confused with conditional sentences

Question

Hi dear teachers;I  would  like to know the  meaning  of  the  following  sentences  and  also  how  they  differ  form  one another  in  meaning?Could  you  please  do  that  If  you   had   time?A 1).  If I   hadn't been  working  all  day  I  wouldn't have  been  so  tired.   2).  If  I   hadn't  been  working  all   day   I   wouldn't be  so  tired.   3).  If  I   weren't  working  all  day  I   wouldn't  have  been  so  tired. [Is  it  a   correct  sentence  construction  wise  or meaning  wise?         what  meaning   does  it  convey? ]   4).  If  I   weren't   working  all  day,  I   wouldn't  be  so  tired.  [I  think  construction wise,  the  sentence  is  OKAY. But  then  again,I'm  not  quite sure  of  the  meaning  of  this  sentence .  Also,  would  there  be  any  change  in  meaning   if   we   added"be"   between   "weren't"  and  "working"? For  instance,   in  #A3- "If  I   weren't   BE   working  all  day,  I   wouldn't  have been so           tired"   and   in  #A4- "If  I   weren't  BE  working  all  day,  I   wouldn't  be  so  tired". ].I  understand   the  #A1 as   "I   was  indeed  working  all  day  and  consequently   I  was  so  tired". Am  I  correct  teachers?But    for  #A2,  I   don't  completely  understand  the  meaning,  I'm  confused  about  it.will  be  waiting  for  your  inputs, teachers.Thanks.

Mister Micawber · Accepted Answer

1). If I hadn't been working all day (in the past) I wouldn't have been so tired (in the past).-- This is a Conditional III sentence referring to the impossible past.

2). If I hadn't been working all day (in the past) I wouldn't be so tired (now). This is a mixed conditional (III, II).

3). If I weren't working all day (these days) I wouldn't have been so tired (in the past).-- This is a mixed conditional (II, III) that seems at first to be nonsensical, but is meaningful if the 2nd clause refers to a particular time during this ongoing work period that the speaker was tired.

4). If I weren't working all day (these days; now), I wouldn't be so tired (these days; now). -- This is a Conditional II sentence referring to the unlikely non-past.

Laborious · Answer

Thank you very much Sir MrM, I love the way you've explained everything.

thanks

Lb

Laborious · Answer

Would you kindly help me with the following sentences? I want to change them into conditional sentences (Present real/ unreal and Past
real/ unreal).

Here are the sentences:

(1). I had been working for 5 hours when my boss came in and told me to stop working. I was tired

(2). I were very busy yesterday. I couldn't attend her birthday party.

(3) I have lived here for 10 years. I know all the people living here very well. [Here, I think the conditional sentence should be "If I weren't
be living here FOR 10 YEARS, I wouldn't know all the people living here very well". But the proble with me is I read
in my Grammar book that we can't use "a time period/ a duration" like in our example "for 1o years" with continuous
tenses such as present continuous, past continuous etc.
If we say "had", for example; If I HADN'T LIVED / HADN'T BEEN LIVING here for 10 years, I would ....", then
doesn't it locate the sentence in the past? I'm really confused. ]

What if I said If I haven't lived here for 10 years, I will not know all the people living here very well. (I think this isn't
referring to the Second or Third conditional. please correct me if I am wrong. )

Thank you once again.

CalifJim · Answer

Laboriouswe can't use "a time period/ a duration" like in our example "for 1o years" with continuous tenses such as present continuous, past continuous etc.

I think you are misunderstanding something in your grammar book. The present perfect continuous is a continuous tense, and you can use "for 10 years" with it.

I have been living here for 10 years is fine.

Lucy has been taking trips to Africa for 10 years.
Tom has been playing championship tennis for 10 years.

Those are fine.

Laboriousdoesn't it locate the sentence in the past? I'm really confused.

Real situations:
Present time: I live there (now).
Past time: I lived there (then).

Hypothetical situations:
Imagined present time: If I lived there (now) [but I don't], ... ("would")
Imagined past time: If I had lived there (then) [but I didn't], ... ("would have")

It may be the underlined parts that are making you confused.
Present and past can depend on the word if.

Laborious If I HADN'T LIVED / HADN'T BEEN LIVING here for 10 years, I would ....

You can use the continuous form or the simple form. That doesn't make much difference.

If I hadn't lived here for 10 years, I wouldn't know the people here so well.
If I hadn't been living here for 10 years, I wouldn't know the people here so well.

