http://www.englishforums.com/search/pro.htm?q=tag%3aConditionalsSearch results for 'tag:Conditionals' matching tag 'Conditionals'en-USXMOD (Build: 3616.28671)http://www.englishforums.com/English/MissCouldMissedMassages/lqhvz/post.htm#999439Thu, 26 Nov 2009 07:35:02 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:999439mister micawberBe careful, Tinanam-- I think you mean ' messages '. Yes, you have the right understanding of the verbs. The conditional leaves open the possiblity that it was not the speaker's fault-- perhaps the messages never arrived -- or that s/he is unsure of his/her ability to locate messages.http://www.englishforums.com/English/ToMakeHaveMadeIt/lqvbq/post.htm#999436Thu, 26 Nov 2009 07:30:34 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:999436califjim"My father would love to have seen this." Most grammarians believe that the correct form is My father would have loved to see this . It's a conditional with an implied if clause: if he were here to see it. Nevertheless all three versions are commonly used: My father would have loved to see this. My father would love to have seen this. My father would have loved to have seen this. The have which throws the situation into the past can occur in the first clause, or in the second clause, or in both! (By the way, the present is: My father would love to see this . But that presupposes the father can be found fairly soon to come and see it.) CJhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/ToMakeHaveMadeIt/lqvbq/post.htm#999423Thu, 26 Nov 2009 07:18:02 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:999423tinanam0102Dear Avangi, There was a movie I watched where the girl wis watching the stars from her telescope, and she says to her company, "My father would love to have seen this." I suppose " would " could be of conditional type since his father went missing couple years agao, but the " to have seen this " totally eluded my understanding, so I think it shouldn't be conditional type. Please help me with this. Thank you. Regards, TNhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/AsIfAsThoughUnless/lpmkv/post.htm#996862Mon, 23 Nov 2009 11:06:49 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:996862mister micawberIt does not apply to 'unless'. 'It were' only applies to some 'if' clauses-- those of the 2nd conditional.http://www.englishforums.com/English/Conditionals/lphnc/post.htm#994702Sat, 21 Nov 2009 08:20:22 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:994702gleb_chebrikoffHello, Debpriya De, " If I had been present that day , I would have protested. "- correct; past reference indicated by that day , backshifting of the verb phrase " If I were present that day , I would have protested. " - incorrect; past time reference excludes the possibility of were present in this case; " If you hadn't misbehaved that day you would be in the team today." - correct; an example of a mixed conditional - the first part refers to the past, while the second one has a current relevance Respectfully, Gleb Chebrikoffhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/Conditionals/lphnc/post.htmSat, 21 Nov 2009 07:39:14 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:994672debpriya de" If I had been present that day , I would have protested. " " If I were present that day , I would have protested. " Which is these sentences is correct ? " If you hadn't misbehaved that day you would be in the team today." Is this an example of mixed conditional ?http://www.englishforums.com/English/WhyDoesSentenceConditional/lxlzp/post.htm#991041Tue, 17 Nov 2009 22:54:41 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:991041califjimWe often use 'would' when we mean 'used to' (When I was a kid I would stay out until midnight). Quite true. But do the Google exercise I suggested above, and on each Google hit, read it though as it is originally, and then again, substituting "used to allow" for "would allow". Give yourself time to introspect further and see if you still think the would in those Googled examples is the "same" would as shown in your quoted example above. I tried this and decided that the two would 's were different, but you may reach a different conclusion. Or you may discover a way of showing how the two are related. I was not able to make any "break-throughs" in that direction. CJhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/WhyDoesSentenceConditional/lxlzp/post.htm#991028Tue, 17 Nov 2009 22:44:14 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:991028califjima new Google trick with the asterisks Oh, yes! That's a good trick! You're welcome. CJhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/WhyDoesSentenceConditional/lxlzp/post.htm#991014Tue, 17 Nov 2009 22:23:10 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:991014arbizonneMarvellous. What a brilliant explanation, and I've even learned a new Google trick with the asterisks. Thanks so much.http://www.englishforums.com/English/WhyDoesSentenceConditional/lxlzp/post.htm#990870Tue, 17 Nov 2009 19:00:16 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:990870philipGreat explanation, CJ! I think I feel another meaning in the undertow: that of 'used to', in the descriptive sense. We often use 'would' when we mean 'used to' (When I was a kid I would stay out until midnight). Perhaps this affects the description (the procedure was allowing). ??? Just a