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SeroMack Posted 17 years ago
Grammar
Odd conditional form?
While reading a book, I came across such sentence:
"If he could have slept sitting upright in the driver's seat, he would have done so."
What type of conditional is it? What context is it, past, present, future? I've never seen anything like this (the red part) before in any grammar book. Could anybody explain such usage?
"If he could have slept sitting upright in the driver's seat, he would have done so."
What type of conditional is it? What context is it, past, present, future? I've never seen anything like this (the red part) before in any grammar book. Could anybody explain such usage?
Top answer
Hi, Seromack. Welcome to English Forums. In writings, the using sometiomes is quite stunning.
- Hi, Seromack.
- Welcome to English Forums.
- In writings, the using sometiomes is quite stunning.
- " Could have slept shows the probability or opportunity of person which did not happen or was not realised.
- Here the link on the subject is rather similar to what you refer.
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6 Answers
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Hi, Seromack. Welcome to English Forums. In writings, the using sometiomes is quite stunning.
Could have slept shows the p
seroMack "If he could have slept / had been able to sleep sitting upright in the driver's seat, he would have done so."
Could have slept shows the p
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Thank you, it explained my somehow how it works. Yet, I'll have to look for some academic book on that topic 
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Hi SeroMack
Your sentence is a standard Type 3 conditional. It refers to the past.
Maybe looking at these will help:
- If he had found it possible to sleep (in that position), he would have slept (in that position).
- If he had had the ability to sleep (in a certain position), he would have slept (in that position).
And here is
Your sentence is a standard Type 3 conditional. It refers to the past.
Maybe looking at these will help:
- If he had found it possible to sleep (in that position), he would have slept (in that position).
- If he had had the ability to sleep (in a certain position), he would have slept (in that position).
And here is
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Hi Yankee,
Thanks for the post. I know all conditional types. I found the above example very peculiar because of that could have slept form in conditional clause (after IF)
Thanks for the post. I know all conditional types. I found the above example very peculiar because of that could have slept form in conditional clause (after IF)
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could have slept is just another way of saying had been able to sleep.
CJ
CJ
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