Doesn’t vs didn’t, which tense to use in a second conditional?
Hi. I have seen this sentence from a Chinese forum.
I think both “doesn’t” and “didn’t” are OK. But according to the thread I’ve started here, it is seems to native speakers that only past tense works in a second conditional. I’m confused now. So what do you teachers think?
Thank you.Top answer
zuotengdazuo seems to native speakers that only past tense works in a second conditional The clause with 'doesn't' or 'didn't' is a subordinate clause. It's more common to match tense with the matrix clause (would think that ... didn't), but the other version is not wrong (would think that ...
- zuotengdazuo seems to native speakers that only past tense works in a second conditional The clause with 'doesn't' or 'didn't' is a subordinate clause.
- It's more common to match tense with the matrix clause (would think that ...
- didn't), but the other version is not wrong (would think that ...
- doesn't).
- In the given sentence the use of the present makes the idea "doesn't like me" less hypothetical and more like the speaker's assessment of the actual situation before him/her.
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zuotengdazuoseems to native speakers that only past tense works in a second conditional
The clause with 'doesn't' or 'didn't' is a subordinate clause. It's more common to match tense with the matrix clause (would think that ... didn't), but the other version is not wrong (would think that ... doesn't).
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