thought.http://www.englishforums.com/English/WhyDoesSentenceConditional/lxlzp/post.htm#990846Tue, 17 Nov 2009 18:41:15 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:990846califjim"He walked as fast as the undergrowth and snowdrifts would allow " What is the justification for the conditional in the second half of the sentence? Tough question. In some ways, it is not really a conditional, but an expression of willingness. That is, it calls back the original meaning of would as an expression of volition -- an expression of will -- rather than its more abstract use as a modal verb used to create a conditional idea. Oddly, in this pattern, it somewhat personifies inanimates. This use of would brings questions like these to mind: How willing (or cooperative) was the undergrowth? How willing (or cooperative) were the snowdrifts? Were they willing to allow him to walk as fast as he wanted to walk? Were...http://www.englishforums.com/English/WhyDoesSentenceConditional/lxlzp/post.htmTue, 17 Nov 2009 17:30:28 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:990792arbizonne"He walked as fast as the undergrowth and snowdrifts would allow" What is the justification for the conditional in the second half of the sentence?http://www.englishforums.com/English/ConditionalInThePast/lnwnr/post.htm#985170Tue, 17 Nov 2009 03:35:47 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:985170califjimHi. Would you say the underlined verb is (denotes?) conditional in the past? The place he was in would have had at least 4 rooms that could accommodate two adults each. Yes. That's a reasonable analysis as a way of describing the verb form. Semantically, however, it seems to be the 'would have' of probability, the meaning being The place he was in probably had at least four rooms that ... so that the semantic component of conditionality is very weak. CJhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/GrammarQuestion/lkmkl/post.htm#971725Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:15:34 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:971725califjimI will do whatever he asks me to to do. I would use this one (as corrected). This whatever structure is similar to a conditional structure with if . The if clause does not contain will . Likewise for the whatever clause. I will do whatever he asks me to do. If he asks me to do it, I will do it. CJhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/ConditionalUnrealCorrect/2/ljjkl/Post.htm#966287Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:24:31 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:966287gleb_chebrikoff4. Finally, is there any possibility of using neither... nor in the original sentence? The answer is 'yes' for some reasons. The first one is language change, whereby structures shift in meaning over a certain time period, allowing for more liberal or extended interpretation. The second factor in favour of neither... nor is the formality that the pair adds to the utterance, which is particularly relevant to the legal instrument where the sentence is most likely to be met. Inversion, though not limited to this construction, is also present, contributing to formality. Regrettably, I couldn't contribute to englishforums due to a number of reasons. Respectfully, Gleb Chebrikoffhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/ConditionalUnrealCorrect/ljjkl/post.htm#966275Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:05:46 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:966275gleb_chebrikoff(continued) 2. You have rightfully broadened the scope of the discussion by questioning the very reasonability of using these correlative coordinators. Indeed, as E. S. C. Weiner once pointed out, a sentence containing correlative coordinators ( neither... nor , in our case) must be so structured that the part of the sentence introduced by the first member of the pair ( neither ) is parallel in structure to the part introduced by the second member ( nor ). To any mind based in common sense, it is obvious that intend to enter and have entered are not structurally synonymous. Therefore, the alternative you have proposed ( not... nor ) seems feasible: The parties acknowledge that they do not intend to enter, nor have they entered ......http://www.englishforums.com/English/ConditionalUnrealCorrect/ljjkl/post.htm#966258Mon, 09 Nov 2009 14:44:37 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:966258gleb_chebrikoffDear friend, I suppose that I have only recently embarked on the march towards reaching the level of an expert whose opinion could be taken for 'expertise'. However, being guided by the knowledge gained from a number of authoritative sources, I would like to comment as follows: 1. The original poster presumably asked about the possible ellipsis of subject in the second coordinated clause that is a part of a compound sentence The parties acknowledge that they neither intend to enter, nor have they entered. .. (the final part of the second clause is omitted, which makes the whole sentence structurally incomplete) The well-known rule states that in constructions of this type, if the subject is the same in both clauses, it...http://www.englishforums.com/English/ConditionalUnrealCorrect/ljjkl/post.htm#966114Mon, 09 Nov 2009 12:42:49 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:966114gleb_chebrikoffHello, Mr Micawber, many thanks for highly