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Anonymous Posted 16 years ago
Grammar
Present Perfect in 'If' Clause
1. Is it grammatically correct to have a verb in present perfect in an 'if' clause?
If you have made your decision, we will send you the details.
2. If the sentence above is correct, how is this rewritten for a reported speech? Is it:
He said that if you had made your decision, they would send you the details. OR
He said that if you had made your decision, they would have sent you the details.
If you have made your decision, we will send you the details.
2. If the sentence above is correct, how is this rewritten for a reported speech? Is it:
He said that if you had made your decision, they would send you the details. OR
He said that if you had made your decision, they would have sent you the details.
Top answer
1. Yes, it's grammatically OK. It's asking if someone has already decided (as opposed to anticipating a future decision).
- 1.
- Yes, it's grammatically OK.
- It's asking if someone has already decided (as opposed to anticipating a future decision).
- 2.
- He said that if you had made your decision, they would send you the details.
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23 Answers
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1. Yes, it's grammatically OK. It's asking if someone has already decided (as opposed to anticipating a future decision).
2. He said that if you had made your decision, they would send you the details.
2. He said that if you had made your decision, they would send you the details.
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Just a follow up question, is the following possible?
If you have made your decision, we would send you the details.
Or is it possible to have a main clause in simple present instead of 'would' + verb together with an if clause in present perfect 'have' + past participle?
If you have made your decision, we would send you the details.
Or is it possible to have a main clause in simple present instead of 'would' + verb together with an if clause in present perfect 'have' + past participle?
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Anonymousis the following possible?
If you have made your decision, we would send you the details.
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Thank you so much. I really appreciate that.
What about these? Are they also possible?
If you have made ..., ... is/are ...
If you have made ..., ... has/have + past participle
If you have made..., ... will have + past participle
If you make ..., ... will have + past participle
If you make ..., ... will be + present participle
What about these? Are they also possible?
If you have made ..., ... is/are ...
If you have made ..., ... has/have + past participle
If you have made..., ... will have + past participle
If you make ..., ... will have + past participle
If you make ..., ... will be + present participle
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Are you asking about that specific sentence, or about the tense sequences themselves?
I don't think those would all make sense for the specific sentence, but they are all theoretically possible for sentences in general.
Present and present perfect tenses go with will, can, ...
Past and past perfect tenses go with would, could, ...
If
I don't think those would all make sense for the specific sentence, but they are all theoretically possible for sentences in general.
Present and present perfect tenses go with will, can, ...
Past and past perfect tenses go with would, could, ...
If
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Thank you for your response.
1. Just a few more questions, I read on eBay website something like the below. I think this is incorrect. Do you think so?
CalifJimAre you asking about that specific sentence, or about the tense sequences themselves?I was asking about the tense sequences themselves and you have answered my question. That was helpful.
1. Just a few more questions, I read on eBay website something like the below. I think this is incorrect. Do you think so?
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All three are correct.
If your product didn't sell [on some past occasion], please find what to do in this link.
If your product has not been sold [during the entire period until now], please find what to do in this link.
If your product doesn't sell [now or in the future], please find what to do in this link.
CJ
If your product didn't sell [on some past occasion], please find what to do in this link.
If your product has not been sold [during the entire period until now], please find what to do in this link.
If your product doesn't sell [now or in the future], please find what to do in this link.
CJ
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CalifJimIf your product didn't sell [on some past occasion], please find what to do in this link.So this is one of the exceptions where the 'if' clause has a verb in past tense and the result clause in present tense. In this case, the below sequence is possible. Is this correct? I might have misunderstood something.
If ... [past tense
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