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Norwolf Posted 15 years ago
Grammar
If only
I have been told that the phrase If only should be followed by past tenses as subjunctives, but this appears in front of me:
If only we can make this happen.
Is it correct?
If only we can make this happen.
Is it correct?
Top answer
Yes. They're both correct. I think in both cases there should be an exclamation point!
- Yes.
- They're both correct.
- I think in both cases there should be an exclamation point!
- The "if" clause by itself is not a sentence.
- "If only we can make this happen" is talking about future time.
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5 Answers
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Yes. They're both correct.
I think in both cases there should be an exclamation point!
The "if" clause by itself is not a sentence.
"If only we can make this happen" is talking about future time.
We'll be rich, if only we can make this happen. If only we can make this happen, we'll be rich.
Of course, the past tenses are talking about past time (and
I think in both cases there should be an exclamation point!
The "if" clause by itself is not a sentence.
"If only we can make this happen" is talking about future time.
We'll be rich, if only we can make this happen. If only we can make this happen, we'll be rich.
Of course, the past tenses are talking about past time (and
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"If only we could make this happen" is the correct use of the subjunctive.
Use of the subjunctive, however, is evolving and many native speakers would say that word 'can' is acceptable in your phrase. Strictly speaking, they would be incorrect.
Use of the subjunctive, however, is evolving and many native speakers would say that word 'can' is acceptable in your phrase. Strictly speaking, they would be incorrect.
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JohnParisStrictly speaking, they would be incorrect.Hi, John. You may well be right.
How would you compare these two?
If [only] we can keep him alive until the helicoptor arrives, there may be a chance for him.
If [only] we could keep him alive etc.
Do you feel that the inclusion of "only" suggests that there i
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The subjunctive is a source disagreement - even among professionals.
For me, whenever I see "if" at the beginning of a sentence I try to use the conditional in the subsequent clause. I guess I am just used to it since I was raised with this rule.
Whenever I submit a manuscript to an editor and it contains an incorrect use of the subjunctive, it's always returned with an er
For me, whenever I see "if" at the beginning of a sentence I try to use the conditional in the subsequent clause. I guess I am just used to it since I was raised with this rule.
Whenever I submit a manuscript to an editor and it contains an incorrect use of the subjunctive, it's always returned with an er
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Thanks, John.
If I say, "Maybe we can find another way to do this!"
generally speaking, you would feel that I should substitute "could" for "can," right?
I have no big problem with "could" here, but I find "can" a bit more "hopeful," more engaged.
Somehow "could" sends us looking for the "if." (We could - if we really wanted to.)
Do you
If I say, "Maybe we can find another way to do this!"
generally speaking, you would feel that I should substitute "could" for "can," right?
I have no big problem with "could" here, but I find "can" a bit more "hopeful," more engaged.
Somehow "could" sends us looking for the "if." (We could - if we really wanted to.)
Do you
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