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Andrei Posted 21 years ago
Grammar
Grammatical aspects
A housing plan to aid those affected by the tsunami was announced just a fortnight ago.
The government says that it plans to finance the construction of houses but wants resettlement to take place at least 500 meters from the sea.
There is a strong body of opinion that many lives could have been saved had people done this before last December.
But many in the fishing community argue that such a move is impractical because they need to be close to their boats and nets.
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Is the following sentence of the above fine?
There is a strong body of opinion that many lives could have been saved had people done this before last December.
If so, what is the nature of it? I mean whether it is subjunctive or conditional. I have difficulty judging it.
The government says that it plans to finance the construction of houses but wants resettlement to take place at least 500 meters from the sea.
There is a strong body of opinion that many lives could have been saved had people done this before last December.
But many in the fishing community argue that such a move is impractical because they need to be close to their boats and nets.
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Is the following sentence of the above fine?
There is a strong body of opinion that many lives could have been saved had people done this before last December.
If so, what is the nature of it? I mean whether it is subjunctive or conditional. I have difficulty judging it.
Top answer
Hello Andrei This is a type 3 conditional: 1. There is a strong body of opinion that many lives could have been saved had people done this before last December. {reverse clause order} => 2.
- Hello Andrei This is a type 3 conditional: 1.
- There is a strong body of opinion that many lives could have been saved had people done this before last December.
- {reverse clause order} => 2.
- There is a strong body of opinion that, had people done this before last December, many lives could have been saved.
- {change inversion to IF statement} => 3.
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6 Answers
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Hello Andrei
This is a type 3 conditional:
1. There is a strong body of opinion that many lives could have been saved had people done this before last December.
{reverse clause order} =>
2. There is a strong body of opinion that, had people done this before last December, many lives could have been saved.
{change inversion to IF statement} =&g
This is a type 3 conditional:
1. There is a strong body of opinion that many lives could have been saved had people done this before last December.
{reverse clause order} =>
2. There is a strong body of opinion that, had people done this before last December, many lives could have been saved.
{change inversion to IF statement} =&g
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Thanks MrPedantic
1. There is a strong body of opinion that many lives could have been saved had people done this before last December.
2. There is a strong body of opinion that many lives could have saved had people done this before last December.
How about the second sentence? Is it grammaticlly correct.
1. There is a strong body of opinion that many lives could have been saved had people done this before last December.
2. There is a strong body of opinion that many lives could have saved had people done this before last December.
How about the second sentence? Is it grammaticlly correct.
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There is a strong body of opinion / that many lives could have saved / had people done this before last December
Here "lives" is the subject
"could have saved" is an active voice
You miss the object complement: WHAT could lives have saved?
But I don't think lives could save anything...
It's rather that "lives could have BEEN saved", that is, not so many deaths.
Here "lives" is the subject
"could have saved" is an active voice
You miss the object complement: WHAT could lives have saved?
But I don't think lives could save anything...
It's rather that "lives could have BEEN saved", that is, not so many deaths.
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