't have. (Not correct)

Tense in conditional sentence

Anduy — Sun, 04 May 2008 06:23:06 GMT

Find and correct one mistake in the sentence below:

Things will be better if I will get a job and earn some money so I don't have to live with my parents.

My teacher thinks that will get is uncorrect (will get => get).

I think don't have has to be changed to won't have.

Please tell me which is uncorrect. Thank you very much.