If I Would Have vs. If I Had
The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation
If I Would Have vs. If I Had
When talking about something that didn’t happen in the past, many English speakers use the conditional perfect (if I would have done) when they should be using the past perfect (if I had done).
For example, you find out that your brother saw a movie yesterday. You would have liked to see it too, but you hadn’t known he was going. To express this, you can use an if-then clause. The correct way to say this is with the past perfect in the “if” clause, and the conditional perfect in the “then” clause:
Correct: If I had known that you were going to the movies, [then] I would have gone too.
The conditional perfect can only go in the “then” clause — it is grammatically incorrect to use the conditional perfect in the “if” clause:
Incorrect: If I would have known that you were going to the movies, I would have gone too.
More examples:
Correct: If I had gotten paid, we could have traveled together.
Correct: Had I gotten paid, we could have traveled together.
Incorrect: If I would have gotten paid, we could have traveled together.
Correct: If you had asked me, I could have helped you.
Correct: Had you asked me, I could have helped you.
Incorrect: If you would have asked me, I could have helped you.
The same mistake occurs with the verb “wish.” You can’t use the conditional perfect when wishing something had happened; you again need the past perfect.
Correct: I wish I had known.
Incorrect: I wish I would have known.
Correct: I wish you had told me.
Incorrect: I wish you would have told me.
Correct: We wish they had been honest.
Incorrect: We wish they would have been honest.
Pop Quiz
Choose A or B.
1A. If I would have known you were sick, I could have brought you some meals.
1B. If I had known you were sick, I could have brought you some meals.
2A. If you had explained the objective, I could have completed the assignment sooner.
2B. If you would have explained the objective, I could have completed the assignment sooner.
3A. I wish it would have gone differently.
3B. I wish it had gone differently.
4A. We wish the team had scored more goals.
4B. We wish the team would have scored more goals.
Pop Quiz Answers
1B. If I had known you were sick, I could have brought you some meals.
2A. If you had explained the objective, I could have completed the assignment sooner.
3B. I wish it had gone differently.
4A. We wish the team had scored more goals.
Reprinted with permission by Editor Laura Lawless, https://www.lawlessenglish.com/.
If the article or the existing discussions do not address a thought or question you have on the subject, please use the "Comment" box at the bottom of this page.
Thank you very much for the valuable information but I still have the following question:
When I want to ask about wishing something to have been happen in the future of the past like to say
“If I would have known that you would become sick, I would, off course, not travel abroad”
Or how about
“If I would travel to Sweden, then it is only because to meet you there”
Or
“If you would be going to like it, I would have bought it for you, but I have known for sure that you would not”
Thank you and Looking forward to hearing from you
Kind regard
If I had known that you would become sick, I would, of course, not have traveled abroad.
If I travel to Sweden, it is only because I wish to meet you there.
If I thought you would like it, I would have bought it for you; but I knew that you would not.
I guess keeping your sentences short simple would help you not getting confused. here is my “correction”..
“If you would be going to like it, I would have bought it for you, but I have known for sure that you would not”
If I knew you’re going to like it, I should have bought it for you.
You are close: If I had known you were going to like it, I would have bought it for you.
These are tricky concepts and hard to get straight. Sentence 1 has several possible interpretations. First, it may refer to actions all taken in the past, in which case it should read, “If I had known (in the past) that you would become sick (in the past), I would not have traveled abroad (in the past.) The second interpretation is in the simple present and future, based on fact. This would read “Since I know you are sick, I won’t travel abroad.” The third is in the conditional future: “If I think (in the present) that you might (a possibility) become ill (in the future), I will not travel abroad (in the future).” This last would be better stated in a simpler construction, such as “I won’t go abroad if there is a possibility that you will get sick while I’m gone.”
The second sentence is easier. It should read “If I travel to Sweden, it is only to meet you there.”
The third sentence, as a previous writer has mentioned, is ambiguous and needs pruning. I’d leave out all the business about what might be, and stick to facts: “I would have bought this for you, but I knew you wouldn’t like it.” Even so, it’s a little odd. Why would you think of buying something for someone who wouldn’t like it? It’s unnecessary to say that.
I’m glad to see that people are interested in getting these tenses right! I suggest a dinosaur of a grammar text: Warriner’s English Grammar and Composition Complete Course, available, I imagine, from used book suppliers. Look under Correct Form and Use of Verbs.
Margaret, thank you for all your great input.
What is the tense of the following verb/verbal phrase?
“What do you think the girls would have had to do when they arrived home.”
Context:
I’m tutoring 4th grade students for whom English is a second language. They are able to read at a 4th grade level, but they are not able to answer awkwardly phrased comprehension questions. We read a short story about a not so typical school-day, afternoon. According to the story the girls’ mother picked them up after school, but instead of going right home as they usually do, they went to the pet shop! The girls picked out a hamster, and the family took their new pet home.
Comprehension question:
1. “What do you think the girls would have had to do when they arrived home.”
The phrasing makes the question seem like it is asking, “Had the girls not gone to the store and / or picked out a hamster, what do you think the girls would have had to do when they arrived home?” – – And of course “would have had” implies that it there is a responsibility or force behind the action in question.
Now, to a fourth grader what should say to break this down – and offer practice in interpreting. What are the parts of the verb?
For example:
1. would have
2. had to + verb
Please advise.
How should one approach the phrase “would have had to do” ?
The tense of this phrase is conditional perfect. It refers to an event that might have happened in the past. The “would have had to do” refers to a hypothetical event. We agree that it is a very complex sentence for an ESL student to understand. The sentence is asking the students to use their imagination to answer “If the girls brought a hamster home, what would they have had to do when they got it home?”
why don’t you just leave out the ‘would have”? “what do you think the girls had to do”? the story doesn’t have anything conditional implied or stated, it says what they actually did do. now that sentence sounded awkward.
That is certainly a simple option, however, the writer was an ESL teacher who was trying to explain that particular sentence to a group of fourth-grade students.
If I read this information earlier, I would have made fewer mistakes in my writing. (Although, in this case, it “feels” right to say “If I had read this information earlier…”)
Your feeling is correct.
One question: is this sentence okay?
(The sentence is about the word “somebody” – which was used (“wrong”) by a friend of mine, by saying: “somebody special” – I think it should have been “someone special”, anyway i want it to be like that.
PS. I dont want to be very specific in my sentence… it should not be easy to understand… (the meaning) but I’m not sure it is ok, from a gram. point of view.
So here the sentence:
If it’s ‘somebody’ … it could be ‘anybody’, but if it would have been “someone”, it could have been ‘the one’
“If it’s ‘somebody’ .. it could be ‘anybody’ (NOW) , but if it would have been “someone” (PAST) , it could have been ‘the one’ (FUTURE-PRESENT, something that could have been true by now)
Meaning: you were using the word “somebody” and thats why “anybody” could be ment by that word, but if you were using “someone”, you would probably refer to “the one” (the one you love for eg.)
The conditional perfect (if it would have been) can only go in the “then” clause—it is grammatically incorrect to use the conditional perfect in the “if” clause. Therefore, we recommend rewriting the sentence to read:
If it’s “somebody”…it could be “anybody,” but if it had been “someone,” it could have been “the one.”
Use double quotation marks rather than single quotation marks for everything except quotations within quotations, with the comma going inside.
I’m stuck on this…which would be correct?
would have probably had
or
would probably have had
or neither?!
