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Originally Posted by Francois Quote: |
Now, our "difficult" student asks what it is about the past simple form, "were", that allows it to be used for unlikely or impossible things. She asks why the present simple cannot be used to show unlikely things
| Well, what can I say, such are the rules! |
So the "it's arbitrary" approach is all we have?
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Yeah, the point seems to be that he might be Ricky Martin's manager, though the following clause shows that the speaker knows better and is clearly being ironic. In other words, the sentence is constructed as if she would admit it was possible, but that is just to make her sarcasm work.
What do you think?
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I agree with you analysis. Not here though:
Psychiatrist to patient: If you are Napolean, then I am Caesar, which I'm not, am I?