appreciating my humble efforts. Such an opinion is very important to me. Respectfully, Gleb Chebrikoffhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/ConditionalUnrealCorrect/ljjkl/post.htm#966107Mon, 09 Nov 2009 12:32:19 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:966107gleb_chebrikoffDear friend, normally, the subjunctive were follows as if/as though : He spoke as if she were dead. However, the ordinary present tense is required where the emphasis is on truth rather than falsity : It's not as if he' s dishonest (= he is honest). It looks as though we' re landing (ie fasten your seatbelts). Respectfully, Gleb Chebrikoffhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/FutureSimpleFuturePerfect/ljcrl/post.htm#963584Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:00:12 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:963584dimsumexpressB - is the context that would make sense to me. In order for future perfect to work grammatically correct, it requires specific context which takes place in the future. i.e. By the time John arrives home tomorrow, he will have driven 2500 miles from New Orleans. Note: Would have been - is more commonly used in conditional (unrealistic) context. Next week would have been my third anniversay with Mary if she were still with me. (but she wasn't)http://www.englishforums.com/English/MainlyOnTheConditionals/ljrwz/post.htm#963243Fri, 06 Nov 2009 09:11:13 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:963243califjimIf your answer was "yes" to the above question, you will go to step 2. This is possible, but as an instruction the imperative would normally be used. If your answer was "yes", go to step 2. If you would, I will be happy. This pattern is extremely, extremely rare. The meaning would be taken, in the context you have supplied, as "If you say that you would, I will be happy" or, abbreviated, "If you say so, I'll be happy". He should act as if he were/is poor. Either is acceptable. He should act as if he had/ have has the capacity to help. Either is acceptable (as corrected). Do you think it is correct with the present tense after the phrase "as if"? I think...http://www.englishforums.com/English/GrammarQuestions/lwghn/post.htm#959946Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:49:18 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:959946dimsumexpressHello everyone, I wish it would stop raining – I know ‘wish’ and ‘would’ are the key to the construction - but I don’t know what the tense is… Subject + wish + it (what is it?)+ would (modal auxiliary verb) + verb + gerund Hi, You are almost perfect! The " I wish + I would / could " construction is one type of conditional sentence that describes conditions of non-factual or imaginary natures. I wish I could have graduated from college a few years earlier..http://www.englishforums.com/English/AQuestionAboutWishNeverBorn/lwbkj/post.htmSun, 01 Nov 2009 01:25:29 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:958503mkyolHello, I'm confused about the sentence "I wish you had never been born." I don't quite get why the "had" is used.. is that making the sentence have past perfect tense? Or does it have something to do with conditionals? Couldn't you just say "I wish you were never born"?How are the two sentences different in meaning? Thanks.http://www.englishforums.com/English/ItThatsWhatItWas/lhlkh/post.htm#956850Fri, 30 Oct 2009 04:18:57 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:956850pleasehelpIs it considered a conditional sentence?http://www.englishforums.com/English/IDontKnow/lhlwm/post.htm#956835Fri, 30 Oct 2009 04:03:04 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:956835khoff1) It is important that Vanessa send her resume immediately. 2) It is important that Vanessa sends her resume immediately. Both sentences are possible, depending on the context. (1) is conditional (which is why the verb is not in the third person singular form -- maybe this form is called the bare infinitive?) -- we don't know, when making this statement, whether she will actually send the resume or not. (There are several types of conditionals, but I don't know enough of the grammar rules to explain them. Sorry.) (2) is possible, but only in a particular context -- it assumes that we know that Vanessa sends her resume immediately. Maybe we are discussing a story in which she does in fact send her resume immediately, and...http://www.englishforums.com/English/Passive/qnkj/post.htm#955504Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:48:36 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:955504califjimI just want to point out the word "could" is indicative of the subjunctive mood Modal verbs don't have tenses and moods in the way that other verbs do. could certainly acts like a past subjunctive in If I could help you, I would. but could , like several other modals, can act in other ways as well, including as a conditional or a simple past. CJhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/Made/lhwbh/post.htmWed, 28 Oct 2009 16:38:01 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:955458pleasehelpIt's Mexico, you're lucky if you made 20k a year. Could this be seen as a conditional sentence by putting made in the past tense? Since we're conversing in the present but I'm implying that he'd be lucky if he hypothetically made 20k a year... Or should it be lucky if you make 20k a year..since it's in present time. Input'd be nice.http://www.englishforums.com/English/TheTenseOfConditionalMood/lhgbc/post.htmWed, 28 Oct 2009 02:18:25 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:954875ceniceroHello everyone! Some questions were coming up with my head while watching TV drama 'Supernatural'. There were scripts like following. 