Conditionals

Question

What verb tense and form (do we use the past subjunctive in the result clause?) do we use in the second conditional, other than the standard past modal tenses (would, could)?

And can we use did or does?

Even if he were predisposed to weight gain, it doesn't/didn't mean much.

Same questions with first conditional.

Even if he is predisposed to weight gain, it doesn't mean that he will be overweight.

Thanks

Mister Micawber · Accepted Answer

As usual, I don't quite understand what troubles you, but these are correct:

Even if he were predisposed to weight gain [which he isn't-- present], it doesn't mean much.
Even if he is predisposed to weight gain [which he may well be-- present], it doesn't mean that he will be overweight.

Mr Wordy · Answer

Mister MicawberEven if he were predisposed to weight gain [which he isn't-- present], it doesn't mean much.

Does this definitely seem right to you, Mr M? Would you not say "it wouldn't mean much"?

Mister Micawber · Answer

Yes...no.  We are looking at alternatives to 'would', Mr W, and the form with 'doesn't' definitely occurs in speech in AmE.  If you accept that, wouldn't you admit that 'does' works where 'did' doesn't?  That's what I was considering.

Mr Wordy · Answer

To me, these both sound wrong:

"Even if he were predisposed to weight gain [which he isn't -- present], it doesn't/didn't mean much."

The only possibility (that I can think of) that my ear accepts is:

"Even if he were predisposed to weight gain [which he isn't -- present], it wouldn't mean much."

However, I am not always super-confident about my grasp of conditionals.

Futurist · Answer

Mister MicawberEven if he were predisposed to weight gain [which he isn't-- present], it doesn't mean much.

I believe you're wrong on this Mister Micawber. In the present subjunctive the correct usage is 'wouldn't'.

Here's a model example from the Chicago Manual of Style:

If I were threatened, I would quit.

They contrast the above sentence with one written in the indicative mood:

If I am threatened, I will quit.

Here's another model example from Garner's Modern American Usage:

If I were to go, I wouldn't be able to finish this project.

Yankee · Answer

Mister MicawberEven if he were predisposed to weight gain [which he isn't-- present], it doesn't mean much.

Well, I can see someone possibly wording the sentence that way if they were thinking something like the following as they were speaking:

- Even if he were predisposed to weight gain [which he isn't / which I don't think he is], it (his five-pound weight gain) doesn't mean much.

In other words, in context 'it' might refer to something other than a theoretical/counter-factual predisposition to gain weight. The word 'it' might refer to something factual that was previously referred to in the broader context -- such as a recent weight gain, or possibly the fact that he had been eating more than usual in the past couple of weeks.

Mr Wordy · Answer

YankeeWell, I can see someone possibly wording the sentence that way if they were thinking something like the following as they were speaking:

- Even if he were predisposed to weight gain [which he isn't / which I don't think he is], it (his five-pound weight gain) doesn't mean much.

In other words, in context 'it' might refer to something other than a theoretical/counter-factual predisposition to gain weight. The word 'it' might refer to something factual that was previously referred to in the broader context -- such as a recent weight gain, or possibly the fact that he had been eating more than usual in the past couple of weeks.I get what you are saying, Yankee, but even in this case I would use "wouldn't".

English 1b3 · Answer

The topic of conditionals frustrates me. Each and every discussion I've come across oversimplifies, making things harder in the long run.

Yankee · Answer

Mr WordyI get what you are saying, Yankee, but even in this case I would use "wouldn't".

I probably would too. That's what makes standard forms so handy. They're so darn typical. :-)

However, I still think such a mixed-conditional might occasionally be used quite naturally in just the right context. Isn't that what often makes a mixed conditional so tricky to explain? Without a sufficient amount of just the right context, they often simply seem wrong.

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