By Clauses, Tenses

Re: "I would be surprised..."

I was concentrating on the choice between were and was (subjunctive vs. indicative), and I neglected to address the choice between was/were and is (past vs. present). You're referring to the use of past throughout once the main clause introduces the past tense. Hmmm. Defend it? That's...

conditional

Hi, Are these all examples of the first conditional? If a if-clause is in the present tense, then any modal verbs can be used and it would still be a first conditional sentence? A zero conditional sentence is the one only states general rules and can't use modal verbs? All first...

Re: tense agreement in adverbial clauses

tense agreement is highly important subject in adverbial clauses. when ı was a student at high school, we could make a comprehensive research on the mammals. that clause is correct. but in time clauses, reason-effect clauses and contrast clauses don't need tense agreement every...

Re: tenses

Hi, I would like to hear what badegine would say. I think your sentence is good and conveys the sense of your troubling days over the design of the control system is OVER. Your sentence: 'I'm so glad! What a relief. The design of the control system had been troubling me, and sometimes...

Re: I thought a spider is/was an insect

My apologies for introducing a joke! The "universal falsehood" reference is a complete joke! It doesn't matter whether what is reported is universally true or unversally false. What's important is that in the speaker's mind it is universally (or eternally, if you wish)...

Re: I thought a spider is/was an insect

Should I use "is" or "was"?I thought a spider is/was an insect, but it is in fact an arachnid. Use "was". This is not reported speech! (And the first part is not a universal truth anyway; it's a universal falsehood!) This is one of the most typical patterns...

Re: [will] optional?

It is almost redundant to say, at this point in the thread, that the use of will twice is probably best when the clauses have two different subjects.Nevertheless, if you don't mind a slightly more awkward style, violating parallelism, you can switch to present tense for the second clause...

Re: Train arrives/will arrive

I'll butt in, if I may. The future tense would be incorrect in a subordinate clause denoting time or condition:I'll do it before he comes. (Not: will come)I'll do it after he comes. I'll do it when he comes. I'll do it if he comes.The answer to your second questions is: yes.CB

Re: Train arrives/will arrive

Thanks for your response.I have some more questions. You have mentioned that using a future tense in the dependent clause would sound odd.But is it grammatically correct?is it correct usage? Also,in the first 3 sentences,what if "10 minutes" changes to 5 hours or 2 days?Will the...

Re: suggest+noun clause in the simple present tense?

The subjunctive mood forms: should selland sellare the formal ones. Sells is informal.