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Jack112 Posted 21 years ago
Grammar
Past and Conditional
1. Did he ask you if you wanted to buy the car? (Is the 'if' part for past tense or is it a conditional? If it is a conditional, how so?)
Thanks.
Thanks.
Top answer
I am not sure but it seems like no condition... ' You can compare the function of 'do' here to 'if' there. To me they both serve to question.
- I am not sure but it seems like no condition...
- ' You can compare the function of 'do' here to 'if' there.
- To me they both serve to question.
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4 Answers
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I am not sure but it seems like no condition...
Let's report it:
Did he ask you: 'Do you want to buy a car?'
You can compare the function of 'do' here to 'if' there. To me they both serve to question.
Let's report it:
Did he ask you: 'Do you want to buy a car?'
You can compare the function of 'do' here to 'if' there. To me they both serve to question.
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jack,
maverick88 is right on track with this. This is an indirect (yes/no) question structure, not an unreal conditional structure. As such, we can even substitute "whether" for "if": Did he ask you whether you wanted to buy the car?
Probably the closest conditional structure like that is "He would ask you for further information [if / *whether] you wanted to buy the car."
maverick88 is right on track with this. This is an indirect (yes/no) question structure, not an unreal conditional structure. As such, we can even substitute "whether" for "if": Did he ask you whether you wanted to buy the car?
Probably the closest conditional structure like that is "He would ask you for further information [if / *whether] you wanted to buy the car."
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This is an indirect (yes/no) question structure, not an unreal conditional structure. As such, we can even substitute "whether" for "if"
CJ, is there any other situation where I can substitute whether for if?
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No, not that I know of, providing we adopt a broad definition of "indirect question" of course. And sometimes only "whether" will do.
It's hard to tell [if / whether] he's still alive.
I'm never really certain [if / whether] I should speak up in such situations.
Meg obviously didn't care [if /whether] her sister was happy or not.
The medical experts will have to inv
It's hard to tell [if / whether] he's still alive.
I'm never really certain [if / whether] I should speak up in such situations.
Meg obviously didn't care [if /whether] her sister was happy or not.
The medical experts will have to inv
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