Either way this is a mixed conditional structure. It mixes present and past. It implies that you know the people here well (now) because you lived here for 10 years (in the past) BUT --- IF you hadn't lived there (imagined past), you would not know the people so well (imagined present).

CJ

Laborious · Answer

First of all, thanks a lot Sir, for giving a detailed and clear explanation. I really feel thankful to you.
So you mean to say that the structures "had + a past participle (+ a time period)" and "had + been + ing form (+ a time period) always talk about the Past, not the Present; as in our examples - 'If I hadn't lived here for 10 years, I wouldn't ...'
and 'If I hadn't been living here for 10 years, I wouldn't....' ?

But If I want to say this in the Present, what do I need to do?
For example; Is the following sentence correct?

If I weren't living here for 10 years (am I still living here ?

), I wouldn't know the people here so well.
[ I want to stress that I'm still living here and It's been 10 years since I started living here ]

Another case;
I want to say that 'I have been with her for a month (I'm still with her) and I now know her very well.

Now If I change it into a conditional sentence, how will I do that?
let me try first. "If weren't be with here for a month, I wouldn't know ...."

CalifJimI think you are misunderstanding something in your grammar book. The present perfect continuous is a continuous tense, and you can use "for 10 years" with it.

Sir, by Continuous tenses, I meant 'Present Continuous, Past Continuous and Future Continuous, NOT Present Perfect Continuous, Past Perfect Continuous, and Future Perfect Continuous.

Can we use a time period/ a duration with them too?
For example, can we say, If I weren't living here for 10 years

Thank you once again for your time.

CalifJim · Answer

LaboriousSo you mean to say that the structures "had + a past participle (+ a time period)" and "had + been + ing form (+ a time period) always talk about the Past, not the Present ...

Yes. After if these are about an imagined past.

LaboriousBut If I want to say this in the Present, what do I need to do?

You can't say it in the present because the situation can't exist in the present. You can't live somewhere (or do anything else) for 10 years in the present. Ten years can't be squeezed into the present moment. If you want to make if-clauses about the present, you need to make them so they are possible. That means a phrase that indicates a period of time can't be included.

If I were living here (now) my friends would envy me.
If I lived here (now) my friends would envy me. (Not "living here for 10 years".)

LaboriousIf I weren't living here for 10 years (am I still living here ?), I wouldn't know the people here so well.[ I want to stress that I'm still living here and It's been 10 years since I started living here ]

We have already seen the sentence that says you're still living here and it's been 10 years since you started living here:

If I hadn't been living here for 10 years, I wouldn't know the people here so well.

You may be misinterpreting my comment that this if-clause is about an imagined past. To live anywhere for 10 years, the past must be involved, even though the "living here" continues to the moment the sentence is uttered.

Laboriousnother case;I want to say that 'I have been with her for a month (I'm still with her) and I now know her very well.Now If I change it into a conditional sentence, how will I do that?let me try first. "If weren't be with here for a month, I wouldn't know ...."

"weren't be" is not grammatical. The situation is the same as in your previous example:

If I hadn't been with her a month, I wouldn't know her so well.

LaboriousPresent Continuous, Past Continuous and Future Continuous, ... Can we use a time period / a duration with them too?

Yes. Under certain circumstances you can use those continuous tenses with a time period.

Laboriouscan we say, If I weren't living here for 10 years

No, as explained above. if with were living indicates imagined present time, and the present moment cannot last 10 years.

CJ

Laborious · Answer

What an xplanation! I can't stop myself right now form saying that I've become your fan. The way you explain things is
really attractive.

Thank you Sir.

Just to make sure I've understood what we've discussed so far, could you please take a look at the following?:

A: I've been working for 5 hours.
B: No, you haven't been. If you had been working for 5 hours, you would be sweating (now). [is it correct construction
wise and meaning wise? ]
[I think It would be incorrect to say "If you were working for 5 hours, you'd be... ", wouldn't it be?]

Another example;

A: We've been married for 4 years.
B: No, you are lying. If you had been married for 4 years, you wouldn't be wasting your money like this.

[Now, saying "If you were married for 4 years, you wouldn't be...." would be incorrect? I guess you would say "Yes"].

Thank you.

CalifJim · Answer

LaboriousJust to make sure I've understood

You have understood. You are correct about both examples.

CJ

confused with conditional sentences

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

Related Questions