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Anonymous Posted 16 years ago
Grammar

Know vs knew

Would the correct word be "know" or "knew"...or something else? It begins with a discussion of crime statistics correlating with poverty, dating from the 1800's to the present, that the studies conclude the same correlation and then asks:

"So why don’t we operate the system as if we knew that?"



  

Top answer

It's correct. It isn't a past tense here, but rather a form of the subjunctive used in cases that we refer to as "contrary to fact".

— Philip

  • It's correct.
  • It isn't a past tense here, but rather a form of the subjunctive used in cases that we refer to as "contrary to fact".
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2 Answers
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It's correct. It isn't a past tense here, but rather a form of the subjunctive used in cases that we refer to as "contrary to fact".
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I agree with Philip.

I'm having a little trouble parsing your "that" clause, but I suppose its immaterial.

- A.
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