Either of these would be correct. You could also write “probably would have had.”
I have one query … what should i say if somebody probably saw me..
he may have seen me. or
might be he would have seen me…
may” or might” are only for future tense ?
Either may or might would be acceptable. Nowadays, may and might have become virtually interchangeable.
I think he may HAS seen. isn’t it? please correct me if I am wrong.
as far I know has is used for he, she it.
You cannot use has with the auxiliary may. The following example sentences are correct:
He may have seen me playing soccer.
He has seen me playing soccer.
I think if you had liked English, then you would have learned it more easily. Correct use of conditional Jane, isn’t it?
Yes, your sentence is correct.
I need to thank my co worker for his help to complete a job for me. Is it correct if I wrote the following sentence?
It wouldn’t have been possible for me to carry them out successfully if you hadn’t assisted me on it.
You’re close. A note of appreciation makes more impact when it is more specific about what you are thanking the other person for. Was it a particular task or tasks, a step or steps that had to be taken, etc.?
For instance: It wouldn’t have been possible for me to carry the tasks out successfully if you hadn’t assisted me with them. OR It wouldn’t have been possible for me to carry the tasks out successfully if you hadn’t assisted me.
Please, I have a question … are both of these phrases correct and do they mean exactly the same thing?
“If he had been thinner he probably wouldn’t have died”
“Had he have been thinner he probably wouldn’t have died”
The second sentence should be written:
“Had he been thinner he probably wouldn’t have died.”
The sentences do mean the same thing, since the “if” in the second sentence is implied.
Among the following sentences which is correct?
“Had you not been successful in life, would your present day convictions be the same?”
OR
“Had you not been successful in life, would your present day convictions have been the same?”
Or are they both wrong? If so what is the correct usage?
Many thanks in advance!
In your second example, the use of have been indicates past tense when you are speaking of present-day convictions.
“Had you not been successful in life, would your present-day convictions be the same?” is the correct usage.
Could you please give an example where it would be appropriate to use the second sentence?
Omission of the modifier present-day could make the sentence grammatical: “Had you not been successful in life, would your convictions have been the same?”
Could you let me know which of the following is correct? Thanks.
(1) If she had waited for five more minutes, she would have met her ex-boyfriend.
(2) If she had waited for five more minutes, she would have had met her ex-boyfriend
(3) If she had had waited for five more minutes, she would have had met her ex-boyfriend
Thanks for your help.
Number (1). The sentence would be even better if you dropped the unnecessary preposition for.
You are welcome.
Is this correct…
Keep smiling dear because that’s what your dad would have wanted u to do.
Rule 4 in our “Commas” section says, “Use commas before or surrounding the name or title of a person directly addressed.” The word dear is used as a name in this instance, so there should be commas around it. There is discussion among experts right now on whether or not “terms of endearment” should be capitalized. If it is rare enough or used constantly in place of the person’s name, it could constitute a nickname and be capitalized. At present, there doesn’t appear to be a right or wrong to this question. Also, I realize that the use of u instead of you is popular for text messages, but it is not grammatically correct in written English.
Keep smiling, dear, because that’s what your dad would have wanted you to do.
I am still confused on “What do you think the girls would have had to do when they arrived home.”can’t i use “what would have they done when they arrived home” instead of “would have had to do when they arrived home”
beacuse would can also be used in assumption,presumption
Your sentence What would have they done when they arrived home? needs some slight rewording since the verb phrase is split incorrectly. It should read What would they have done when they arrived home? Regarding the previous commenter’s question, I agree that What do you think the girls would have done when they arrived home? is probably a better sentence choice than What do you think the girls would have had to do when they arrived home? Since the author of that sentence was an ESL tutor, perhaps she thought that the sentence would be easier for her students to understand written that way.
I LOVE the website! I am a newcomer to it. (Just this year.) Regarding paragraph four: “If I had known you were going to the movies, I would have gone too.” Would “If I had known you were going to the movies, I would have liked have have gone, too” also have been correct?
You could write “If I had known you were going to the movies, I would have liked to go too.”
I really enjoy your tips regarding grammar but was surprised to see your use of the word “gotten”. I admit this is one of my pet hates. It is not used in Britain. In my grammar classes at school (admittedly a long time ago!) we were taught not to use the word “got” when writing as this was considered unnecessary and classed as slang. Your sentence “If I had gotten paid” – surely should read “If I had been paid”?
The verb get is conjugated get–got–gotten in American English. There are certainly differences between American and British English that make formal writing look odd or awkward to the other. “If I had been paid” does sound good, but, to an American, “If I had gotten paid” sounds fine, too.
Some grmmar books and sites categorise “have to” as a modal of obligation, is this accurate? And so is it wrong to say that the past perfect of the following:’ I had to see her ‘ is ‘ I had had to see her’
i need to know if had(1st sentence) is a main verb and ‘to see’ is an infinitive ; or if ‘had to’is a modal and ‘see’is the main verb.
I would appreciate it if you could give other examples when explaining.
Thank u!
“Have to” is not a modal. Have is the main verb and when it is added to the word to plus an infinitive it means must. Example sentences include:
I have to leave tomorrow.
You have to see a doctor.
It is correct to write “I had to see her.” Had is the main verb and to see is the infinitive.
I like this website a lot. Is there a way i can become a member or something?
You can sign up to receive our free weekly e-newsletter by clicking this link:
https://www.grammarbook.com/register.asp
how to say it correctly?
Sometimes I wish I have enough to help others or
Sometimes I wish I had enough to help others
Sentences using wish and if usually indicate subjunctive mode. The rule in our Subjunctive Mode blog states, “When using subjunctive mode with verbs besides were, use the past tense or past perfect tense.” Therefore, use the past tense had.
Sometimes I wish I had enough to help others.
would you go if i have not cancelled the program.
is it correct?
Your sentence is an example of the subjunctive mode, which refers to the expression of a hypothetical, wishful, or imaginary thought. You need to use the past perfect form if I had not canceled along with the conditional form would have gone. Also, the word I should be capitalized and the American spelling of canceled uses only one l. In addition, your sentence needs a capital letter at the beginning and a question mark at the end.
Would you have gone if I had not canceled the program?
If i__(know) that they were honest, i’d have gladly lend them the money. unless you ___ (be)very sure of someone’s intention, you can not lend him your hard earned money.But for the want of money they___(ruin). If really ___(percieve)that they were so desperately in need of money, i___(do) best for them.If i ___(read) diary before, i would have known the whole truth.Unless you___(spend) time with someone you___(judge) them.
Since you changed from the plural pronoun they to the singular pronoun him, we do not know if you are directing your paragraph to one single person or several people. This is how the paragraph would be written if you were speaking about one person (masculine):
If I had known that he was honest, I would have gladly loaned him the money. Unless you are very sure of someone’s intention, you cannot lend him your hard-earned money. For the want of money he ruined a relationship. If I really thought that he was so desperately in need of money, I would do the best for him. If I had read the diary before, I would have known the whole truth. Unless you have spent time with someone, you should not judge him.
“If I had known that he was honest, I would have gladly loaned him the money.”
Shouldn’t “loaned” be “lent”? I’ve always used lend/lent/lent as the verb forms and “loan” as a noun.
UK/US difference?
