Search from various Engels teachers...
Bryan Cabrera
Hi , Can anyone help me with this one? thank you 🙌
We would leave immediately If Jane ... ready
a. Was
b. Were
c. Had been
d. Would be
28 sep. 2023 14:11
Antwoorden · 5
4
Technically, 'were' is correct but many native speakers would also say 'was', so this could be considered correct too.
It is an unreal present/future conditional (2nd conditional), so you use 'would' in one part and the past subjunctive 'were' in the second part. For all verbs except 'be' the past subjunctive is the same as the past simple, so it has become normal to use the past simple of 'be' in conditionals.
The past subjunctive actually tells us that the situation is unreal, rather than in the past, so this is why it appears that we use past tenses for present and future situations.
You could use 'had been' in a past (3rd) conditional:
We would have left immediately if Jane had been ready.
It would be unusual to use 'would be in the 'if' part of the sentence.
So b. is certainly correct and a. may also be correct depending on who is asking the question.
28 september 2023
2
were
28 september 2023
Heb je je antwoorden nog steeds niet gevonden?
Schrijf je vragen op en laat de moedertaalsprekers je helpen!
Bryan Cabrera
Taalvaardigheden
Engels
Taal die wordt geleerd
Engels
Artikelen die je misschien ook leuk vindt

English Vocabulary for Using Microsoft Office at Work
6 likes · 0 Opmerkingen

How to Answer “How Was Your Weekend?” Naturally in English
49 likes · 29 Opmerkingen

Why Some Jokes Don’t Translate: Understanding Humor in English
15 likes · 6 Opmerkingen
Meer artikelen