1. If the ghosts are in hell, how can they hear the chanting? 2. If the ghosts were in hell, how could they hear the chanting? Those two sentences are all coming from the same part of the drama and I am so confused to tell the difference between the two. I was taught that the latter sentence is also "present" conditional tense, not past tense. I'd like to know what exactly the difference between the two sentences is. Thank you in advance!http://www.englishforums.com/English/AdvancedGrammarInUse/lhvxh/post.htm#954625Tue, 27 Oct 2009 20:09:51 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:954625dimsumexpressHi, Whoever wrote the question for # 1, he'd better to back to school to learn his grammar all over agian. "Must" has about the same meaning as "have to". I must go! It's getting late/ I hav eto go.. # 2- Future perfect tense is not commonly use because of its peculiar nature. If used incorrectly, as in the examples, it will sound and look horrible. ex) As you will have noticed , he's got new glasses (rather thean -- would have noticed ~~) There is tense conflict in the context. ex) Most people won't have seen last night's lunar eclipse .(rather than -- wouldn't have been ~~~) 2 problems: 1) wrong tense and you are right. 2) With the use of "would...http://www.englishforums.com/English/CondtionalUsesOfHad/lhzcm/post.htmTue, 27 Oct 2009 19:56:20 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:954613pleasehelpCould someone please give me ten 'had' conditional sentences? Thankshttp://www.englishforums.com/English/OneOfThoseWas/lhcqm/post.htm#954209Tue, 27 Oct 2009 05:05:30 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:954209pleasehelpConditional so you used 'were'?http://www.englishforums.com/English/CanCould/lgvwp/post.htm#949788Thu, 22 Oct 2009 12:26:38 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:949788ivanhr'Could' is used to make suggestions or requests and to express possibility and past ability. It is also very common in conditional sentences. 1. She could travel with us all the time. (past ability - you can't use 'can') 2. If not soon contained, the fire could prove disastrous. (possibility). 3.You could go to the hockey game with me. (suggestion) 4. Could you lend me some money, please? (request; can you lend me... would be very impolite) 5. I could go to the beach if it wasn't for the rain. (conditional).http://www.englishforums.com/English/IHadConditionalSentence/2/lgvhg/Post.htm#949569Thu, 22 Oct 2009 04:46:32 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:949569pleasehelpSorry I meant if I had a hundred bucks.. You're quite the nitpicker...arent cha!? But thank you for that because I really truly need it! You still owe me an A+. O-yes-sir-e you do!http://www.englishforums.com/English/IHadConditionalSentence/2/lgvhg/Post.htm#949559Thu, 22 Oct 2009 04:34:02 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:949559pleasehelpIt's just that simple huh? So there's not another way of using had...besides the if I had a $100 bucks . Then that'd be a conditional sentence. Right?http://www.englishforums.com/English/IHadConditionalSentence/lgvhg/post.htm#949547Thu, 22 Oct 2009 04:11:54 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:949547pleasehelpOr that she didn't know she had to stay up all night for a sleep clinic? I'm having trouble with: I didn't know I had to do that... and I didn't know I have to do that.. One's in the past and the other is in the present right? But I thought sometimes we use had for other reasons...like hypothetical or conditional sentences?http://www.englishforums.com/English/IHadConditionalSentence/lgvhg/post.htm#949543Thu, 22 Oct 2009 04:09:23 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:949543pleasehelpThis sentence means that: She stayed up all night for a sleep clinic but didn't know she had to?http://www.englishforums.com/English/IHadConditionalSentence/lgvhg/post.htm#949530Thu, 22 Oct 2009 03:39:05 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:949530pleasehelpI didn't know I had to stay up all night for one of these sleep clinics. MM, So this sentence explicitly means: She stayed up all night for the sleep clinic not knowing she had to? But how could she have stayed up all night if she didn't know?http://www.englishforums.com/English/IHadConditionalSentence/lgvhg/post.htm#949528Thu, 22 Oct 2009 03:36:20 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:949528pleasehelpNo. 'Have to + infinitive' is a semiauxiliary verb. It has nothing to do with the conditional. Wait, shouldn't had be have because of didn't ?http://www.englishforums.com/English/IHadConditionalSentence/lgvhg/post.htm#949519Thu, 22 Oct 2009 03:26:56 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:949519pleasehelpSo the had to implies that the sentence is past tense?http://www.englishforums.com/English/IHadConditionalSentence/lgvhg/post.htm#949502Thu, 22 Oct 2009 03:06:19 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:949502mister micawberNo. 