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Anonymous Posted 18 years ago
Grammar

subjunctive mood

I watch a movie: The gun salesman said the gun shoot straight although it is cheap in price. and then he said "I wouldn't sell it to you, if it didn't"

I understand this is a subjunctive mood. and I understand the rules.

But why it uses past form of verb to present present in subjunctive mood? it got to be some relationship which I need to understand.

Another example is this:

"If i were you, I won't do this." why use were? I know this is the rule states. But, is this anything to do with past tense in just anyhow?

Can anyone please explain this?

Thanks very much in advance!

Good Samaritan.
  

Top answer

This is just a negative of a standard type 2 conditional. I would sell it to you if it shot straight . This construct is used where fulfilment of the if clause is improbable or impossible, but still current.

— Huevos

  • This is just a negative of a standard type 2 conditional.
  • I would sell it to you if it shot straight .
  • This construct is used where fulfilment of the if clause is improbable or impossible, but still current.
  • By the way it is not past tense, its imperfect subjunctive, although the two are identical in form.
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3 Answers
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This is just a negative of a standard type 2 conditional. I would sell it to you if it shot straight. This construct is used where fulfilment of the if clause is improbable or impossible, but still current. By the way it is not past tense, its imperfect subjunctive, although the two are identical in form.
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AnonymousI watch a movie: The gun salesman said the gun shoot straight although it is cheap in price. and then he said "I wouldn't sell it to you, if it didn't" (cheap: in price is redundant)

"If i were you, I won't do this." why use were? I know this is the rule states. But, is this anything to do with past tense in just anyhow?
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Anonymouswhy it uses does it use the past form of the verb to present indicate the present in subjunctive mood?
There is no real reason. Some grammarians explain it this way: The past is remote in time, and the condition expressed by an if clau
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