You are correct regarding the American vs. British English difference. Our website represents American English rules and usage. Merriam-Webster offers a good explanation:
The verb loan is one of the words English settlers brought to America and continued to use after it had died out in Britain. Its use was soon noticed by British visitors and somewhat later by the New England literati, who considered it a bit provincial. It was flatly declared wrong in 1870 by a popular commentator, who based his objection on etymology. A later scholar showed that the commentator was ignorant of Old English and thus unsound in his objection, but by then it was too late, as the condemnation had been picked up by many other commentators. Although a surprising number of critics still voice objections, loan is entirely standard as a verb. You should note that it is used only literally; lend is the verb used for figurative expressions, such as “lending a hand” or “lending enchantment.”
The response to your question is beyond the scope of our website. We suggest that you have a look at the following websites for an in-depth discussion:
https://www.englishtenses.com/conditional_sentences
https://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/conditional2.htm
https://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/conditional-sentences
I have read some articles about conditional type 2 and all of them were a single sentence.I need an extended answer.I mean more than one simple sentence as the tenses after the first sentence are confusing.Consider this question:
Q:What would you do if you were me?
A:I would make a list of my students and their phone’s number,then ?????
1-have someone to call them randomly
2-had someone to call them randomly
3-would have someone to call them randomly.
which one(s) is(are)correct?
what is the rule?
thanks in advance
Our blog Subjunctive Mode addresses this question. This is an example of the subjunctive mode, which refers to the expression of a hypothetical, wishful, or imaginary thought. The rule is “Sentences using wish and if usually indicate subjunctive mode and require using were as the to be verb form.” The tense of the verbs after were are present tense. The same is true if you divide it as a question and answer. Also, the proper term is “phone numbers” and the word to is unnecessary before the word call.
If I were you I would make a list of my students and their phone numbers, and then have someone call them randomly.
Q: What would you do if you were me?
A: I would make a list of my students and their phone numbers, and then have someone call them randomly.
I need your help. In ‘The Snow of Kilimanjaro’ by Ernest Hemingway I read such words: ‘If we would have hired a good mechanic instead of a half baked kikuyu driver, he would have checked the oil’. Isn’t it incorrect, ‘if we would have hired’? These are Harry’s words, he is a writer, he must write correctly, doesn’t he! It’s puzzled me! I live in Ukraine and learn English. Thank you for your answer.
You are correct that the sentence is grammatically incorrect. It should read, “If we had hired a good mechanic instead of a half baked kikuyu driver, he would have checked the oil.” The Snows of Kilimanjaro is a work of fiction. In works of fiction, the characters’ words are not always grammatically correct. It does not mean that the author is not a good writer.
Is it correct to say: “I wish you would had been at my graduation”
Thank you.
Our blog post If I Would Have… vs. If I Had… says, “You can’t use the conditional perfect when wishing something had happened; you again need the past perfect.” Therefore, write “I wish you had been at my graduation.”
Which one is correct?
1. I wish, you had been at my graduation.
2. I wish, you were at my graduation.
Both sentences would be grammatically correct within their connoted time periods, as well as without the comma after “wish”:
I wish you had been at my graduation. (expressed wish for a past action)
I wish you were at my graduation. (expressed wish for a present action,
which signals the subjunctive mood)
We will take our best guess at what you are trying to say. Your sentence is an example of the subjunctive mode, which refers to the expression of a hypothetical, wishful, or imaginary thought. The sentence could be written “If, at the beginning of the year 2011, you had expected your income to be above $10,000 for the year, then you would have been required to register for GST.”
Thanks a lot!!!
If you hadn’t written this article, I would have mistaken.
It appears your sentence is missing a word: “If you hadn’t written this article, I would have been mistaken.”
I would have loved if you had come without wearing make-up.
Is it correct if not please explain….
Thank you.
or it should be:
If you had come without make-up I would have loved it.
Thanks you your assistance, and I personally feel it is really a great thing u r doing by spreading knowledge.
(plz check this also).
You did a good job understanding the rules outlined in the blog. Your sentences are both grammatically correct but have small punctuation errors. The word makeup is not hyphenated. Your second example sentence needs a comma: “If I Would Have… vs. If I Had…” I would have loved if you had come without wearing makeup. OR If you had come without makeup, I would have loved it.
Your final sentence is not written in formal English. We suggest: Thank you for your assistance. I feel you are doing a great thing by spreading knowledge.
I want to confirm that if i am using I am gone to London.Bell is rung .Tis kind of sentence is right or wrong ?
Your sentences are not wrong, but the wording is somewhat unusual. In most cases, these sentences would be written:
I have gone to London. The bell has rung.
It became a big matter of discussion at my school that i am gone to London is wrong but according to FT wood it is right(verb of moment ) is it please explain it .
The phrase “I am gone” is archaic. It may have been used in Old English but is not used in modern written English.
I would have thought that your letter intended to clarify the issues raised in my complaint. Instead,
I would have thought that your letter would have intended
I would have thought that your letter might have intended to clarify the issues.
We recommend the following:
I would have thought that your letter would clarify the issues raised in my complaint. Instead… OR
I had hoped that your intent was to clarify the issues raised in my complaint. Instead…
is this statement correct?
if we were not sick we would have come to the party.
please help..
Since the if clause occurred before “we would have come,” it requires the past perfect: had not been sick (see our blog “If I Would Have… vs. If I Had…”). Also, our Rule 9 of Commas says, “When starting a sentence with a weak clause, use a comma after it.” Therefore, add a comma after the word “sick” and capitalize the first letter of the sentence:
If we had not been sick, we would have come to the party.
“You would have liked to see it too, but you hadn’t known he was going.”
Really? No.
“You would have liked to HAVE SEEN it too, but you hadn’t known he was going.”
Readers interested in further discussions and opinions on this topic may want to have a look at these sites:
https://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=3941
https://www.eslhq.com/forums/esl-forums/english-questions/would-have-liked-do-would-like-have-done-3348/
The only English speakers I’ve ever heard using the conditional perfect when they should be using the past perfect are Americans. Actually, I can’t remember the last time (before today) that I’ve come across an American who doesn’t make this error. There must be a reason for this; anyone have any ideas?
This seems like a theory based on your own personal experience.
Yes, my own personal experience of Americans I’ve known and of practically every American movie I’ve ever seen.
i would like to ask a person whether he is going or went to to home or not
Have you not gone yet?
You did not go?
You did not went?
Which one is correct among these
if all ware went wrong how i can express in this particular situation
You could say “Have you not gone yet?” Often in informal speech a person would use a contraction and ask “Haven’t you gone yet?” Both of these responses imply that you think the person has not yet gone home. If you truly do not know, you could ask “Have you gone home yet?” or “Have you been home yet?”
you tell me whether there are grammar patterns like beloww
01 I have Had to go to school
02 I had had to go to school
03 I might have had to go to school
Thanks
Yes, those phrases could fit within grammatically correct sentences. These are examples which involve very complex grammar usage. Examples:
I have had to go to school for four years to get my degree. (present perfect tense, something that started in the past and has relevance to or continues to the present)
I had had to go to school, so I was unable to attend the fair. (past perfect tense of to have and the past participle of to have, two past-tense occurences)
If I had not passed the final exam, I might have had to go to school over the summer. (third conditional, a condition in the past that did not happen, if + past perfect=might have + past participle)
Please reply if its correct.
“I had not accompanied you if known you could have cancelled the programme”
Secondly please guide how to use had have/have had togather?
