Tomorrow vs yesterday in the 3rd conditional

Question

Hi,There is a sentence from a grammar book (Dictionary of English Grammar, p.287):"If you had been coming tomorrow, you would have met my mother."My question is:Why is the adverb 'tomorrow' here instead of 'yesterday'?Thank you.

Philip · Accepted Answer

With yesterday, it would be: If you had come yesterday.

I'm not sure I really like the other sentence. Better: if you were coming tomorrow you would meet my mother.

CalifJim · Answer

AnonymousThere is a sentence from a grammar book (Dictionary of English Grammar, p.287):
"If you had been coming tomorrow, you would have met my mother."

Under what heading did you find this? It seems to be illustrating a rather obscure point.

Paraphrase:

If your plans had been to come tomorrow, you would have had (tomorrow) the opportunity to meet my mother (because she will be here tomorrow).

(But since your plans are not to come tomorrow, you will not meet her.)

CJ

Anonymous · Answer

Hi,

Thanks for reply. It is under the "past perfect" heading in such a context:

"In general, past perfect tenses refer to a time earlier than some other past time. But like other so-called past tenses, the past perfect in subordinate clause may signify hypothesis (something contrary to the fact):

If you had told me before now, (I could have helped).

If you had been coming tomorrow, you would have met my mother."

[From The Oxford Dictionary of English Grammar, edition1994]

CalifJim · Answer

Ah, yes. Contrary to fact.

If your plans had been to come tomorrow -- but they weren't -- ...

CJ

Anonymous · Answer

Thank you, CJ, for your useful reply.

Ticce · Answer

What's the point in using 3d conditional here? Why not the 2-nd?

Tomorrow vs yesterday in the 3rd conditional

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