Is this sentence correct?

[udara sankalpa]

Hi Tdol ,
You said the other day that the sentence, "If Bob didn't come tomorrow, we would have been in real trouble" doesn't work, didn't you?

But this is fine "If he weren't coming tomorrow, we would be in real trouble".

There's just a matter of Tense difference here if you ask me (Both are so called Conditional Type 2). Therefore, please be so good as to explain to me the difference between the sentences.


Cheers
Udara

[Casiopea]

Hello, udara sankalpa.

I'd like to revisit the original sentence (post #1), specifically the problem with didn't come + tomorrow:

Ex: If he didn't come tomorrow, ...

The following is from IF Clause Type 2

Conditional Sentences Type II refer to situations in the present. An action could happen if the present situation were different. I don't really expect the situation to change, however. I just imagine „what would happen if …“Example: If I found her address, I would send her an invitation.

I would like to send an invitation to a friend. I have looked everywhere for her address, but I cannot find it. So now I think it is rather unlikely that I will eventually find her address.

In short, the coupling didn't come tomorrow does fit conditional type II sentences, because type II constructs refer to the present. Present tense doesn't come tomorrow (conditional type I) is more accommodating:

Ex: If he doesn't come tomorrow, we will be in real trouble.

Conditional Sentences Type I refer to the future. An action in the future will only happen if a certain condition is fulfilled by that time. We don't know for sure whether the condition actually will be fulfilled or not, but the conditions seems rather realistic – so we think it is likely to happen.

Example: If I find her address, I’ll send her an invitation.

I want to send an invitation to a friend. I just have to find her address. I am quite sure, however, that I will find it.

Does that help?

[udara sankalpa]

Hi Cas ,
I'm so grateful to you for being so considerate and patient. Every single word you (usingenglish.com, including you ) contribute is of immense help not only to me, but also, I sure, to quite a lot of non native avid learners.

But conditional type 2 does refer to both present and future, doesn't it?

-If I had a sister, I would be much happier. (refers to present)
-If we caught a plane (tomorrow), we would be able to make it by tomorrow evening. (we are going somewhere tomorrow and we have decided to go there, let's say, by train, and we know we cannot make it by tomorrow evening.) Thes refers to future, doesn't it?

Corret me if I'm wrong, though.

Cheers
Udara

[Casiopea]

Conditional type 2 does refer to both present and future, doesn't it?

If it's a supposition, yes; however, and this is an important point to note, your original example sentence (post #1) does not express a supposition. An action will indeed take place (q) if a certain condition is met (p):

Type I: If p, then q
If he comes tomorrow, then we won't be in trouble.
If he doesn't come tomorrow, then we will be in trouble.

Conditional type II sentences, on the other hand, are used to express supositions; i.e., statements contrary to reality as it is; e.g., If I grabbed/did grab a flight tomorrow, I could be there by tomorrow evening, true, but I am not going to grab a flight tomorrow. It's just a "what if"; I'm supposing. (Cf. conditional I, If I grab a flight tomorrow, I can be there by tomorrow evening.)

Does that help?

[udara sankalpa]

Hello there,
About time too, isn't it?
Well anyway, my original sentence:
- If he didn't come tomorrow, we would have been in real trouble.

This is supposition. Here, I know he is coming tomorrow (he's agreed to come), and I am just hypothesising an improbable future situation (our being in trouble). Of course we aren't going to be in trouble as he is coming.

Please correct me if I'm wrong, and I'm so grateful to you for your explanaions.

Thanks & regards
Udara

[RonBee]

Hello there,
About time too, isn't it?
Well anyway, my original sentence:
- If he didn't come tomorrow, we would have been in real trouble.

This is supposition. Here, I know he is coming tomorrow (he's agreed to come), and I am just hypothesising an improbable future situation (our being in trouble). Of course we aren't going to be in trouble as he is coming.

Please correct me if I'm wrong,

The sentence didn't make sense then, and it doesn't make sense now. You can't say "he didn't come tomorrow", because tomorrow hasn't arrived.

Reread Cas's post.

[udara sankalpa]

By the way, would sombody mind showing me how to "quote" a section.

Thanks
Udara