keannu
VIP Member
- Joined
- Dec 27, 2010
- Member Type
- Student or Learner
- Native Language
- Korean
- Home Country
- South Korea
- Current Location
- South Korea
Does the "cost" mean counterfactual present or unlikely future? When you see second conditional, how can you decide if it's counterfactual present or unlikely future? What is the criteria? I've posted similar questions, and I know it depends, so it's still hard to tell the difference.
Is it mostly "be" verbs for counterfactual present and "past tense" for unlikely future? I don't think so, but I'm not sure. This seems counterfactual present with "past tense".
ex)When choosing between two products, would you care if one cost $9.25 and the other cost $9.24? Most consumers won't worry about a single penny. But if the two prices are $9.99 and $10.00, chances are they will. That's because our brains tell us that one product costs $9 and the other costs $10.
Is it mostly "be" verbs for counterfactual present and "past tense" for unlikely future? I don't think so, but I'm not sure. This seems counterfactual present with "past tense".
ex)When choosing between two products, would you care if one cost $9.25 and the other cost $9.24? Most consumers won't worry about a single penny. But if the two prices are $9.99 and $10.00, chances are they will. That's because our brains tell us that one product costs $9 and the other costs $10.