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Anonymous Posted 16 years ago
Grammar

If weren't for

Hello, good evening everyone.

Is the meaning of the sentence below indicating the present or the past or the future?

1) If it weren't for Vivian, the conference wouldn't be going ahead.

It really beats my brain.

I know this one is definitely the past.

If it had not been Vivian, the conference wouldn't have been going ahead.

But how about the first sentence?
  

Top answer

Anonymous 1) If it weren't for Vivian, the conference wouldn't be going ahead. The conference wouldn't be going ahead in the future (or imminent future, merging into present).

— Mr Wordy

  • Anonymous 1) If it weren't for Vivian, the conference wouldn't be going ahead.
  • The conference wouldn't be going ahead in the future (or imminent future, merging into present).
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5 Answers
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Anonymous1) If it weren't for Vivian, the conference wouldn't be going ahead.
The conference wouldn't be going ahead in the future (or imminent future, merging into present).
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Is this sentence also correct with the same meaning?

If not for Vivian, the conference wouldn't be going ahead.
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AnonymousIs this sentence also correct with the same meaning?

If not for Vivian, the conference wouldn't be going ahead.
It doesn't sound right to me.
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AnonymousIs the meaning of the sentence below indicating the present or the past or the future?
1) If it weren't for Vivian, the conference wouldn't be going ahead.
This is saying that the conference is going ahead thanks to Vivian, so it depends on how you conceptualize is going ahead. If something is going ahead, it seems to me that it could be d
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OK, thank you Mr Wordy and CJ. You've explained everything very well. This makes sense to me now.
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