Labels: Ordinal Numbers
Past Possibilities
Sample 1.
WRONG : If you were not late for the press conference, you would have heard the Director’s speech.
CORRECT : If you had not been late for the press conference, you would have heard the Director’s speech.
Sample 2.
WRONG : If the project was not delayed, we would have finished it by now.
CORRECT :If the project had not been delayed, we would have finished it by now.
When referring to something which could have happened but did not, we use past perfect in the if clause and would have + past participle in the main clause.
Labels: Conditional Clauses , Past Possibilities
Imaginary Situations
WRONG : If I am you, I will take the offer.
CORRECT : If I were you, I would take the offer.
CORRECT :If I was you, I would take the offer.(Less Formal)
When talking about imaginary situations, we use past tense in the if clause and would/could in the main clause.
Labels: Conditional Clauses , Imaginary Situations
How to do business !!
Conversation between a business man & his son.
BM : "I want you to marry a girl of my choice"
Son : "No - I will choose my own bride!"
BM : "But the girl is Bill Gates' daughter."
Son : "Well, in that case...ok"
Next, BM approaches Bill Gates.
BM : "I have a husband for your daughter."
Bill Gates: "But my daughter is too young to marry!"
BM : "But this young man is a Vice-President of the World Bank."
Bill Gates: "Ah, in that case...ok"
Finally, BM goes to see the President of the World Bank.
BM : "I have a young man to be recommended as a Vice-President."
President: "But I already have more Vice-Presidents than I need!"
BM : "But this young man is Bill Gates' son-in-law."
President: "Ah, in that case...ok"
This is how business is done.
Read more...
Improbable Situations
1.
WRONG : If the meeting would be cancelled, they would ring.
CORRECT : If the meeting was cancelled, they would ring.
2.
WRONG : If I would do it , I would do it this way.
CORRECT : If I did it, I would do it this way.
When referring to something that is possible but unlikely to happen, we use past tense for the if clause, and would / could for the main clause.
Labels: Conditional Clauses , Improbable Situations
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