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Kelly Tan Posted 10 years ago
Grammar

we will / would have to take a taxi.

If we missed the bus, we will / would have to take a taxi.

Can either verb be used and is there a difference in meaning?

Thank you.
  

Top answer

If we 'missed' the bus then it happened in the past. ' If the action happened in the past it makes things more tricky as you're talking about 'if' something happens which has already happened (or not)! 'If we (had) missed the bus, we would have taken a taxi' sounds natural to me if you're looking at the past tense and a hypothetical event.

— David Hatton

  • If we 'missed' the bus then it happened in the past.
  • ' If the action happened in the past it makes things more tricky as you're talking about 'if' something happens which has already happened (or not)!
  • 'If we (had) missed the bus, we would have taken a taxi' sounds natural to me if you're looking at the past tense and a hypothetical event.
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2 Answers
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If we 'missed' the bus then it happened in the past. If you use 'will in the second part of the sentence you are into the future tense so that would not work You would need to say 'If we miss the bus, we will have to take a taxi.'
If the action happened in the past it makes things more tricky as you're talking about 'if' something happens which has already happened (or not)!
'If we
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Kelly TanIf we missed the bus, ...
You need one of these:

(1) If we miss the bus, we will have to take a taxi.
(2) If we missed the bus, we would have to take a taxi.

You use (1) if the prospect of missing the bus is currently present.
You use (2) if you are just imagining what to do if you happen to miss t
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