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Ravinath Posted 10 years ago
Grammar
Conditional Sentenses
Hi all, I am having difficulties in understanding the difference of the meanings of the following conditional sentences.This has always been confusing me. Whenever I think of expressing an idea in form 1 , I ask myself "Why not 2 or 3?"I need help from native speakers.
1. If I knew the answer, I would(could/might) tell you.
2. If I had known the answer, I would(could/might) tell you.
3. If I had known the answer, I would(could/might) have told you.
1. If I knew the answer, I would(could/might) tell you.
2. If I had known the answer, I would(could/might) tell you.
3. If I had known the answer, I would(could/might) have told you.
Top answer
1 is a normal response to someone asking you a question now. 3 would be used if you are talking about a conversation that took place in the past. " 2 is therefore wrong because it mixes these two tenses.
- 1 is a normal response to someone asking you a question now.
- 3 would be used if you are talking about a conversation that took place in the past.
- " 2 is therefore wrong because it mixes these two tenses.
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6 Answers
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1 is a normal response to someone asking you a question now.
3 would be used if you are talking about a conversation that took place in the past. "When you asked me that question yesterday, if I had known ...."
2 is therefore wrong because it mixes these two tenses.
3 would be used if you are talking about a conversation that took place in the past. "When you asked me that question yesterday, if I had known ...."
2 is therefore wrong because it mixes these two tenses.
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If I knew indicates imagined present time.
If I had known indicates imagined past time and is therefore counterfactual (not true).
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I would tell indicates imagined present time.
I would have told indicates imagined past time.
All you have to do is mix and match according to the requirements of what you want to say.
CJ
If I had known indicates imagined past time and is therefore counterfactual (not true).
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I would tell indicates imagined present time.
I would have told indicates imagined past time.
All you have to do is mix and match according to the requirements of what you want to say.
CJ
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Ravinath2. If I had known the answer, I would(could/might) tell you.The 2. sounds strange to me. Does it mean that if I had known the answer (in the past), then I would tell you (now or in the future)?
Does it mean that the speaker still doesn't know the answer?
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AnonymousDoes it mean that if I had known the answer (in the past), then I would tell you (now or in the future)?Yes. That's what it says to me, or possibly even that if I had known, I would tell you now that I had known it then (rather than telling you the answer itself), in other words, just an admission that I had known it then. These mixed conditionals
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