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Franziska bohn Posted 8 years ago
Grammar

If I did that I’d be helpin/ trespassing/breaking

Hello.


I am wondering when would+be+ing is used with if clauses.


So so for example:


Don’t do that, if you did that, you’d be showing/helping/breaking/...

I am wondering what tenses should be used.


Context:


I used to be bullied really badly. It is extremely hard for me to open up to people.


Could I say:

If I opened up to people I’d be giving them the chance to bully me.


Or

If I didn’t open up to people and let them get to know me, I’d be secluding myself.


Is it ok to use the continuous tense?

  

Top answer

franziska bohn Don’t do that, if you did that, you’d be showing/helping/breaking/... The tenses are OK. However, it is a comma splice (incorrect use of a comma to join independent clauses).

— GPY

  • franziska bohn Don’t do that, if you did that, you’d be showing/helping/breaking/...
  • The tenses are OK.
  • However, it is a comma splice (incorrect use of a comma to join independent clauses).
  • One way to fix this is to start a new sentence at "if".
  • franziska bohn If I opened up to people I’d be giving them the chance to bully me.
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2 Answers
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franziska bohnDon’t do that, if you did that, you’d be showing/helping/breaking/...

The tenses are OK. However, it is a comma splice (incorrect use of a comma to join independent clauses). One way to fix this is to start a new sentence at "if".

franziska bohnIf I opened up to people I’d be giving them the chance to bully me.
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franziska bohnIs it ok to use the continuous tense?

Yes. It generally indicates that the action takes place simultaneously with the action in the if-clause.

If I told her I loved her, I'd be telling a lie. (simultaneous actions)

But:

If they asked me about it, I'd tell a lie. (one action before the other)

Note

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