Conditional Sentence

Question

Should we treat the following as a conditional sentence?

Can you tell me if you leave the house, please?

Or should we see the words following 'me' as a direct object of 'tell'?

Can you tell me whether or not you leave the house, please?

Thanks

Yankee · Accepted Answer

I see the first sentence as conditional and as a request to do something (in the future). The condition is "you leave the house". In the event that the condition is fulfilled, then I request that you tell me (about that). The sentence could also begin with "will".

If "you" does not leave the house, then the condition will not be fulfilled, and there will therefore be no telling (about leaving the house).

Your second sentence does not mean the same thing as what I've described above. In fact, I'm not entirely sure what it's supposed to mean. I don't see your second sentence as a request to do something, though. It sounds more like it might be an oddly worded request for yes/no information (i.e. the person wants a simple yes/no response right now and is not making a request for a possible future action to take place). If you wanted that sentence to be a question about whether or not "you" ever leaves the house at all, then I would add the word "ever", and I would omit "please". To be honest, though, it would be simpler to just ask this: "Do you ever leave the house?"

English 1b3 · Answer

Hi, Yankee

YankeeYour second sentence does not mean the same thing as what I've described above

Is it because i have used the simple present?

What if i wrote

Can you tell me whether or not you are leaving the house?

Avangi · Answer

English 1b3 Can you tell me whether or not you are leaving the house?

I think Yankee's explanation is crystal clear.

Can you tell me whether or not you are leaving the house?

I think the average native speaker would take this as equivalent to:
Can you tell me whether or not you will be leaving the house?

Yes, the simple present tense creates the problem.

Can you tell me whether or not you leave the house, please?

When you say, "Tell me if you leave the house," it means, "Do it at the time." "If you leave the house, let me know [immediately]."

When you say, "whether or not," it's as if you expect the person to call you and say, "Hey, I just didn't leave the house."

As Amy says, the other interpretation is as habitual behavior. "Are you in the habit of leaving the house, or are you not?"

English 1b3 · Answer

AvangiWhen you say, "whether or not," it's as if you expect the person to call you and say, "Hey, I just didn't leave the house."

As Amy says, the other interpretation is as habitual behavior. "Are you in the habit of leaving the house, or are you not?"

Hi, there, so my original version has either of these two meanings?

Isn't the first meaning you have mentioned, ok? For example, tell me whether you leave the house or not so that I can call up the neighbours and tell them to feed the cat if you do leave...

Avangi · Answer

It's a problem in logistics, not grammar.

Should you arrange that the person will call you every hour on the half hour to report that he has not left, and has no present plans to leave?

Call me if you leave.
Call me if you're planning to leave.

These make sense.

Call me if you don't leave.

This makes no sense. Maybe, "Call me if you haven't left by five o'clock."

Tell me whether you leave the house or not.

Okay, if I leave, I'll call you when I leave.
If I don't leave, I'll call you when I don't leave. How dumb is that??

Yes, it's simple present tense, but it's never-ending.

"Let me know if you don't do it."
This only works when there's some understanding about the time you're expected to do it.

English 1b3 · Answer

Hi, Avangi

Thanks, I see the problem. I thought it may have been OK in speech, since it's obvious what is meant. But I trust you that it's not.

Do you find it interesting that 'whether' + simple present expresses habituality, but 'if' + simple present express present or future time? No? Just me? I need to get out more?

Avangi · Answer

Yes, I find it interesting.

I haven't decoded the habitual behavior thing yet. I know when it's working and when it isn't, but I'd be hard pressed to explain it to someone else.

Rgdz, A.

English 1b3 · Answer

AvangiI haven't decoded the habitual behavior thing yet. I know when it's working and when it isn't, but I'd be hard pressed to explain it to someone else.

Oops, I asked you a question about that in another thread. Just ignore it if you like, and I'll make a new thread.

Cheers

Eng

Conditional Sentence

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