Are these sentences natural? October 5

musicgold said:

Hi,

Are the following sentences natural to a native ear?

1. I would appreciate it if you gave me some headsup on your travel plan. Depends on what you mean. You used future possibility (would) with simple past (gave). You could say, "I would have appreciated it if you had given (OR "gave" would be OK) me some headsup.......", meaning the person never notified you of their travel plan and you would have liked to have known about it. OR "I would appreciate it if you would give me some headsup.....", meaning you would expect info on their plan and the travel hasn't occurred yet.

2. Without getting stuck in Cliché, I would just call it the way it is. (I expressed my opinion on what should be the title of a news item) OK

3. What time will that be? ( some one said they would call me after they landed at an airport, so I asked that question) OK

Thanks,
MG.

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fivejedjon said:

1. I would appreciate it if you gave me some headsup on your travel plan. Depends on what you mean. You used future possibility (would) with simple past (gave). You could say, "I would have appreciated it if you had given (OR "gave" would be OK) me some headsup.......", meaning the person never notified you of their travel plan and you would have liked to have known about it. OR "I would appreciate it if you would give me some headsup.....", meaning you would expect info on their plan and the travel hasn't occurred yet.

musicgold's tense usage is correct in BrE and, as far as I know, in AmE. It is a second conditional sentence expressing a diffident request.

'I would have appreciated it if you had given ... " is a correct third conditional expression, denoting a past counterfactual situation.

'I would have appreciated it if you gave...' is incorrect.

'I would appreciate it if you would give me ..' is, despite what some books say, acceptable.

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