2009/06/18

What would you have chosen as your beverage if you had eaten lunch at this Indian restaurant?


I'm still talking about conditional sentences. Here's the whole list of posts about conditional sentences so far:

http://upgradeenglish.blogspot.com/2009/06/if-you-dont-understand-conditional.html
http://upgradeenglish.blogspot.com/2009/06/if-you-dont-get-to-station-before-last.html
http://upgradeenglish.blogspot.com/2009/06/if-you-put-hot-food-in-fridge-you-risk.html
http://upgradeenglish.blogspot.com/2009/06/if-i-dont-hang-this-laundry-tonight-it.html
http://upgradeenglish.blogspot.com/2009/06/if-i-were-empress-police-would-stop.html
http://upgradeenglish.blogspot.com/2009/06/if-i-had-stayed-out-bit-longer-this.html
http://upgradeenglish.blogspot.com/2009/06/if-you-arent-careful-you-might-make.html
Yesterday, I asked you two questions:
If we see them, we know that rainy season is here. <- which type of conditional is this? <- It's zero conditional.
If I had been more careful, the picture wouldn't have come out blurry.
Sorry! <- which type of conditional is this? <- It's third.
One common mistake with conditional sentences is using "would". Look at these sentences:
× If there would be time, I would like to see it. <- "would like" means "want"; it's not the "would" from a hypothetical situation.
○ If there is time, I would like to see it. <- this is actually first conditional. It's describing a real future situation.

× If you would live somewhere in another country, where? <- we usually don't put "would" in the "if" clause
○ If you could live in another country, where would you live? <- "would" usually goes in the main clause

× If I would have big big money, I want to try it. <- this is supposed to be second conditional
○ If I had a lot of money, I would try it. <- also, don't use the phrase "big money"

× If I go to a museum, I would prefer pictures than art. <- this is talking about usual preference, not a specific case...
○ If I go to a museum, I prefer photos to paintings or other kinds of art. <- ... so don't use "would". This is zero conditional.

× If it would have been me, I went to the police. <- "would" is in the wrong place, and the tense in the main clause is wrong
○ If it had been me, I would have gone to the police. <- third conditional!
For lunch today, I had mixed bean curry (mostly lentils), which is usually called "dal" in most South Asian languages.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dal
  • レンズ豆 (レンズまめ) (n) lentil; (definition from Edict)
I sometimes chat with the friendly Nepalese guys who work there. They speak a bit of English, but not so well. One of them always comments about my sunglasses, which he first told me were "very cute!" I was a bit confused, so then in Japanese he said 「スマート、スマート!!」. I thanked him. If I don't understand what he's saying, I speak slowly and ask him to explain again. Usually we manage to communicate. <- which conditional?

Anyway, when I was almost finished eating, he said "chai, OK?" when of course he means "would like some chai?" I said "sure". If you had been me, what would you have ordered? A smooth yogurt drink (lassi?)? Ice tea? <- which conditional was that?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lassi
We might be finished talking about conditional sentences for now. If I think of something else I want to say tomorrow, though, I might talk about conditionals again. <- which conditional is this?

Until tomorrow...

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