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Anonymous Posted 16 years ago
Grammar
Were to write/wrote
1. If I were to write my essay this afternoon, I would have time to go out tonight.
2. If I wrote my essay this afternoon, I would have timeto go out tonight.
Both of them are hypothetical and the action in the if-clause is each unlikely, so what is their difference?
Thanks
2. If I wrote my essay this afternoon, I would have timeto go out tonight.
Both of them are hypothetical and the action in the if-clause is each unlikely, so what is their difference?
Thanks
Top answer
I don't detect any significant difference in meaning. The only slight nuance I detect is that "were to write" feels more strongly as if the viewpoint is now, before any potential writing has started, while "wrote" feels more like the viewpoint is some time in the future when the writing may or may not be in progress or finished.
- I don't detect any significant difference in meaning.
- The only slight nuance I detect is that "were to write" feels more strongly as if the viewpoint is now, before any potential writing has started, while "wrote" feels more like the viewpoint is some time in the future when the writing may or may not be in progress or finished.
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1 Answers
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I don't detect any significant difference in meaning.
The only slight nuance I detect is that "were to write" feels more strongly as if the viewpoint is now, before any potential writing has started, while "wrote" feels more like the viewpoint is some time in the future when the writing may or may not be in progress or finished.
The only slight nuance I detect is that "were to write" feels more strongly as if the viewpoint is now, before any potential writing has started, while "wrote" feels more like the viewpoint is some time in the future when the writing may or may not be in progress or finished.
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