If+should
What's the meaning of this combination?
1. If he should win the Iron Throne, we’ll all need to learn the words of the red priests’ song.
2. For if Myrcella should be slain in Dorne whilst under my protection, who would believe my denials?
Why the author didn't use the present simple instead of the auxiliary "should"?
Top answer
The meaning is roughly the same as "if he wins" and "if Myrcella is slain", but the formal "should" style has a bit more literary weight, and perhaps also feels a bit more hypothetical.
- The meaning is roughly the same as "if he wins" and "if Myrcella is slain", but the formal "should" style has a bit more literary weight, and perhaps also feels a bit more hypothetical.
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The meaning is roughly the same as "if he wins" and "if Myrcella is slain", but the formal "should" style has a bit more literary weight, and perhaps also feels a bit more hypothetical.
0VoytaszekWhy didn't the authordidn'tuse the present simple instead of the auxiliary "should"?
In short, he didn't want to, and it's his choice.
The if ... should pattern is an alternate way of making a first conditional statement.
CJ
0
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