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Moon7296 Posted 16 years ago
Grammar
If I didn't tell you, ~~~
I came into a sudden question!
I was talking to my friend on the phone. He is coming tomorrow by express bus. The bus departs at 10:50. I asked him "what time will you step out of the house?" He said "about 10:20?" I definitely thought that's impossible to get to the bus terminal. I said that you should get out of home at least 10:00. And I said to him
"If I didn't tell you about this, you would miss the bus."
Is it right? / I don't think this situation is past-perfect subjuctive because catching the bus will happen tomorrow(not happened yet.)
I was talking to my friend on the phone. He is coming tomorrow by express bus. The bus departs at 10:50. I asked him "what time will you step out of the house?" He said "about 10:20?" I definitely thought that's impossible to get to the bus terminal. I said that you should get out of home at least 10:00. And I said to him
"If I didn't tell you about this, you would miss the bus."
Is it right? / I don't think this situation is past-perfect subjuctive because catching the bus will happen tomorrow(not happened yet.)
Top answer
" This is complicated. First, this is a conditional (if, then) form. You are taking about an event that didn't occur.
- " This is complicated.
- First, this is a conditional (if, then) form.
- You are taking about an event that didn't occur.
- So use the subjunctive form.
- You are also imagining yourself looking back at the events.
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3 Answers
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I would say:
"If I hadn't told you about this, you would have missed the bus."
This is complicated. First, this is a conditional (if, then) form. You are taking about an event that didn't occur. So use the subjunctive form. You are also imagining yourself looking back at the events. So the whole action is in the past.
If you want to
"If I hadn't told you about this, you would have missed the bus."
This is complicated. First, this is a conditional (if, then) form. You are taking about an event that didn't occur. So use the subjunctive form. You are also imagining yourself looking back at the events. So the whole action is in the past.
If you want to
00
Thank you very much for your detailed answer.
Like you said, the situation seems complicated.
You mean, the expression for it should be a past perfect subjective from even though taking the bus is the following day's event from the time of the phone call.
I think it makes sense; I applied the situation to my language. It sound like a situation that already happened and
Like you said, the situation seems complicated.
You mean, the expression for it should be a past perfect subjective from even though taking the bus is the following day's event from the time of the phone call.
I think it makes sense; I applied the situation to my language. It sound like a situation that already happened and
00
Hi Moon;
This is a mixed conditional, where the time of the if-condition is in the past, and the consequential action is in the future. There are various combinations:
past -> present
past -> future
present -> past
present -> future
future -> past
future-> present
This is a good reference with examples of the combinations.
This is a mixed conditional, where the time of the if-condition is in the past, and the consequential action is in the future. There are various combinations:
past -> present
past -> future
present -> past
present -> future
future -> past
future-> present
This is a good reference with examples of the combinations.
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