Your sentence should read “I would not have accompanied you if I had known you could have cancelled the programme.” In American English the final words would be spelled “canceled the program.”
Had have together in that order in a sentence is not grammatically correct. Have had is used for the present perfect tense and the future perfect tense of the verb “to have.” Examples:
I have had a pet cat for ten years.
He will have had his exam by tomorrow at this time.
I assume you guys follow British English. I’m working with Americans for four years now but I noticed that most of the examples here sound unfamiliar to me. I’m sending a few examples please let me know your thoughts.
1 – if I knew you were lying I would have told to your mother right away.
2 – I would not send this if I didn’t receive your message.
And choice can be “if I had not received your message” But both of these sentences appear same to me. Please let me know what you think.
As we state on our homepage, this site and The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation represent American English rules. Your first sentence is referring to something that didn’t happen in the past. The correct way to say this is with the past perfect in the “if” clause, and the conditional perfect in the “then” clause. We recommend writing “If I had known you were lying, I would have told your mother right away.”
Your second sentence implies a present action along with something that didn’t happen in the past in the “if” clause. The double negative makes the sentence hard to understand. We recommend writing “I am sending this because I did not receive your message.”
If she had been good ,you would have been good too…
Please correct it…
Your sentence would be correct with the proper punctuation.
If she had been good, you would have been good too.
i get confuse when i read “i’d have gone”
does this mean- i could have gone or i would have gone?
my 2nd question- sometimes in a sentence its like “i’d”..
does this mean i had or i would.
Please tell me by giving an example which has “i’d” in a sentence.
The phrase “I’d have gone” means “I would have gone.” An example sentence is “If I had known that you were going to the store, I’d have gone too.”
The contraction “I’d” can mean either “I would” or “I had,” depending on the sentence. Note that the letter I is always capitalized when used as a pronoun. Here are some other examples:
I’d like to go to the store tomorrow. (I would like to go to the store tomorrow.)
If I’d gotten paid, I could go out tonight. (If I had gotten paid, I could go out tonight.)
Could you please help me with the below usage?–
“Would you have told me the truth if I had not mentioned to you that I <> relocating?”
Thanks!
The words “was,” “am,” or “will be” would all be grammatical in this sentence.
I am a little confused.
Can I say;
1)
If he had been here with me, he would have done the same.
He would have done the same if he was here with me.
or
If he was here with me, he would have done the same.
2)
If he was my child, I would have told him off by now.
If he had been my child, I would have told him by now.
or
I would have told him off if he had been my child.
(this situation may be something like, you have seen a kid bullying some other kid…/doing something not nice to the others).
Hope you understand what Im trying to say…
Thank you.
in addition to 1),
If he was here with me, he would do the same.
Sentences using wish and if usually indicate subjunctive mode and require using were as the to be verb form. The following are correct:
If he had been here with me, he would have done the same.
He would have done the same if he were here with me.
If he were here with me, he would have done the same.
If he were here with me, he would do the same.
If he were my child, I would have told him off by now.
I would have told him off if he were my child.
can you help me rewrite a sentence ? the sentence is “He felt sick after eating all those sweets” and the sentence has to start with “If he(…)”
If he had not eaten all those sweets, he would not have felt sick.
Until a year or two ago, this cumbersome ‘double conditional’ usage was unknown here in England. I heard it first from Oprah Winfrey on her syndicated TV show. Nowadays, British teens are as keen as we were in the 60s to ape any new US trends and are rapidly adopting it. In multicultural London, native white Britons account for less than 50% of the population and I hear youngsters in town speaking a kind of modern pidgin – and while some probably just don’t know (or care about) the so-called rules, others wish to sound cool, hip and different. I’d support changes in English which encourage brevity, but it’s always a pity when the the long-winded usurps the succinct.
Difference between:
If I had known, I would have gone there.
If I knew, I would have gone there.
The difference between the two sentences occurs in the “if” clause. Typically, in the third conditional, which is the expression of a hypothetical, wishful, or imaginary thought, the “if” clause is expressed with the past perfect (had known) and the conditional perfect (would have gone) in the second clause. In the sentence “If I knew, I would have gone there,” the “if” clause is expressed in past tense (knew). Although it is sometimes expressed this way, especially in spoken American English, we prefer “If I had known, I would have gone there.”
If I have to go to the theater tonight, I will let you know.
Are both ok to say?
If I have to go to the theater tonight, I will let you know.
If I have to go to the theater tonight, I have to let you know.
Although both sentences are grammatically correct, the first sentence is the better choice.
I am struggling with the meaning of a sworn statement:
“Our office closed from December 23, 2011 through January 2, 2012 as part of a plant-wide shutdown. I would not have returned to work until at least January 3 and the mailroom would not have reopened until January 3.”
Is this person really saying he was not at work during that period of time? If so, why wouldn’t he say, “I did not return to work until January 3” or “I was not at work from December 23 through January 2.” Isn’t this a strange construction that conceals as much, if not more, than it reveals?
We prefer not to try to guess why a person chose to express himself in a certain way while under oath or try to guess what he meant.
At a first glance, it looks like it’s meant to be a future in the past. However if that were so, it should have been phrased as “I would not return to work” although it would have been much more fluid for him or her to write “I did not” or “I was not to return” – if you were exceedingly dark-minded you might think it seems purposefully misleading, leaving plenty of wiggle room for the actual meaning “(If I had had my way- [or insert condition of choice]) I would not have returned”
Of course that’s a cynical take: far more likely that the person simply doesn’t write in flawless English.
Considering the amount of times I hear the past perfect replaced with the past simple in US series (just to name one common error), I wouldn’t be at all surprised.
I have been trying to figure this one out for quite a while, but to no avail.
Does the following paragraph feature an incorrect use of the pluperfect tense or is it an acceptable use of the subjunctive?
“Samuel Johnson said that a man who is tired of London is tired of life, but that was well over 200 years ago and I really wish people would stop quoting him as if he would have said the same today and not, upon looking in an estate agent’s window, high-tailed it straight back to Staffordshire.”
Samuel Johnson lived in the past, so it seems like a poor use of the pluperfect. However, the writer is imagining a hypothetical situation in which Johnson lives in the present, which seems to validate using “if he would have” as a subjunctive.
Any thoughts?
So happy to have found your site – could you help me with this one? Even after all your explanations I’m not sure which one is correct:
I could do that, but then I would have to…
OR
I could do that, but then I had to…
Thank you for your help!!
You could begin a sentence writing “I could do that, but then I would have to …”
Is this sentence correct?
if u did not care about her then why should she have cared about you.
Your sentence is correct with the proper spelling, capitalization, and punctuation.
Which of the following sentences conveys the same meaning as -if some one had asked me to tell a fool I would have said that I am a fool .
1.Had I been asked to tell a fool,I would say that I am the one.
2.Had I been asked to tell a fool ,I would have said that I am one.
or improve it .
Thanking you.
The phrase “tell a fool” does not make sense in your sentences. Perhaps you mean “If I had I been asked to speak to a fool, I would have said that I am one.”
Can anyone help me?
“I wish I had a life” does not seem grammatically correct. It seems that “had” should be in the present tense but I can’t find a way for it to sound right.
The sentence is correct. It is an example of the subjunctive mood, which refers to the expression of a hypothetical, wishful, imaginary, or factually contradictory thought.
Our blog Subjunctive Mode says, “When using subjunctive mood with verbs besides were, use the past tense or the past perfect tense.”
