Hi
If the builders finished the work to schedule, they would receive a bonus.
--- Shouldn't it rather be: "... they would have received a bonus"?
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Hi
If the builders finished the work to schedule, they would receive a bonus.
--- Shouldn't it rather be: "... they would have received a bonus"?
This is a second conditional where we use the past simple tense to talk about the future condition. We use WOULD + base verb to talk about the future result. There can be no 'have'Quote:
Originally Posted by GUEST2008
Also, I'd say 'on schedule' there.
I guess there is something,whis is still wrong here. If you used the word "builder" instead of "a contractor" , why would a contractor get a bonus, it is already his/her commitment to fulfill. But it would sound natural to me if the workers employed by a contractor got their bonuses by making it to the deadline.Quote:
Originally Posted by GUEST2008
There are a few ways to say this depending on the meaning.Quote:
Originally Posted by GUEST2008
The second way is only possible if you amend the 'if' clause.
1. An habitual action in the past.
We had this arrangement. If the builders finished on schedule, they would receive a bonus. (Your first sentence).
2. After work completion, you, the boss, say to the foreman:
If the workers had finished on schedule, they would have received a bonus.
I can't think of an application for "If the builders finished the work to schedule, they would have received a bonus". If you can, what is the context?
Hi encu. Your comma doesn't belong here.Quote:
Originally Posted by euncu
You've written a non-defining clause - a 'which' clause with a comma. What you've written means "I guess there is something. And by the way, it is still wrong".
You mean "I guess there is something which is still wrong here."
Thank you for correction, actually it would be ...there is still something wrong... at the beginning, but I couldn't have made up my mind on if it should have been ...is something wrong... or ...is something's wrong... .So, I changed the sentence to that form. I guess you say that I used which as the way that is used, so there shouldn't have been a comma there. My mistake was obviously following the habit to put a comma before which if it is a non-defining clause.Quote:
Originally Posted by Raymott