Search results for 'tag:Present perfect tag:Conditionals' matching tags 'Present perfect' and 'Conditionals'

Re: until now+ present perfect

Anonymous — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 04:25:17 GMT

Hi,

I think the perfect aspect use of the original example by the original poster is in the similar vein as I think is this mixed conditional use. I think the past perfect part here indicates what is hypothetical in the past, but similar in the overall working/concept. As you said, a present perfect is (can be) used to denote what is no longer true, but the use of past perfect is what is often used.

I would be rolling in the cash stacks had I been more diligent in my studies when I was attending college. -- I think this indicates what you would be like in the present if a past hypothetical situation were made true.

1. I would give you some money had I had some money. -- I think this is very similar in concept to what you were saying about something no longer being true.

We could have written it like this:

2. I would give you some money if I had some money.

But the first version is more clear about his no longer having the money and that being the case for his inability to give any money.

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"We look forward to receiving your confirmation that the application is / has been withdrawn."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 20:15:40 GMT

Anonymous
I think this is an example of a past perfect passive.

It has been damaged (by something big and strong).

That's a present perfect passive. The corresponding past perfect passive is:

It had been damaged by ...

Re: Names of different tenses

CalifJim — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 16:23:08 GMT

Here are some Present - Past pairs:

Simple present - Simple past [He takes. He took.]

Present progressive - Past progressive [He is taking. He was taking.]

Present perfect - Past perfect [He has taken. He had taken.]

Present perfect progressive - Past perfect progressive [He has been taking. He had been taking.]

(Simple) Future (of the Present) (will) - ( Simple) Future of the Past (would) [He will take. He would take.]

Future (of the Present) progressive - Future (of the Past) progressive [He will be taking. He would be taking.]

Future (of the Present) perfect - Future (of the Past) perfect [He will have taken. He would have taken.]

Future (of the Present) perfect progressive - Future (of the Past) perfect progressive [He will have been taking. He would have been taking.]

(Future of the Past -- (with would)-- is also called "Conditional".)

(Progressive is also called Continuous.)

Caution: Not all discussions of tense use the same names for the tenses.

Re: structure of a conditional sentence

galia — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 09:15:19 GMT

Yes, I meant present perfect which refers to the present.
I meant to say that I wouldn't have done today, the same as I did yesterday.

Re: structure of a conditional sentence

CalifJim — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 17:57:00 GMT

Welcome to English Forums!

galia
couldn't find this form.

That's because it's not a conditional.

I would have written this:

What I did yesterday is not necessarily what I'm doing today.

That makes a sentence with past and present. (Your version had past and present perfect, which is not the same as present.)

Re: Conditional Sentence

CalifJim — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 06:26:19 GMT

eagerness
the day after it actually happened

Then it's wouldn't.

Though some variation is possible in the right situation, the typical groups of tenses that go together in the same sentence are:

Present perfect - Present - Future of the Present (will) - Most modal verbs, including can, may, must, should

Past Perfect - Past - Future of the Past (would) - could, should, might

Re: If you haven't .... I woud

CalifJim — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 17:01:18 GMT

Anonymous
I hope you've seen it, but if you haven't, I want to run it for you tomorrow.

I think the above two are a type 3 conditional.

No. Type 3 has "If ... had ..., ... would have ...".

... if you haven't, I want to run it for you tomorrow is a modified Type 1 -- modified because the if clause has a present perfect instead of the usual present.

Re: If you haven't .... I woud

Liveinjapan — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 08:31:41 GMT

CalifJim
Doesn't it bother you that a present perfect tense in an if clause is used with would?
Isn't the past usually used with would in that case?
It is unusual.

Thanks, CJ. I understand would love = want to.

You pointed what I'm stuck with.
I think the sentence is technically not a conditional, because Steve is going to run the ad here whether the audience has seen it or not. Actually he does, I've seen it on iTunes.

I remember that my grammar book says similar cases:
"I'm going to get a beer if you want some" and "I'll get a beer if you want some" are a bit different in meanig.
The former indicates the speaker is going to get a beer whether the listener wants some or not, while the latter indicates it's up to the listener that the speaker will get a beer.

Whew! What do you think?

conditional

Anonymous — Wed, 28 May 2008 07:44:17 GMT

Hi,

A:How is it different? Is the zero conditional and the second and third ones type 1? I think CalifJim told us that the modal 'can' counts as present.

1.If you can make money, please use the money to help people.

2. If you can make money, use money to help people.

3. If you can make money, you will be able to help people.

Can we use a modal verb like can, may, should in the if-clause or the main clause, as well as going to future or present continuous future, as well as a present perfect in the if-clause for both zero and first conditionals? We can't seem to be able to use all those for type 2 and 3 conditionals. sorry for asking many questions.

B:Does this mixed conditional show ongoing circumstances in relation to a event happened in the past OR does it indicate a past result by a present hypothetical situation as I thought it was?

If you weren't such a bad singer, You would have gotten a job as a professional singer.

If you weren't so occupied with you work, you would have seen him trying to steal your money.