I think you mean “keep practising” noun c verb s
This website represents American English. In American English the word practice is spelled with a c whether it is a noun or a verb.
Of course, in British English they are two different words.
I’ve seen Americans use advice as in “I’d advice you” Is that wrong in American or just English?
We could not find the word advice listed as a verb in any dictionary, whether representing American English or British English.
Can you help me please. I need to put these two sentences into the second and the third conditional:
1. You can go now if you are in a hurry.
2. He must go home if it is late.
I’m not sure about the answers, so if you could help me I would be greatful.
Thanks a lot.
And just one more:
I will help you if I can.
The second conditional is used to describe a future event that is not likely to happen. (if + past simple, … would + infinitive)
The third conditional is used to describe an event that did not happen in the past. (if + past perfect, … would + have + past participle)
Examples:
Second conditional: If I had more time, I would help you.
Third conditional: If you had asked me, I would have helped you.
If you submit your answers, we will be happy to give you advice.
I need to know which, either of the following, is correct?
“Had things been a little different, things had been a little different”
or
“Had things been a little different, things would have been a little different.”
I am kind of sensing the former one to be correct too but i need an expert opinion on it.
Although your sentences are bizarre, the grammatically correct sentence is “Had things been a little different, things would have been a little different.”
What about this? “Have you not studied hard,the exam would be a nightmare for you.”
and this one “Do you not study hard,the exam will be a nightmare.” Are these 2 sentences correct?
Your sentences are not grammatically correct as written. If the event is in the past, write “If you had not studied hard, the exam would have been a nightmare for you.”
If you are referring to an event in the future, write “If you do not study hard, the exam will be a nightmare for you.”
But is this incorrect? ‘If you didn’t study hard,the exam would be a nightmare.’ Can’t this be said ‘Did u not study hard,the exam would be a nightmare.’ What I’m asking is can we say a sentence without using ‘if’ for other than a past event. ‘if you don’t study’ and ‘if you didn’t study’ can these be said as in ‘had you not studied’ for ‘if you hadn’t studied’…?
“If you didn’t study hard, the exam would be a nightmare” is grammatically correct. “Did you not study hard, the exam would be a nightmare” is not correct. “Did you not study hard” implies a question. You are talking about something that didn’t happen in the past, therefore, you need to use the past perfect in the “if” clause and the conditional perfect in the “then” clause. You could write “Had you not studied hard, the exam would have been a nightmare.” This is a past event. “If you don’t study” implies a future event . You can write a sentence using “if” for other than a past event. “If you don’t study, the exam will be a nightmare.”
i had been there…
is d above sentence correct or not?
Depending on the context, writing “I had been there” could be grammatically correct.
Personally, I wish I had been paid.
Your sentence is grammatically correct.
WHAT ABOUT THIS SENTENCES :
sure if I were there I would have replied to your question!!! I just lef my account logged on
Sure, if I were there I would have replied to your question! I just left my account logged on.
It’s a peculiarly North American thing. I am a British English speaker and I teach English as a Foreign Language. The materials that I use all state that the correct form of a 3rd Conditional is: ‘I’f clause + conditional perfect clause (or in reverse order). That is, If + subject + past perfect, subject + would + have + infinitive.
However, in many U.S. TV series, I often hear the incorrect use of “If + would…” that appears at the start of this thread.
The error does not commonly occur among British English speakers.
QUES: IF RAM WOULD HAVE WORKED HARDER, HE WOULD HAVE BEEN SELECTED FOR JOB.
Options :
1. HAD RAM WORKED HARDER
2.IF RAM HAD WORKED HARD
3.HAD RAM WORKED HARDLY
4.IF RAM WOULD HAVE WORKED HARD.
WHICH IS RIGHT OPTION ?
It would be correct to write both If Ram had worked harder and Had Ram worked harder. Also, the article the is missing before the word job in your sentence. We do not recommend writing in all capital letters in formal prose.
Unfortunately this trend is on the upswing. 20 years ago you would have never heard someone say “If I would have…”, and not it’s all the rage. And frankly I don’t get how people, some of them highly educated, who never said “If I would have” now say it like they’ve been saying it all their lives. I’m afraid this is going to become a losing battle.
I’ve a question, is this sentence correct?
* If I had known that we would have lunch together, I wouldn’t have eaten before going out.
or maybe
* If I had known that we would have had lunch together, I wouldn’t have eaten before going out.
If I had known that we would have lunch together, I wouldn’t have eaten before going out.
May I ask when do you use can and could / will and would.
I am confused on the proper way to use them.
Thank you.
This is a topic that is too complex to answer in this post. The Merriam-Webster Learner’s Dictionary has an article that nicely summarizes the topic.
https://www.learnersdictionary.com/qa/could-can-and-would
“If he had asked me out on a date, I would be seen with him.
what this sentence says, and why we have used would be ?
From what we can tell, you are writing about a wishful or hypothetical event. If so, we recommend writing “If he had asked me out on a date, I would have been seen with him.”
Beautiful article, but I still have a question.
1) Am I right that here in conditional clause we use past perfect tense because the action that «I had got paid» is complete and occurred just before «could have travelled»?
If had gotten paid, we could have travelled together.
2) If I’m right then why sometimes we can see sentences where instead past perfect the simple past is used in conditional clause. Like in this sentence(it should be begun from «If I had had» instead «If I had»):
If I had millions dollars, I’d give a lot to charity.
This way I would appreciate for difference when we must use Past perfect and when Simple past when we construct conditional sentences. Thank you.
Yes, the past perfect tense indicates that an action was completed at some point in the past before something else happened. The use of “had had” sounds awkward, although it is grammatically correct. That is why you sometimes see the simple past used.
Could you please recommend an English textbook that would build up ones vocabulary?
Generally, English textbooks are not the best resource for building vocabulary. Our Helpful Links page has a list of websites that you might find helpful, including MyVocabulary.com, Vocaboly, and Vocabulix.
Your sentence sounds odd.
“You would have liked to see it too, but you hadn’t known he was going”
It should be:
“But you didn’t know he was going” or “if you had known he was going”
I don’t know where you’re from, but in America we would use the second variation ” You would have liked to see it too, if you had know he was going” . I’m not a grammar guru, therefore I’m not insisting this is the most correct option to express that, but we are known for simplifying inconvenient grammar that slows down your speech. Doesn’t it sound odd to you the way you said it ? It kills the smoothness in your speech.
If you had read the post carefully, you would have noticed that it was reprinted with permission by Editor Laura Lawless. She was born in the United States.
Her sentence is grammatically correct. Hadn’t is used for unreal past conditions.
which one of the following sentences is correct
a i wish i could set foot on the moon someday or i wish i would set foot on the moon someday ? can you help me am still learning and i had a difficult exam
I wish I could set foot on the moon someday.
When your talking about something that happened in the past already and you don’t want something from now in the present that couldn’t ever happen before for example, “I wish I had never seen that before” is that the proper way to say it?
Yes, your sentence I wish I had never seen that before refers to something that happened in the past, and you are currently wishing it had not happened.
Good morning, may you help me please?
Is the expresson ” if the fund hadn’t been cut off she would still be working with those peole.” completely write?
Many thanks
Your sentence is missing a capital letter, a comma, and a second letter p in the word people.
”If the fund hadn’t been cut off, she would still be working with those people.”
Could you please help me to figure out which one is correct?
