I ask my friend a question:

Why would she march in a gay parade if she weren't gay?

OR

Why would she march in a gay parade if she isn't gay?

Are both okay?

Question

I ask my friend a question:Why would she march in a gay parade if she weren't gay?ORWhy would she march in a gay parade if she isn't gay?Are both okay?

Michael Chambers Teaching English · Accepted Answer

1 is correct. It's a second conditional sentence.

2 is a small mistake because the meaning is still clear and native speakers can be seen making this kind of mistake.

Kind regards, Michael

CalifJim · Answer

FreddyYanWhy would she march in a gay parade if she weren't gay?

If you know she isn't gay, then I don't see the point of making it hypothetical. If you make it hypothetical, you introduce a counterfactual element, so in this case, you're claiming that she must be gay.

If she weren't gay (but we know she is gay), why would she march in a gay parade?

FreddyYanWhy would she march in a gay parade if she isn't gay?

This is not a true conditional. I suppose you could say it's a statement of wonder. It's used to muse about a combination of facts that seems illogical to the speaker. I wonder what reason she has for marching in a gay parade considering the fact that she's not gay. Here if doesn't really even mean if because there's no doubt about the fact that she's not gay. There is no abstract imagining about whether she might be gay, and no counterfactual implication that she is gay. Here if means something more like given that.

These patterns always have a true conditional statement hiding in the background. It's an unstated assumption. In this case it's If a person is not gay, they [don't / won't] march in a gay parade.

This is a fairly common pattern.

Why would he visit so many galleries if he doesn't like art?
Why would they remodel their home if they live abroad most of the year anyway?
Why would you insult her so badly if you have to work in the same office with her every day?

In this pattern when often substitutes for if.

FreddyYanAre both okay?

Yes, if used appropriately as described above.

CJ

I ask my friend a question: Why would she march in a gay parade if she weren't gay? OR Why would she march in a gay parade if she isn't gay? Are both okay?

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