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Eipjoo Posted 13 years ago
Vocabulary

What are the differences between should, were, and if conditional clauses?

“Mr. Brocklehurst, I believe I intimated in the letter which I wrote to you three weeks ago, that this little girl has not quite the character and disposition I could wish: should you admit her into Lowood school, I should be glad if the superintendent and teachers were requested to keep a strict eye on her, and, above all, to guard against her worst fault, a tendency to deceit.” (Jane Eyre)

I guess ‘should’ can be replaced by ‘were’ or ‘if.’ What are the semantic differences between all three of them?
  

Top answer

’ What are the semantic differences between all three of them? None. 'Should you admit' is a primarily BrE alternative to 'if you admitted', 'were she to be admitted'.

— Mister Micawber

  • ’ What are the semantic differences between all three of them?
  • None.
  • 'Should you admit' is a primarily BrE alternative to 'if you admitted', 'were she to be admitted'.
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1 Answers
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eipjooI guess ‘should’ can be replaced by ‘were’ or ‘if.’ What are the semantic differences between all three of them?
None. 'Should you admit' is a primarily BrE alternative to 'if you admitted', 'were she to be admitted'.
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