I think it would have been nicer if the delivery boy would have called at least once before going back.
Or
I think it would have been nicer if the delivery boy had called at least once before going back.
I think it would have been nicer if the delivery boy had called at least once before going back.
why do we use a comma in the conditional sentences when the if clause is at the beginning example
{if I have money, I will buy a new car}
we don’t put a comma when the if clause is in the second part of the sentence.
{I will buy a new car if I have money}
to me it seems that main clause has a full meaning.
“I will buy anew car” putting a comma here seems OK.
But, “If I have money” doesn’t have full meaning so it needs a complementary. we shouldn’t put a comma.
Your first example starts with a dependent clause. Our Rule 4a of Commas says, “When starting a sentence with a dependent clause, use a comma after it.”
Your second example starts with an independent clause. Rule 4b says, “A comma is usually unnecessary when the sentence starts with an independent clause followed by a dependent clause.”
what would be the verb error in “If I would of I could of”
Actually, the correct usage and spelling would be “If you HAD…then I WOULD HAVE…
We would need a complete sentence to determine the correct pronouns and the conditional perfect verb in the “then” clause.
If I could have [done], I would have [done].
Your suggested construction is more colloquial in speech than established in grammatical principle. In conversation, someone might say, “If I could have worked longer, I would have earned more money” and be understood. Writing, on the other hand, offers more-defined guidelines concerning conditional structures (see our article Clarifying the Conditional Tense).
If I had enough money,I would have bought a car.
Your sentence is correct with the insertion of a space after the comma of course.
Which is correct? Ever since I started I “have” been asked. . . OR Ever since I started I “had” been asked. . . I say “have” my mate says “had.”
The term “ever since” implies that something is ongoing. Had is past tense. Therefore, write “Ever since I started, I have been asked … “
“It had been a long time since we had last
met.”
Is it correct?
Pls help me
Yes. You could also write “It had been a long time since we last met.”
We are not sure whether you mean third person, past participle, or something else. Please provide an example sentence or two.
He could have been saved had he been taken to hospital on time, say doctors
To express this sentence in the if-then format, one could write: The doctors said that if he had been taken to the hospital on time, [then] he could have been saved.
Can you help me with solving this grammar problem:
It CAN’T HAVE BEEN [OR COULDN’T BE] Pete who broke the window – he wasn’t here!
how shall I know what to choose here and in sentences alike?
Thanks most kindly in advance.
Since you are referring to an event that happened in the past, we recommend “It couldn’t have been Pete who broke the window—he wasn’t here!” Note that the punctuation is a long dash. Please see our post Dashes vs. Hyphens for more information.
The event would have been successful if you———–able to come.what the correct ans will be….1)are,2)have been,3)had been,4)would have been.please explain..
Pending response:
The past perfect form is used in the “if” clause.
The event would have been successful if you had been able to come.
Is it okay to say “Had there been you, I wouldn’t have left that place”
You could write “Had you been there, I wouldn’t have left that place.”
” If I had known that you were going to the movies, [then] I would have gone too.”
Why past perfect??
Why not using juat a simple past?
E.g. “If I knew that you were going to the movies, [then] I would go too.” Why not?
Your sentence improperly mixes the past tense (“If I knew”) with the present tense (“I would go”). The model we show in this article is the grammatically accepted way to express past things that didn’t happen, but that we can imagine.
Ok, what about “I would go with now you if I knew it was the correct thing to do”?
What about using “were” instead of “was”?
Thank you!
We understand why you might wish to treat the “if” clause in the subjunctive mood; however, the clause is in the conditional. The conditional and the subjunctive are sometimes confused, as we point out
in our article Clarifying the Conditional Tense.
The reason for this is because both convey an “if” scenario and a theoretical result. The difference is the subjunctive expresses a wish or a supposition that is impossible or highly unlikely. Conversely, the conditional implies possibility or probability.
Your sentence includes a scenario that could be plausible, i.e., under certain circumstances, you could know if it was the correct thing to do. Your sentence is therefore correct as written except for the transposition of the words now you, which should be you now.
Neither protasis (“if” clause) in “If I had known …; ‘If I knew ….” contains an indicative verb. They are both subjunctives – a perfect subjunctive and a present subjunctive. They may look the same as past or perfect past tenses, but this is only because English has lost the distinction which i.e. German retains in the form of an Umlaut. “Wenn ich wüsste ….”If I knew (that you would be there)” is a present subjunctive, although it looks like a past tense.
Thank you, V.Pinches, for highlighting this aspect. Have been struggling to prove that to the learners of English for years. Against all those reference books that choose to simplify the matter, thus making it more obscure, imo.
We appreciate this exchange as one that delves further into English grammar’s more-complex components. In a sentence such as “If I had known that you were going to the movies, [then] I would have gone too,” we are looking at the past unreal conditional mood, which is used to describe imaginary situations in the past. It allows us to describe what we would have done differently or how something could have happened another way if factors had been different.
The first clause—”If I had known you were going to the movies”—sets up the condition in the past perfect (“had known”). This then leads to the hypothetical or speculated result: “I would have gone too.” This is expressed in the conditional perfect (“would have gone”).
Because we are expressing an unreal (imaginary) situation, the past unreal conditional mood includes only “if” clauses, never “when” clauses.
A similar principle applies to a sentence such as “If I knew that you were going to the movies, [then] I would go too.” In this case, we are using the present unreal conditional mood to describe a current imaginary situation, i.e., one that is speculated and not happening now. Here the structure sets up the condition in the simple past tense (“knew”) and leads to the speculated result in the conditional present (“would go”).
I would just like to say that they are the same thing. You can use would or could plus the present perfect in place of the past perfect for the third conditional. In fact, it is much more common to speak this way in all regions of North America.
If I would have had more time, I could have accomplished more.
If I had had more time, I could have accomplished more.
Though these examples state the exact same thing, the second one sounds much more British and it is rare to hear anyone speak like this in North America.
If I could have done more, I would have.
If I had been able to do more, I would have.
Again, exactly the same meaning.
There are certainly informal, common ways of speaking, but they also may be incorrect. In this post, we have provided the formal, grammatically correct way to speak and write when talking about something that didn’t happen in the past.
THANK YOU!!! I hear these errors all the time and they drive me crazy! There’s a difference between what is commonly said and what is grammatically correct.
I disagree completely. I am from the U.S. and to me “If I would have had more time” sound terrible and completely wrong. Maybe this is just because I used to read a lot, and so the more traditional construction (such as in “If I had had more time”) has been engrained in my brain for a long time. Nowadays I have been noticing the ‘incorrect’ construction more and more, which led me here. But even casually speaking I know I would follow the same rule. Similarly, “If I would have known” sounds awful to me, just very awkward, whether writing or casually speaking. My brain automatically corrects it to “If I had known.” I’m not even trying to be a rule stickler, just sharing what sounds right to me and what sounds very weird.
That’s interesting. I am a native English speaker from New Zealand. The usage you complain about “If I would have…” sounds awful to me too, and I have only ever heard it from Americans. I had assumed that all Americans find it acceptable, but now I see that is not so.
I think you’re right. I am British, and I often use ‘ had had’.
I see nothing wrong with the following sentence: “I’m sure they wished He would have called the angels to His rescue.”
Correct?
Your sentence is fine, although The Chicago Manual of Style’s Rule 8.94 says, “Pronouns referring to God or Jesus are not capitalized. (Note that they are lowercased in most English translations of the Bible.)”
