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Anonymous Posted 16 years ago
Grammar
If it were
Salaam!
I am confused about how to write conditional statement in simple past. They are either past perfect or present. If he were rich, he would do it - present. If he had been rich, he would have done it. - past perfect.
Is there some way to write conditionals in simple past?
Kind regards
I am confused about how to write conditional statement in simple past. They are either past perfect or present. If he were rich, he would do it - present. If he had been rich, he would have done it. - past perfect.
Is there some way to write conditionals in simple past?
Kind regards
Top answer
-- This is past conditional (Conditional III). he would') utilizes past verb forms.
- -- This is past conditional (Conditional III).
- he would') utilizes past verb forms.
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7 Answers
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If he had been rich, he would have done it.-- This is past conditional (Conditional III). It utilizes a past perfect verb form, just as present conditional II ('If he were...he would') utilizes past verb forms.
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Salaam, M. I am a little confused, so I'll give another example in which I use conditional utilizing past perfect: If he had altered his plan, we would have succeeded.
But I don't want past perfect! I want the conditional in simple past, so would this do: If he altered his plan, we would succeed.
Also present conditional, even though utilizing past form, is considered present tense
But I don't want past perfect! I want the conditional in simple past, so would this do: If he altered his plan, we would succeed.
Also present conditional, even though utilizing past form, is considered present tense
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Once again:
If he had altered his plan, we would have succeeded.-- This is simple past conditional III (condition contrary to past fact)
If he altered his plan, we would succeed.-- This is simple present conditional II (conditional inimical to present possibility).
If he alters his plan, we will succeed-- This is simple present conditional I (conditio
If he had altered his plan, we would have succeeded.-- This is simple past conditional III (condition contrary to past fact)
If he altered his plan, we would succeed.-- This is simple present conditional II (conditional inimical to present possibility).
If he alters his plan, we will succeed-- This is simple present conditional I (conditio
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Mister MicawberIf he alters his plan, we will succeed-- This is simple present conditional I (conditional of reasonable present possibility).Salaam again, M. This is what I am getting at. Is it possible to show reasonable possibility in past tense instead of present?
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I don't see how, since the event would either have transpired or not transpired in the past; the issue of probability is not germane.
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Mister MicawberI don't see how, since the event would either have transpired or not transpired in the past; the issue of probability is not germane.What I mean is future in past, something like this: If he altered his plan, we were going to succeed. Here the future is expressed in terms of simple past without any conditional.
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