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  #1 (permalink)  
Old 25-Jan-2005, 03:16
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jack
Default Mixed Conditionals

What do these mean?

1. If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have been in jail.
2. If it hadn't been you, I wouldn't have been in jail.

3. If it hadn't been for you, I wouldn't have been in jail. (Is 'for' incorrect here? Why?)

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Old 26-Jan-2005, 01:31
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Default Re: Mixed Conditionals

You need 'for' there, and in #2. There's little difference between 1 and 2. 2 follows the traditional grammar pattern, but 1 could be used when speaking to the person, especially if they haven't changed and you are still angry with them for sending you to jail.
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Old 26-Jan-2005, 09:29
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jack
Default Re: Mixed Conditionals

http://mthobby.pcperfect.com/ch601/chconstpages.htm

What do these mean?
1. If my skills in estimating and managing IT projects would have been that bad, I would have fired myself a few times... (What kind of conditional is this? Is it a mixed conditional?)
2. If my skills in estimating and managing IT projects had been that bad, I would have fired myself a few times... (Past Conditional?)
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Old 31-Jan-2005, 20:50
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Default Re: Mixed Conditionals

Quote:

1. If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have been in jail.
2. If it hadn't been for you, I wouldn't have been in jail.
The ones above are correct.

What about these ones? What do they mean? If they're not correct, why?

1. I could have made half a grand if they had it in stock. (If this is wrong, why? #1 is correct? Or does that type of mixed condtional only work sometimes?)
2. I could have made half a grand if they had got it in stock.
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Last edited by jack; 31-Jan-2005 at 20:57.
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Old 01-Feb-2005, 01:31
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Default Re: Mixed Conditionals

I'd say 'if they'd had it in stock' (had had)
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Old 01-Mar-2005, 08:14
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Default Re: Mixed Conditionals

Quote:
2. I could have made half a grand if they had got it in stock.
I still don't really understand why the one above is wrong. Could you explain it to me? Is that past perfect+past Perfect? Thanks.
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