Hi,
Surely this isn’t a question of being ‘better’ but of being different.
Alan
I see nothing wrong with
I would… if I could…
It’s a very common structure.
I would read that book if I could find it in the library.
I would come to the wedding if I could get a day off work.
As I understand, the conditional sentences are classified into three types.
Type I - If I have money, I will buy a car. (Real Present/Future)
Type II - If I had money, I would buy a car. (Unreal Past)
Type III - If I had had money, I would have bought a car. (Unrealized Past)
Further, as Indian grammarians are usually prescriptive, rather than descriptive, it is said that two modals do not find a place in a conditional sentence, and that the modal will appear only in the main clause.
Nevertheless, I have also seen many people, even those who are highly educated, use two modals in a sentence, in both spoken and written contexts, as exemplified by Bev. See, for instance, this: I shall be glad if you will appreciate this explanation.
Anyhow, thanks a lot, Bev and Alan.
Hi T_H_Lawrence,
I know you are a great enthusiast for rules but I do honestly recommend that you loosen up a bit. The conditional sentences you have ‘classified’ are only a framework, after all.
Alan
I would not expect to see/hear the example of the two modals you have provided.
I shall be glad if you will appreciate this explanation. – sounds odd.
I would expect:
I shall be glad if you would appreciate…
-------------------
Would you please bring out the difference between
I shall be glad if you appreciate this explanation and
I shall be glad if you would appreciate this explanation, Bev?
Beeesneees:
I would phone her, If I had her number.
I am still not clear, I would call her, when?
now or in the future.
Hand drive/driven generator.
In the underlined part above which word is correct?
hand driven generator - a generator that is cranked up by hand.
hand drive generator - a generator of the type that has to be cranked up by hand.
‘Hand driven’ is the usual term.
I have to do it.
what is the passive voice of the above sentence?
It has to be done by me.
Are “mystifying” and “mystify” Synonyms each other?
They are similar, but “mystifying” is an adjective and “mystify” is a verb.
Sorry, this was a little misleading. Of course, “mystifying” can also be used as a verb.
I was not able to decipher the mystifying book.
This book is mystifying me.
You will hear the phrase ‘go to the school’ much less than ‘go to school’.[YSaerTTEW443543]
TOEIC listening, photographs: A helicopter[YSaerTTEW443543]
Hi,
I think that must have been a slip of the fingers there, Torsten.
I’m sure you meant the more common of the two phrases is ‘go to school’.
As we understand, there is a marked difference between “go to school” and “go to [color=red]the school”. While the former means going to that institution for the purpose of education, the latter would mean visiting that institution for any other purpose. It is the presence or absence of the definite article that causes the semantic change.
I would appreciate your comments.
Hi,
I have to say that this is less complicated than that. ‘Go to school’ means children participating in education. Using the definite article with ‘school’ in that expression simply refers to a school that has been mentioned before. Charlie goes to school by bus. He goes to the school nearest to where he lives.
Alan
I am agree with Alan’s opinion .
‘Agree’ is a verb, not an adjective.[YSaerTTEW443543]
TOEIC listening, photographs: Large elephants[YSaerTTEW443543]