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PreciousJones Posted 14 years ago
Grammar

Please proofread.

1. Scheduled departure time for/to Africa. Are both useable?

2. I'd prefer if I called/call Jamal first. Which one is the correct way of saying it?

and

I'd prefer to call Jamal first.

3. I could probably find it if we were in downtown Chicago. Or

I can probably find it if we are in downtown Chicago.

What's the difference above? Are both useable?

Thank you!
  

Top answer

These are OK: 1. Scheduled departure time for/to Africa. 2.

— Mister Micawber

  • These are OK: 1.
  • Scheduled departure time for/to Africa.
  • 2.
  • I'd prefer it if I called / I'd prefer to call Jamal first.
  • 3.
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12 Answers
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These are OK:

1. Scheduled departure time for/to Africa.
2. I'd prefer it if I called / I'd prefer to call Jamal first.

3. I could probably find it if we were in downtown Chicago.
I can probably find it if we are in downtown Chicago.

What's the difference above?-- Don't bore me. We have done this dozens of times now. You are obviously no
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Thanks Mister M!

But let me ask you this, would it be okay if I say this:

I could probably find it if we are in downtown Chicago?

I'm not sure if I'll be able to find it or not even if we're in Chi-town.

Thanks!
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PreciousJonesI could probably find it if we are in downtown Chicago? I'm not sure if I'll be able to find it or not even if we're in Chi-town.
You have used the word 'probably', which means that you think there is a good probability of finding it, PJ. But anyway, your sentence is now a mixed conditional ('could...if (we) are').
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Mister Micawber PreciousJonesI could probably find it if we are in downtown Chicago? I'm not sure if I'll be able to find it or not even if we're in Chi-town.You have used the word 'probably', which means that you think there is a good probability of finding it, PJ. But anyway, your sentence is now a mixed conditional ('could...if (we) are').
Is mixed conditio
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PreciousJonesIs mixed conditional a grammatical form? Does this mean if I use probably it should usually follow with can?
Yes, it is when one part of the sentence is one Conditional (I, II, III), and the other part is another Conditional:

If I had married her in 1970 (Cond III), I wouldn't be in Japan now (Cond II).

'Probably'
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Mister Micawber PreciousJonesIs mixed conditional a grammatical form? Does this mean if I use probably it should usually follow with can?Yes, it is when one part of the sentence is one Conditional (I, II, III), and the other part is another Conditional:If I had married her in 1970 (Cond III), I wouldn't be in Japan now (Cond II).'Probably' is irrelevant to this point. Goo
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No. Some are acceptable and others are not. Yours seems impossible unless the speaker is actually confused about which city he is standing in.
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Mister MicawberNo. Some are acceptable and others are not. Yours seems impossible unless the speaker is actually confused about which city he is standing in.
What if she's genuinely confused where she's at.
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Then it is a reasonable utterance for a confused person.
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Mister MicawberThen it is a reasonable utterance for a confused person.
A confused utterance doesn't mean it's grammatically correct. And I'm trying to learn what a native or a intellectual would say.

Please enlighten me. Thank yo!
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