“If you had told me earlier, I didn’t had to wait”…. What is wrong in this sentence
The verb phrase in the “then” clause is incorrect. The sentence should be written “If you had told me earlier, I wouldn’t have had to wait.”
had he considered his image carefully he…….. for his opponents in the elections
*would have stood down
*would have stepped down
*should have stepped down
*might have stood aside
If you wish to convey ability, you would use either would or could as a modal verb. If you want to suggest probability, you would use might or may as a modal. In your examples, write “would have stepped down” to emphasize his ability to step down or stand down (“withdraw” may be a better fit to the American ear). Write “might have stepped down” to express a probability that he would.
Should as a modal would be used to communicate a condition or a mild obligation: “If he had considered how his image would affect his party, he should have stepped down for his opponents.”
Why “might have” is incorrect?
“Would have stepped down” means certainty, “might have stepped down” means possibility.
Which is correct: Completed or Finished? Please explain the difference or when one is preferred and the other is not.
Thanks
The words completed and finished when used as adjectives or as past tense verbs are generally synonymous.
Adjectives: The completed/finished project serves as a model for urban renewal.
Past tense verbs: They completed/finished the puzzle.
Be aware that complete as opposed to completed, can carry a separate meaning as an adjective: We’ve experienced a complete breakdown of communication.
This is not meant to be a complete (not finished) list of all uses, similarities, and differences of these words.
“If I had money I would lend it to you.”
Correct or Incorrect.Please explain it too.
The sentence is correct, and it would best be expressed with a comma after the word “money” to separate the sentence’s dependent (subordinate) and independent (main) clauses.
“If I had money” is a dependent clause. It cannot stand alone because it has been subordinated by the conjunction “if,” which in this case also establishes a present unreal conditional scenario.
“I would lend it to you” is the independent main clause that completes the idea; it could also stand alone without the dependent clause. It further conveys a conditional thought marked by the modal auxiliary “would” before “lend.”
In this context (the present unreal conditional), the simple past-tense verb in the dependent clause (“had”) leads to the correct use of the infinitive verb (“lend”) with its auxiliary (“would”) in the main clause.
It has helped me in a perspective ways. If it had not told me anything then I wouldn’t have understand anything.
We recommend:
It has helped my perspective. OR It has helped me in a number of ways.
If it had not told me anything, then I wouldn’t have understood anything.
Please correct this sentence:
“If I would know what you wanted I would help you.”
Please explain.
“If I knew what you wanted, I would help you.” This is an example of a second conditional sentence, which has two uses: 1) to talk about things in the future that will probably not be true (as in your example) and 2) to talk about something in the present that is impossible because it’s not true. The second conditional is formed with the simple past tense in the subordinate “if” clause (“If I knew…”) followed by “would” and the infinitive in the main independent clause (“I would help you”).
We can write this one in this way also I guess…so
If I had known what you wanted, I would have helped you.
Yes, you’re correct.
I would have helped you if I (be) present
I would have helped you if I had been present.
if hardy had been with us from the beginning we would be much happier.
Is the sentence correct?
If you had used proper capitalization and punctuation, your sentence would have been correct: If Hardy had been with us from the beginning, we would be much happier.
Please see our blog post Clarifying the Conditional Tense for more detailed information.
In your first example, would it be correct to say “If I were to know that you were going to the movies, I would have gone too”? I am asking this because I read somewhere that in counterfactual or wishful situations, especially where “if” is used, it is proper to use a subjunctive verb, such “were to know”.
What you are addressing is the distinction between the subjunctive mood and the conditional mood (some grammarians also refer to it as the conditional tense). The explanation that follows may be more than you were bargaining for, but we want to be thorough in our response.
The conditional sets up a scenario, often using a past tense, to convey what might or could have happened under certain conditions but did not. In American English, many sentences using the conditional contain a subordinate clause starting with if that is then followed by an independent clause (e.g., If I had finished my homework on time, I would have received a better grade).
The subjunctive communicates a demand or command, a wish or suggestion, something that is contrary to fact and likely not changeable, or a statement of necessity. Like the conditional, the subjunctive often includes a dependent “if” clause followed by an independent clause. The mood is further identified by a shift in verb conjugation (e.g., “If I were an astronaut, I would…” instead of “If I am an astronaut, I would…”).
Your sentence is an example of the conditional because it states what might or could have happened under certain conditions but did not. It would be correctly written as “If I had known you were going to the movies, I would have gone too.”
If you recast your sentence in the subjunctive mood, it could be expressed in a way such as “If I were you, I would go to the movies.” It is in the subjunctive because it states something that is contrary to fact and, in this case, can’t be changed. You are not the other person and never will be; you are suggesting what you would do if you were that person.
You can learn more about the subjunctive from our post The Subjunctive Mood.
Which of the next sentences are correct?
1. If you had learnt english, you would not have to study.
2. If you would know english, you would not have to study
3. If you knew english, you would not have to study
If you knew English, you would not have to study.
If you knew English, you would not have had to study.
We expand on this topic in our article Clarifying the Conditional Tense. There you will see that you have written a Type 2 conditional, and the correct format would be:
If you knew English, you would not have to study.
If we keep your main clause, we would be in Type 3 conditional, which would call for the past perfect in the dependent clause:
If you had known English, you would not have had to study.
Can you give examples with third person singular he/she on this?
In general, you can interchange subject pronouns for other subject pronouns, object pronouns for other object pronouns in these quiz questions and examples:
If he had known you were sick, he could have brought you some meals.
If she had explained the objective, she could have completed the assignment sooner.
He wishes it had gone differently.
She wishes the team had scored more goals.
If you had asked her, she could have helped you.
The only time I could imagine using the conditional after “if” is to express a wish: e.g., “If only it would rain!” But for expressing the same wish, but in the past: “If only it HAD rained,” never “If only it WOULD HAVE rained!”
Why on Earth would Laura LAWLESS need PERMISSION to reprint anything?
We feared her “Lawless” ways, so we requested permission from her.
On a similar note, I would like to know if the following is also an acceptable construction:
If I were to have known that, (then) I would have done something different.
Here, I want to understand if “were to have” can substitute for “had.” It is important to me because it is easier to understand subjunctive in Spanish when i tie its usage into the use of “were” in English. [Si SUPIERA eso, (entonces) huberia hecho algo diferente]
Writing “If I were to have known that, (then) I would have done something different” would not be standard grammatical form. Better form would be “If I had known that, (then) I would have done something different.” This is an example of the Type 3 Conditional; for further details, please see our post Clarifying the Conditional Tense.
I wondered why “then” was in parentheses in the example you used below. Is it because it’s optional whether to use it?
“If I had known that you were going to the movies, [then] I would have gone too.”
How about: “If the subject you are writing about lends itself to humor, then be funny.” Is the “then” optional here?
The word then is in brackets, not parentheses. Brackets are used to clarify or add to the original sentence or quote. The word then is unnecessary in our example sentence; however, it was added for the purpose of pointing out the then clause to our readers. The word then is not necessary in your second example sentence. Please see our post Use of Brackets for more information.
If I weren”t a hard worker, The wouldn’t have let working here?
Distinct from the subjunctive, which depicts an impossible or highly unlikely scenario, the conditional tense always includes a dependent if clause and conveys a possible scenario with a plausible speculative result.
