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Zambrotta84 Posted 8 years ago
Grammar

Tenses galore

Hi,


I have a few questions about tenses and about the use of "would" in particular.


Firstly, I was taught that one can never use would in an if clause, but what about a sentence like this:


As I was sure that she wouldn't accept to go out with me, I declined to ask her. But what if she would accept to go out with me?


Is this correct or should the second sentence be: But what if she did accept to go out with me?



Secondly,


I wondered whether I would ever get to a point where I would manage to speak in public.


vs


I wondered whether I would ever get to a point where I managed to speak in public.


A similar example:


I knew that if I bought a bag of potato chips, it would be a matter of time before I would eat them.


vs


I knew that if I bought a bag of potato chips, it would be a matter of time before I ate them.


vs


I knew that if I bought a bag of potato chips, it was a matter of time before I ate them.


Which one of these sentences is correct?


I have similar issues with the past perfect. For example:


Last year I went broke, a month before I had borrowed money from someone I had met a week earlier.


vs


Last year I went broke, a month before I had borrowed money from someone I met a week earlier.


This is an elaborate question, so thanks a lot in advance to anyone who answers it.


Kind regards

  

Top answer

zambrotta84 Firstly, I was taught that one can never use would in an if clause That is 99% true. There are three main exceptions. 1.

— CalifJim

  • zambrotta84 Firstly, I was taught that one can never use would in an if clause That is 99% true.
  • There are three main exceptions.
  • 1.
  • When the if -clause is an indirect question.
  • In these cases 'whether' can substitute for 'if'.
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3 Answers
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zambrotta84Firstly, I was taught that one can never use would in an if clause

That is 99% true. There are three main exceptions.

1. When the if-clause is an indirect question. In these cases 'whether' can substitute for 'if'.

I don't know if Peter would help us.

2. When the sentence portrays bargaining.

If you wou

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zambrotta84I wondered whether I would ever get to a point where I managed to speak in public.
I knew that if I bought a bag of potato chips, it was a matter of time before I ate them.

Of the choices you presented, the sentences above are the best. 'would manage' in the first one is a fairly good second choice.

CJ

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zambrotta84Last year I went broke. A month before I had borrowed money from someone I had met a week earlier.
Last year I went broke. A month before I had borrowed money from someone I met a week earlier.

This one is difficult to interpret as you wrote it, so I change

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