Conditional

[rewboss]

For a bonus, can you explain why?

[Raguilli]

It's the rule:
I f the verb of the main clause is in the past simple, the verb of the IF-clause is in the conditional
If the verb of the main clause is in the present simple, the verb of the If-clause is in the future
If the verb of the main clause is in the past perfect, the If-clause is in the perfect conditional

[Tdol]

How about this:
If he would only eat better, he wouldn't have so many health problems.
or

[Raguilli]

This is ZERO' conditional, just like:
If you press the blue button, the machine goes faster. The same tense in the main and the If-clauses.

[riverkid]

How about this:
If he would only eat better, he wouldn't have so many health problems.
or

[Tdol]

But it doesn't work for me with the poll sentence.

[Tdol]

This is ZERO' conditional, just like:
If you press the blue button, the machine goes faster. The same tense in the main and the If-clauses.

I would not say that it is the same as a zero conditional.

[Humble]

You would is ok but I would isn't after if.

[rewboss]

Hint: In Tdol's sentence, there are two very different uses of the word "would".

[riverkid]

But it doesn't work for me with the poll sentence.

No, you're right, Tdol, it doesn't work for the poll sentence. But IMO, that isn't a grammatical issue; it's a semantic issue.