Conditionals and subjunctives (Yuji's friend)

Question

I have two questions;  What is the difference between a conditional and a subjunctive?  Can a conditional and a subjunctive be used in the same sentence?  Thanks for your help.

Pemmican · Accepted Answer

That was a very difficult question, I looked it up and I also needed some time
to think about it... ***

The subjunctive (also called: conjunctive) and the conditional are Modi (=
forms of expressing) of a verb:

The subjunctive expresses irreal situations while the conditional expresses a
possible reality.

This sounds a bit confusing and it also is confusing

English has nearly lost its subjunctive as an own modus of the verb (except the
form: I/he were). Because the forms of the subjunctive almost fell together with
the forms of the Simple Past the conditional took over also the function of the
subjunctive.

The conditional is formed by would+infinitive which is originally the past form of the
future (compare to will+infinitive).

While e.g. French has an own paradigm for both conditional and subjunctive,
English only had one for the subjunctive. The Conditional was and still is
paraphrased by would+infinitive.

So there would actually be no difference if you said:
"She flew (=subjunctive) to London if she had money" or
"She would fly (=conditional) to London if she had money"

But: Due to the fact that the subjunctive has extincted and could easily be
messed up with simple past, it is now replaced by the conditional and only the
2nd sentence would be ("were") correct.

Conditionals and subjunctives (Yuji's friend)

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