http://www.englishforums.com/English/GeneralEnglishGrammarQuestions/Forum12.htmAsk your questions on grammar and get your sentence checked. We answer lots of different types of general English grammar questions here.enCSMOD (Build: 3232.18851)http://www.englishforums.com/English/ToeicConditionalSentence/ggqcp/post.htm#535277Tue, 01 Jul 2008 17:16:59 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:535277CalifJim0http://www.englishforums.com/English/ToeicConditionalSentence/ggqcp/post.htm#535277http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-535277.xmlThe general rule is that neither <i>will</i> nor <i>would</i> can occur in the <i>if</i>-clause of a conditional structure.</p><p>One exception is what I call &quot;bargaining&quot; <i>will</i>.&nbsp; Here there is an exchange of favors:&nbsp;&nbsp; The boss will offer the promotion; Gordon will be more tactful.&nbsp;</p><p>Sometimes &quot;bargaining&quot; <i>will</i> can be paraphrased as &quot;consent (in return) to&quot;.</p><p><i>I will buy you a beer if you [will / consent (in return) to] stop criticizing me!</i></p><p>CJ&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;<div style="clear:both;"></div>http://www.englishforums.com/English/ToeicConditionalSentence/ggqrx/post.htm#535242Tue, 01 Jul 2008 16:15:53 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:535242Clive1http://www.englishforums.com/English/ToeicConditionalSentence/ggqrx/post.htm#535242http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-535242.xmlHi,<br />A and C are both correct, but A is much more common. C sounds very formal and old-fashioned. <br />Even D is not totally wrong, although not very likely.<br /><br />By far the&nbsp;commonest of all&nbsp;is simply &#39;learns&#39;. (. . . if he learns . . .)<br />Clive<div style="clear:both;"></div>http://www.englishforums.com/English/ToeicConditionalSentence/ggpqh/post.htmTue, 01 Jul 2008 16:00:08 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:535218Lcchang2http://www.englishforums.com/English/ToeicConditionalSentence/ggpqh/post.htmhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-535218.xml<span style="COLOR:#ff4040;"><span style="COLOR:#4040ff;"><strong>The boss will offer Gordon a substantial promotion if he __ to be more tactful during business meetings.<br />(A) will learn<br />(B) had learned<br />(C) should learn<br />(D) were learning</strong></span></span></p> <p>I chose (C), but the answer key is (A). How come? Please advise.<div style="clear:both;"></div>