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Sb70012 Posted 12 years ago
Grammar
I wouldn't be fired/I would not be unemployed
1. If I hadn't been late, I would not be unemployed. (correct) = mixed time conditional
2. If I hadn't been late, I wouldn't be fired.(incorrect) = mixed time conditional
Hello,
Would you please explain their difference to me? Why 1 is correct but 2 is not? They have the same structure. Then what's the difference? Is that because 2 is passive?
Thank you
2. If I hadn't been late, I wouldn't be fired.(incorrect) = mixed time conditional
Hello,
Would you please explain their difference to me? Why 1 is correct but 2 is not? They have the same structure. Then what's the difference? Is that because 2 is passive?
Thank you
Top answer
The 2nd clause of #2 refers to a possible future, but the first clause refers to an inevitable past causing a definite effect on the future. It is a logical conundrum.
- The 2nd clause of #2 refers to a possible future, but the first clause refers to an inevitable past causing a definite effect on the future.
- It is a logical conundrum.
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5 Answers
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The 2nd clause of #2 refers to a possible future, but the first clause refers to an inevitable past causing a definite effect on the future. It is a logical conundrum.
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'unemployed' is a state.
'fired' refers to an action/event,
Consider
1. If I hadn't been late last Wednesday, I would not be unemployed today.
2. If I hadn't been late last Wednesday, I w
'fired' refers to an action/event,
Consider
1. If I hadn't been late last Wednesday, I would not be unemployed today.
2. If I hadn't been late last Wednesday, I w
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How should we recognize whether a word is an action or a state? Dictionaries do not mention that.
I'm still confused. I wish you could explain it to more simply.
Poor me.
Would you please do me a favor?
Would you please give me two examples one similar to my number 1 and the other one similar to my number 2? If you do so, I will understand the difference very well.
Thank y
I'm still confused. I wish you could explain it to more simply.
Poor me.
Would you please do me a favor?
Would you please give me two examples one similar to my number 1 and the other one similar to my number 2? If you do so, I will understand the difference very well.
Thank y
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The difference is the nature of the verb.
Consider the zero-conditional with the structure: If condition (in present tense), then consequence (in future tense).
If you are late, you will be unemployed. (unemployed is not a verb, it is a complement. The verb here is "be" which is stative.)
If you are late, you will be fired. (zero conditional) Fired is a dynamic verb.
Consider the zero-conditional with the structure: If condition (in present tense), then consequence (in future tense).
If you are late, you will be unemployed. (unemployed is not a verb, it is a complement. The verb here is "be" which is stative.)
If you are late, you will be fired. (zero conditional) Fired is a dynamic verb.
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sb70012How should we recognize whether a word is an action or a state?Generally speaking, there is no movement associated with a state and there is movement associated with an action.
Nothing is moving in the idea I have two brothers. Something is moving in I threw the ball. So in those sentences, have is a state
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