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  1. #1
    wind Guest

    Default second conditional

    hi,
    a native speaker of english says :"you can't use would be able to in a second conditional. 'If I were taller, I would be able to play basketball.' is wrong", he says. Any comments?
    wind

  2. #2
    Mister Micawber's Avatar
    Mister Micawber is offline Key Member
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      • English Teacher
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      • English
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    Default Re: second conditional

    The native speaker has not explored the possibilities of the language.

    Conditional I:
    If I am in Los Angeles, I can play basketball.'
    If I am in Los Angeles, I will be able to play basketball.'

    Conditional II:
    'If I were taller, I could play basketball.'
    'If I were taller, I would be able to play basketball.'

    Conditional III:
    'If I had been taller, I could have played basketball.'
    'If I had been taller, I would have been able to play basketball.'

    I can find no flaw in this paradigm.

  3. #3
    wind Guest

    Default Re: second conditional

    thankyou for the answer
    wind

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