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Musicgold Posted 15 years ago
Grammar

Sentences January 27-2

Hi,



Are the following sentences natural to a native ear?



1. If you are coming up with an argument that ’s gravity formula was wrong, you had better have some solid proof, otherwise you are just going to make a clown out of yourself.



2. If you ever find out and let me know, then that would be great. (I heard a native speaker say something like that.)



3. Are you done with this part of the model?



Thanks,



MG.
  

Top answer

1. Fine. It's OK with either was or is .

— CalifJim

  • 1.
  • Fine.
  • It's OK with either was or is .
  • 2.
  • Awkward to my ear with and .
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4 Answers
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1. Fine. It's OK with either was or is.

2. Awkward to my ear with and.
If you ever find out, let me know. That would be great.

3. Fine. done is less elegant than finished, but it's quite normal sounding even so.

CJ
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CalifJim2. Awkward to my ear with and.If you ever find out, let me know. That would be great.
Generally, people say, "If you could do so and so, that would be great". But here the 'if' clause seems to be for 'then let me know' and 'that would be great' seems isolated. That is why I got confused.
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It's the "ever" that's the problem when you use "and". Its scope extends into the clause with "let me know".

If you ever find out and you (ever) let me know, that would be great.

This is not good, because it suggests a case where you find out but decide never to let me know!

In my opinion, you can put "and" back in if you take "ever" out:

If y
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