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Pructus Posted 11 years ago
Grammar

If + Past Tense ~ would

Hello.....

I am thinking about the structure: If + Past Tense ~ would, where the past tense means the past event and the would means the present or the future.

I googled some examples as below.

All are correct examples?

Only partial mentioning would also be of great help!!

1. If it didn't snow last night I would be on the Classic today.

2. If we didn't have pasta last night, I would be making this tonight.

3. If you didn't come into the bar last night, I would be high right now.

4. If you didn't do Khan last night, tonight would be a GREAT night to make that up!

5. In fact, if you and I didn't have our conversation last night, this would be the direction I was heading.

6. Even if you didn't see our show last night, it would be amazing if you could vote for us!

7. If I didn’t see the show last night, I would definitely be planning to stand in line for one of these shows!

8. Why you ask? Well, it’s just a crazy couple of weeks ahead of us, and I figured if I didn’t get it done last night, I would be panicking ON her birthday about finishing it!

9. If Molly didn’t keep me from going overboard last night, I probably would still be buzzed, ‘cause there was this awesome retro-rave themed party at the Deek house last night.
  

Top answer

pructus If it didn't snow last night With the exception of #6, all statements contain an incorrect use of 'didn't', where 'hadn't' should have been used. #6 is correct, because the opening question is being overridden by 'Even if". It says that it doesn't matter whether you saw it or not.

— Wilpeter

  • pructus If it didn't snow last night With the exception of #6, all statements contain an incorrect use of 'didn't', where 'hadn't' should have been used.
  • #6 is correct, because the opening question is being overridden by 'Even if".
  • It says that it doesn't matter whether you saw it or not.
  • I suggest substituting 'hadn't' for 'didn't' and the verb to past tense.
  • Then resubmit the list for approval.
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22 Answers
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pructus If it didn't snow last night
With the exception of #6, all statements contain an incorrect use of 'didn't', where 'hadn't' should have been used.
#6 is correct, because the opening question is being overridden by 'Even if". It says that it doesn't matter whether you saw it or not.

I suggest substituting 'hadn't' for 'didn't' and the verb
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Thanks so much, wilpeter!!

Before making a new list, just to make it arranged in my head....
How about this one below.

*****

I'd be surprised if she was at the party yesterday.
*****

This one seems to be no problem.

The sentence is intended to mean, I'd be surprised (today, or now) if she was at the party yesterday.

I guess that you su
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It is quite common to substitute the past for the past perfect when the time frame is clear. All of your examples have "last night", so there's no doubt about the timing. That means the speaker in each case made this substitution.

It seems that there are people who insist on "hadn't seen", "hadn't done", "hadn't shown", and all those past perfects in conditional statements, but insist t
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Thanks a lot, CJ!!

Your second paragraph sounds a little ambiguous.
Your opinion on this matter would clarify my question a lot more, I guess.

As you suggested, it seems inconsistent, but if the time adverbials clarify the time frame, can't it be understandable, thus making it not much of a problem?

Or, are you suggesting that [insisting on "hadn't seen", "hadn't don
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pructusAs you suggested, it seems inconsistent,
In fact, that was my only point.
pructusif the time adverbials clarify the time frame, can't it be understandable, thus making it not much of a problem?
Yes, in my opinion.
pructusOr, are you suggesting that [insisting on "hadn't seen", "hadn't done", "h
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I see... I see....

That clearly solved my questions....

Thanks again, CJ!!
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CalifJimIt seems that there are people who insist on "hadn't seen", "hadn't done", "hadn't shown", and all those past perfects in conditional statements, .
I am one of those people.In fact, I have never met any speaker of BrE who would use a simple past in talking about a counter-factual past situation. Come to that, I haven't met any speakers of AmE who woul
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Thanks a lot for the input, fivejedjon!!

Do you mean, even when the time adverbials clearly signify that the situation was in the past?
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pructusDo you mean, even when the time adverbials clearly signify that the situation was in the past?
In conditional sentences, yes.

Time adverbials can make a past perfect unnecessary in temporal subordinate clauses because, to state the obvious, they concern time. However, in conditional sentences the primary function of the tense system is t
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fivejedjonI have never met any speaker of BrE who would use a simple past in talking about a counter-factual past situation. Come to that, I haven't met any speakers of AmE who would, either.
Then the examples Pructus found by Googling are clearly written by aliens!
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