[Grammar] would use

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vidplaylist

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Hi guys,
"Gareth Bale would listen to an offer from Real Madrid if they agreed a fee with Tottenham, according to his agent."
BBC Sport - Gareth Bale would listen to Real Madrid offer, says agent
I know this sentence is a future unreal conditional sentence. Because in the sentence, if clause has simple past and resultant clause has would+base form.
I am struggling a bit with determine future real and unreal condition. Could anyone explain why we are classifying it as unreal.
Thanks,
Vid
 
bhaisahab

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vidplaylist said:
Hi guys,
"Gareth Bale would listen to an offer from Real Madrid if they agreed a fee with Tottenham, according to his agent."
BBC Sport - Gareth Bale would listen to Real Madrid offer, says agent
I know this sentence is a future unreal conditional sentence. Because in the sentence, if clause has simple past and resultant clause has would+base form.
I am struggling a bit with determine future real and unreal condition. Could anyone explain why we are classifying it as unreal.
Thanks,
Vid
Click to expand...

"Gareth Bale would listen to an offer from Real Madrid if they agreed a fee with Tottenham, according to his agent."
This is not an "unreal" conditional. It is a "type 1/first" conditional. It's possible that Gareth Bale will listen to an offer, if certain conditions are met.
 
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vidplaylist

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bhaisahab said:
"Gareth Bale would listen to an offer from Real Madrid if they agreed a fee with Tottenham, according to his agent."
This is not an "unreal" conditional. It is a "type 1/first" conditional. It's possible that Gareth Bale will listen to an offer, if certain conditions are met.
Click to expand...

Then why is this sentence using would in the resultant clause.
 
Barb_D

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The back-shifting of sense in reported speech.

I said, "If you build it, they will come."

She said that if you built it, they would come.
 
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vidplaylist

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Barb_D said:
The back-shifting of sense in reported speech.

I said, "If you build it, they will come."

She said that if you built it, they could come.
Click to expand...
Then what I understand would is the past form of will( would use for future in past)
 
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bhaisahab said:
"Gareth Bale would listen to an offer from Real Madrid if they agreed a fee with Tottenham, according to his agent."
This is not an "unreal" conditional. It is a "type 1/first" conditional. It's possible that Gareth Bale will listen to an offer, if certain conditions are met.
Click to expand...

Could you please confirm that the use of would is the past form of will (use of future in past)?
 
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Barb_D, sorry, but I don't understand the message above.
Can I say: "She said that if you built it, they would come" ? Is it correct?
 
Barb_D

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Nicklexoxo said:
Barb_D, sorry, but I don't understand the message above.
Can I say: "She said that if you built it, they would come" ? Is it correct?
Click to expand...

Do you think I posted it as an example of incorrect grammar?
 
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I just asked, sorry if I have offended you.

I think it because Will have an another form in past tense:

Presentwill
Pastwould

But Barb_D wrote the another verb "could".
Therefore, I have asked.

Did you get angry with me?
 
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emsr2d2

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Barb_D

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I must apologize. I did indeed end up posting the wrong word thanks to the always helpful (!) auto correct on my phone. The word should have been "would" but I must have hit the wrong key and it changed it to "could" without my notice. I apologize that my mistake created this confusion. I knew what it was supposed to be so that's what I saw.
 
emsr2d2

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And as proof that native speakers tend to see what they expect to see, I read it as "If you built it, they would come" at least three times before noticing the typo.
 
bhaisahab

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emsr2d2 said:
And as proof that native speakers tend to see what they expect to see, I read it as "If you built it, they would come" at least three times before noticing the typo.
Click to expand...

So did I.
 
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