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Anonymous Posted 10 years ago
Grammar

second conditional

Is it possible to use a second conditional with a third conditional clause?

Here is the example:

If you wanted some ice cream, you should have asked.

Or should it be “if you had wanted some ice cream, you should have asked”?

Thanks.
  

Top answer

Anonymous Here is the example: If you wanted some ice cream, you should have asked. It sounds acceptable to me. CJ

— CalifJim

  • Anonymous Here is the example: If you wanted some ice cream, you should have asked.
  • It sounds acceptable to me.
  • CJ
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6 Answers
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AnonymousHere is the example: If you wanted some ice cream, you should have asked.
It sounds acceptable to me.

CJ
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Thanks for responding CJ.
CalifJimIt sounds acceptable to me.
I see. Is this a kind of wired use? Is the second clause (you should have asked) considered a typical clause of second or third conditional?

I think the same clause would be used for a third conditional (If you had wanted some ice cream, you should have asked). Would that be the case if it w
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AnonymousIf you had wanted some ice cream, you should have asked.
This also sounds acceptable to me. I think sometimes people just leave out "had". According to the textbooks, this would be the more correct form.

CJ
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CalifJimThis also sounds acceptable to me. I think sometimes people just leave out "had"
I see.
CalifJim According to the textbooks, this would be the more correct form.
OK. So the “should have asked” part is more typical of the type 3 conditional, right?

I think both sentence with the “had” and without imply the s
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Anonymousthe “should have asked” part is more typical of the type 3 conditional
Right.
AnonymousI think both sentence with the “had” and without imply the same thing, as you said that you think most people just leave out “had” and that according to books it is the more correct one. Right?
What I said was basically that both
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CalifJimWhat I said was basically that both sentences (with and without the “had”) imply the same thing, and that I think that some people just leave out “had”, and that according to books the one with "had" is the more correct one. And you said that you think that what I said was basically that both sentences (with and without the “had”) imply the same thing, and that I
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