Search results for 'tag:Conditionals tag:Tenses' matching tags 'Conditionals' and 'Tenses'

Use of modal 'could' in conditional sentences

Anonymous — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 06:20:36 GMT

Is this a second conditional? I think in second conditional, the tense in the if-clause should be in the past tense and does the modal qualifies as that in the second conditional?

When we could afford, we would get take-out fried chicken.

Can we use the modal both in the if-clause and main clause for these what look to be first conditionals?

When/If you could afford, can you lend me some money?

When/If I have some money, I could lend you some money.

Re: zero or first conditional

CalifJim — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 22:32:34 GMT

Anonymous
what is described

What is described is irrelevant to the classification.

Look only at the tenses of the verbs when determining which type of conditional you are dealing with.

WOULD

shehan1212 — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 03:37:12 GMT

In formal writing pepole use past simple tense.But i have seen many times books and other articles includes sentenceswhich have been made of "would"...I know that "would" is used in conditional clauses.Where as i realy want to know what are the situations where i can use "wolud" and please explain me whats the difference between "would" and "will".Can i use these two terms as the same meaning in formal writting?

what i want to know is this.please help me to find out this,iv beendying to get a answer which i expect,,
here,this is a sentence which i found in my text book.

"Under this method materials in concern WOULD BE stored in two different places in th company's storeroom"

so my question is this is a general fact.this is tru.so cant i use present simple tense?
"Under this method material in concern ARE STORED.."

Re: tense in one's thought

CalifJim — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 07:53:25 GMT

Does it have to be in past tense like "if I gave some money, I wouldn't be able t buy a gift for my niece (this evening)"? No, it doesn't. I am uneasy about what to do with the time phrase "this evening". It doesn't seem to go well with the previous "past tense" version (second conditional?" this evening goes with the second conditional just fine. In the second conditional the past tense represents present time.

tense in one's thought

Anonymous — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 03:58:30 GMT

Hi,

I think I have used a sentence similar to the underlined one in a similar context as the one below to ask a question.

Yesterday, I was in an open-air restaurant with some friends at a table. I saw a pan handler coming in. The management or waiters didn't see him. He was asking for money. At that instance, I thought, "Hmm... if I give some money, I won't be able to buy a gift for my niece (this evening). Tough choice." I was able to indulge in that thought more than a minute or two, when I saw him come to our table to ask for money.

Does it have to be in past tense like "if I gave some money, I wouldn't be able t buy a gift for my niece (this evening)"? I am uneasy about what to do with the time phrase "this evening". It doesn't seem to go well with the previous "past tense" version (second conditional?".

Re: conditional: no difference?

Clive — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 03:38:16 GMT

Hi,
Another way to look at 'I was . . . ' is to consider that it is Simple Past tense. If your listener is influenced by the grammar they are hearing from you, they will expect a past-related statement, eg

"If Tom was a millionaire . . . he certainly didn't tell me when I met him at the party last year".

The context, of course, usually makes the intended meaning clear when you start with 'If someone was . . .'

Best wishes, Clive

present vs. present perfect tense

Marshmellow_coffee — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 02:01:13 GMT

Hi :)

I am typing a formal letter and I am confused as to which tense I should use:

"We look forward to receiving your confirmation that the application is / has been withdrawn."

I am also confused about the structure - is it considered some kind of reported speech, or conditionals, or something else? I'd really appreciate it if you can explain why I should choose one tense over the other :)

Thanks in advance!

Re: question on conditional and reported speech

CalifJim — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 20:22:27 GMT

Anonymous
Is this possible as reported speech? I think it sure is but why the past perfect passive is possible? I thought a passive sentence is usually used when the identity of an agent is not an issue. What could be the agent in this case?

I met him yesterday and he told me he had been interested in the job I had offered earlier.

It is possible and correct. This is not a true passive. interested is normally treated as a plain adjective, not as a part of a verb. The verb here is therefore be (in the past perfect tense, had been).

The job is the agent if you treat this as a passive form of the verb to interest. But as I said, this is only a very borderline case of a passive.

Re: subjunctive mood

Huevos — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 00:24:19 GMT

This is just a negative of a standard type 2 conditional. I would sell it to you if it shot straight. This construct is used where fulfilment of the if clause is improbable or impossible, but still current. By the way it is not past tense, its imperfect subjunctive, although the two are identical in form.

Re: is this conditional possible?

CalifJim — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 18:07:42 GMT

Anonymous
tell me if we could have the modal 'would' after an if-clause in present tense

You will see it and hear it from time to time, but the canonical form is with the if-clause in the past, as Mr. M. has illustrated above.