Example: If I was a banker, I would know more about money. (I could be a banker if I chose.)
In your scenario, you could become a lazy worker, though you are not one now. Therefore your sentence should be written in the conditional tense: If I wasn’t a hard worker, they wouldn’t have let me work here.
How different the meaning could get while comparing these two sentences from one another?
1. If the exam had not been hard, I would have passed it.
2. If the exam wasn’t hard, I would have passed it.
Our post Clarifying the Conditional Tense can be helpful to you.
Your first sentence is an example of a Type 3 conditional (unreal past condition with probable result in the past).
The second sentence as written would not be grammatical. It can be adjusted to become a grammatical Type 2 conditional sentence (hypothetical condition with probable result). A Type 2 conditional
sentence is formed with the simple past tense in the “if” clause and the present conditional or present continuous conditional in the main clause:
If the exam wasn’t hard, I would pass it. (present conditional)
If the exam wasn’t hard, I would be passing it. (present continuous conditional)
Can you please explain the reason for the present continuous conditional in your last example?
If I think of an exam I understand that preparing it and taking the test are actions that have a certain duration in time (hence the continuous form), but aren’t the passing it or the failing it kind of “instantaneous” and -as such- wouldn’t they conjugate to the non-continuous form as “If the exam wasn’t hard, I would pass it”?
My reasoning is: one moment I search the result of my exam (not knowing it) and the next moment (when the results are out) I know if I’ve passed it or not.
As a foreigner I’m always terribly confused by the use of the continuous form.
Thanks!
As it is expressed in American English, one could be aware of passing or failing a test in present continuous time, even though it has not yet been graded. In other words, one may have a growing sense that a majority of answers are correct (or incorrect) in the process of taking the test. It is possible that this concept of time may be implicit and understood in one language but not in another.
Isn’t sentence 2 a mixed conditional? Present situation/state (the exam is hard in general) with a past result?
A mixed conditional is used to convey a former time with a situation that extends into the present; it combines an unreal past or present condition with an unreal past or present result. The “if” clause includes the past perfect or the simple past, and the main clause uses the present conditional or the perfect conditional. Sentence 2 includes a hypothetical observation, not an unreal one.
Is it ok if I use “had” two times like in the statement below:
“if I had had more time, I would have checked my paper again.”
Is it correct?
Although the use of “had had” does sound awkward, it is grammatically correct.
I work a lot with Caribbean English speakers. I get thrown when they say “I would have….” spoken to someone, done something, etc. To me it seems like they are saying they didn’t do it, but they would have.
What they mean to say is that they did speak to the person or do the action…
Is this UK English? Or am I misunderstanding something?
A structure such as “I would have” is known as the perfect conditional tense. It refers to a situation that didn’t take place and its possible result at a former time (a Type 3 conditional). It also includes a dependent “if” clause in the past perfect tense to set up the use of the perfect conditional tense.
The perfect conditional can be used to convey a former time with a situation that extends into the present as well. This construct is known as a mixed conditional sentence. It combines an unreal past or present condition with an unreal past or present result. The “if” clause includes the past perfect tense or the simple past tense.
If the speaker is using “I would have” (the perfect conditional) to communicate something done and completed in the past, they would not be using proper grammar in American English.
For more insight into the conditional tense, you can review our article Clarifying the Conditional Tense.
Is it correct to say maybe she had worked hard, she would have passed?
Write “Maybe if she had worked hard, she would have passed.”
Which is correct?
Even if you (had come/will come) to this mountain with thousands of other people, you would still not be more powerful than me.
Thanks.
“Even if you had come to this mountain with thousands of other people, you would still not be more powerful than me” is grammatically correct. Your example is a mixed conditional sentence. Please see our post Clarifying the Conditional Tense for more information.
Could you please let me know if the sentence below is correct?
“I found that my doctoral program tended to be useless even if I had the degree in the end.”
Such speculation (the program tended to be useless) was made in the past, while the outcome (whether I would had the degree in the end or not) the was not sure at the time when the speculation was made.
Thanks!
The sentence is grammatically correct with a comma after useless.
Is the below question correct?
“Do you think that if we had hired an extra sales head, we would have achieved double the current numbers?”
Background is, I am in conversation with ceo and asking him question about past and want to know the impact if we had extra sales person.
Yes.
A decade of questions about this topic and the past perfect tense is now rarer than ever, replaced more and more with the conditional perfect or simple past even in the UK. I fear it is becoming archaic.
Could someone please send a copy of this article to Oprah Winfrey? She, more than anyone, has repeated this ghastly, “If I would have (known, etc.), I would have (done, etc.)” nonsense for years. People in her entourage probably didn’t dare correct such media royalty. One never heard these expressions in American films or on television until a little before this article saw the light of day. Now, in 2021, it’s everywhere.
If I had been here before, I would have taught you how to speak English.
The sentence is grammatically correct.
1. If he hadn’t come home, we wouldn’t have gone there.
2. If I hadn’t pay him, he would have paid for it
I’m confused. Are these OK?
The first example is grammatically correct. The second one should be written as follows:
If I hadn’t paid him, he would have paid for it.
Both sentences are examples of the Type 3 Conditional. See our post Clarifying the Conditional Tense.
If I had known you were here I would have brought your pen
The sentence is grammatically correct with proper punctuation.
If I had known you were here, I would have brought your pen.
See our Rules for Commas and Rules for Periods.
If not for the fact that the glass is still useful, I would brake it, or I would have broken it. Which is correct?
Since you used the verb “is,” you are talking about something that is happening in the present, not the past. Therefore, write “I would break it.”
It seems that since this article was first posted in 2010, putting the conditional in the “if” clause has become standard practice in the United States. I cringe every time I hear it, but at one point we are going to have to officially accept it. Languages must adapt to how it they are used in common practice. Otherwise, the gap widens between the academic written form and the everyday spoken form. If Latin had adapted, it wouldn’t have died.
Had it not been there what would have happened?
The sentence should be punctuated as follows:
Had it not been there, what would have happened? See Rule 4a of Commas.
I would like to know whether the following three sentences are (a) grammatically correct and (b) interchangeable in meaning. I suspect that #3 is incorrect since “would have loved” and “have attended” are both expressed in the past, a construction that seems redundant (though I hear such sentences all the time), but I’m not sure about #1 and #2.
1. I would have loved to attend a Beatles concert.
2. I would love to have attended a Beatles concert.
3. I would have loved to have attended a Beatles concert.
Kind regards.
Your first example sentence would be the optimal choice.
I found this site after reading the following (edited for brevity): “If we would have read the tea leaves, it would have turned out better.” On the one hand this sounds awkward compared to “If we had read the tea leaves…,” but on the other hand it suggests, at least to my ear, that people knew about the tea leaves and chose to ignore them, which happens to be the case in this context. I would therefore consider this construction acceptable if that is what the writer is trying to convey. Your thoughts?
Using “If we would have” in this sentence is not grammatically correct, regardless of the intention of the writer. The correct version (“If we had read the tea leaves, it would have turned out better”) is an example of a Mixed Conditional sentence. For additional insight, you can refer to our post Clarifying the Conditional Tense.
Thank you for the comprehensive overview of this complex grammatical topic. It is one of my pet peeves to hear “If I would have. . .” I didn’t understand how difficult it is to grasp the subtle differences among English verb tenses, having absorbed English at my mother’s breast, until I read through the comments. Now I have a little more patience!