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Teo Posted 18 years ago
Grammar
Should you (= If you)
1. If you get one million dollars, what will you do?
2. Should you get one million dollars, what would you do?
3. If you should get one million dollars, what would you do?
4. If you were to get one million dollars, what would you do?
5. If you got one million dollars, what would you do?
According to a Canadian, #3, #4 and #5 are all correct and mean the same thing. They all suggest that it is entirely unlikely. However, #1 suggests that it is entirely possibel.
According to http://dictionary.cambridge.org/define.asp?key=73138&dict=CALD , people use ‘should you get....'[#2] to mean 'if you get'[#1].
According to an Englishman, #2 is a literary equivalent of #3.
I am totally confused about these contradictory statements! Does [should you get] mean [if you get] or [if you should get]? Can any native speaker help me?
2. Should you get one million dollars, what would you do?
3. If you should get one million dollars, what would you do?
4. If you were to get one million dollars, what would you do?
5. If you got one million dollars, what would you do?
According to a Canadian, #3, #4 and #5 are all correct and mean the same thing. They all suggest that it is entirely unlikely. However, #1 suggests that it is entirely possibel.
According to http://dictionary.cambridge.org/define.asp?key=73138&dict=CALD , people use ‘should you get....'[#2] to mean 'if you get'[#1].
According to an Englishman, #2 is a literary equivalent of #3.
I am totally confused about these contradictory statements! Does [should you get] mean [if you get] or [if you should get]? Can any native speaker help me?
Top answer
I'm not a native speaker but Iagree with the Englishman who says that No. 2 is a literary equivalent of No. 3.
- I'm not a native speaker but Iagree with the Englishman who says that No.
- 2 is a literary equivalent of No.
- 3.
- No.
- 1 implies that getting a million dollars is indeed possible.
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8 Answers
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I'm not a native speaker but Iagree with the Englishman who says that No. 2 is a literary equivalent of No. 3. No. 1 implies that getting a million dollars is indeed possible. Nos. 2, 3 and 4 suggest that getting the money is very unlikely. No. 5 asks what the person would do if he got a million dollars without implying that getting the money is possible or impossible.
CB
CB
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1a. If you get one million dollars, what will you do?
1b. If you got one million dollars, what would you do?
2a. Should you get one million dollars, what will you do?
2b. Should you get one m
1b. If you got one million dollars, what would you do?
2a. Should you get one million dollars, what will you do?
2b. Should you get one m
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CalifJimGroup 2 and 3 (with should) are much less used. These rather literary forms are used mostly in poetry and song lyrics and book titles, for example, but rarely in conversation these days.
CJ
Groups 2 and 3?
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Hi,
If this is intended to be a hypothetical question, I don't find 'get' a very idiomatic verb.
You're much more likely to hear 'If you had a million dollars, what would you do?'
In such a question, the focus is on the possession and not on 'the getting'.
Best wishes, Clive
If this is intended to be a hypothetical question, I don't find 'get' a very idiomatic verb.
You're much more likely to hear 'If you had a million dollars, what would you do?'
In such a question, the focus is on the possession and not on 'the getting'.
Best wishes, Clive
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sitifan Groups 2 and 3?Yes, also, and probably better. But I was thinking "Group 2 and (Group) 3 ... are ...."
CJ
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4a. [none]
If you are to get one million dollars, what will you do?
Is the above sentence possible?
If you are to get one million dollars, what will you do?
Is the above sentence possible?
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sitifan4a. [none]
If you are to get one million dollars, what will you do?
Is the above sentence possible?
It's not natural at all.
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