'Have to + infinitive' is a semiauxiliary verb. It has nothing to do with the conditional.http://www.englishforums.com/English/IHadConditionalSentence/lgvhg/post.htmThu, 22 Oct 2009 02:58:04 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:949490pleasehelpI didn't know I had to stay up all night for one of these sleep clinics. Would this be a conditional sentence even though it doesn't start with if, because it has the verb had included? thanks!http://www.englishforums.com/English/WouldHaveVppOrWouldV/jjkcv/post.htm#948646Wed, 21 Oct 2009 02:29:10 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:948646anonymousHere's how it should be: Jackson would have celebrated his fiftieth birthday this August if he were alive . Jackson would have celebrated his fiftieth birthday this August if he had not died earlier this year . There are a few different ways. The protasis (if part) is in present time and contrary to fact whereas the apodasis (then part) is in the past. It all depends when this was written, too. It could read this since it was written in June: Jackson would celebrate his fiftieth birthday this August if he were still alive . Jackson would celebrate his fiftieth birthday this August if he had not died . Jackson would be celebrating his fiftieth birthday this August if he had not died . Jackson...http://www.englishforums.com/English/Tense/jzmkp/post.htm#948637Wed, 21 Oct 2009 02:14:57 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:948637anonymous"If you knew what I had gone through, you would surely pity me." Don't listen to these people. You can change it to "have" because only the first verb has to be in the subjunctive mood. The verb "knew" is not in the simple past indicative; it's in the simple past subjunctive. Fowler tells us that English does not have to have verb agreement with other verbs in subordinate clauses; therefore you can say: If you knew , you would surely pity me. The subordinate clause is bracketed so that you know what I'm talking about. This is not contrary to fact. You HAVE gone through a lot of ***. There is nothing wrong, though, with keeping it in the past—at least according to Fowler....http://www.englishforums.com/English/MeaningOfWould/lzqpj/post.htm#948204Tue, 20 Oct 2009 15:22:50 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:948204jemaasjrApperently it is a conditional statement. It means something like, "If asked, I would say..." Kind of a strange use of the word, but it is often used that way.http://www.englishforums.com/English/WouldCouldSubjunctiveMoodFuture-Tense/lznkb/post.htm#947766Tue, 20 Oct 2009 04:10:11 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:947766califjimWhy should we use 'would' ,'could' in the subjunctive mood and in the future tense? would and could , along with several other verbs, are called modal verbs. The modal verbs don't really have tenses, so you can't really use would and could (or the other modals) in the subjunctive mood or in the future tense. However, these two are often used in conditional sentences to signify consequent actions taken on the basis of other hypothetical (envisioned) actions. You have a good example of this in your list: If I were you, I wouldn't do that. The envisioned situation is "I am you". (We know it's false, but we imagine it.) The envisioned consequence is "I won't do that". To show that...http://www.englishforums.com/English/BackshiftingConditionalSentences-Name/2/drgkj/Post.htm#946865Mon, 19 Oct 2009 08:16:02 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:946865ivanhrVery interesting topic. In English you would say I said I loved you (both said and love use the same tense). In my own language I would say the above sentence only if "loving" is no longer true. Otherwise I would say I said I love you (this is considered incorrect by most people). I've seen some grammarians are now pushing for this structure to become recognized as being correct.http://www.englishforums.com/English/BackshiftingConditionalSentences-Name/2/drgkj/Post.htm#946757Mon, 19 Oct 2009 05:31:41 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:946757cooiHey CalifJim, Thanks for your reply. I'm looking for a good textbook to learn this. What would you recommend? Thanks, Cooihttp://www.englishforums.com/English/FuturePerfectWillHaveHas/lzhxq/post.htm#945673Sun, 18 Oct 2009 04:32:22 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:945673jemaasjrI'll know who won when I watch the match. If he misses work today it will not be the first time that he has missed work. (Because you start the sentence with an "If he misses work today," everything that follows is treated as a certainty, because in only applies if he misses work. Thus the "will" and not the conditional "would." This is logic, by the way, not grammar. Perhaps a careless english speaker would use "would.")http://www.englishforums.com/English/Question/lzhwl/post.htmSat, 17 Oct 2009 22:06:49 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:945466pleasehelpI'm asking someone a question and he replies with a joke: I guess you wouldn't believe me if I said I was Kirk Douglas.. Shouldn't it be were instead of was since it's a conditional sentence?http://www.englishforums.com/English/WasWere/lzhgh/post.htmSat, 17 Oct 2009 21:27:03 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:945428pleasehelpWhat if I was wrong about her? What if I were wrong about her? Both are used but do they have the same conditional meaning?