If - Future or Present?

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Nightmare85

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Hello guys,
Sometimes I ask myself if I should use Future or Present in such sentences.
Before I tell you my examples, I would like to say that it's not a "conditional-if".
"If... then" - not in this case.

P1: My sister said she would come today.
P2: Okay, let's see if she comes.

P2: Okay, let's see if she will come.

P1: I bought a new motorcycle that should reach 300 km/h.
P2: Let me try out if it reaches 300 km/h.
P2: Let me try out if it will reach 300 km/h.


I prefer the Present versions.

Cheers!
 

Leandro-Z

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I would rather prefer the simple present, too. It has to do with something that you do not know. However, as you have evidence, you can consider it as a fact... In conclusion, in these case, is better to use the Simple Present.

Good Luck...
 

Abstract Idea

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----- I am not an ESL teacher -----

Hello guys,
Sometimes I ask myself if I should use Future or Present in such sentences.
Before I tell you my examples, I would like to say that it's not a "conditional-if".
"If... then" - not in this case.

P1: My sister said she would come today.
P2: Okay, let's see if she comes.

P2: Okay, let's see if she will come.

P1: I bought a new motorcycle that should reach 300 km/h.
P2: Let me try out if it reaches 300 km/h.
P2: Let me try out if it will reach 300 km/h.


I prefer the Present versions.

Cheers!

Yes, both versions are correct but the present tense ones look better.

Regarding the future tense versions, using 'whether' instead of 'if' might improve the sentences a little bit. For instance: "Okay, let's see whether she will come (or not)."
"Let me try it out to check whether it will really achieve that speed."
 

Raymott

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Hello guys,
Sometimes I ask myself if I should use Future or Present in such sentences.
Before I tell you my examples, I would like to say that it's not a "conditional-if".
"If... then" - not in this case.

P1: My sister said she would come today.
P2: Okay, let's see if she comes.

P2: Okay, let's see if she will come.

P1: I bought a new motorcycle that should reach 300 km/h.
P2: Let me try out if it reaches 300 km/h.
P2: Let me try out if it will reach 300 km/h.


I prefer the Present versions.

Cheers!
The first P2 of the first set is OK. If you want to intensify it, you'd say "Let's see if she does come".

"Let's see" is very common, and could be used for both P2s in the second example.
The sense is a bit different here. It means "Let's see if it can do 300km/h". In this case, you can use "can" or "will"
"Let's see if it reaches 300km/h." OK, so you're sitting on the bike at the start of the drag strip, and you say,
"Ok, let's see if it will do 300km/h!" as an intensifier. Then you gun the throttle.
 

sarat_106

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Hello guys,
Sometimes I ask myself if I should use Future or Present in such sentences.
Before I tell you my examples, I would like to say that it's not a "conditional-if".
"If... then" - not in this case.

P1: My sister said she would come today.
P2: Okay, let's see if she comes.:tick:
P2: Okay, let's see if she will come.

P1: I bought a new motorcycle that should reach 300 km/h.
P2: Let me try out if it reaches 300 km/h.:tick:
P2: Let me try out if it will reach 300 km/h.:tick:

I prefer the Present versions.

Cheers!

‘If’ is generally used to indicate suppositions (that often involves doubt or uncertainty) or hypothetical conditions. A supposition clause introduced by ‘if’ as a conjunction, which is indicative of doubt, is not a condition but implies whether or not. In such situations the tense of the verb of the if clause is dependent on the verb of the main clause. As:
§ I don't care if he likes it or not – ( both simple present)
§ Let me see if I can understand this correctly. (present simple and present capability)
§ Mrs John rang half an hour ago to know if her report was ready. (both Simple past)
§ I was wondering if you'd like to come to the function this evening? (past continuous and future pissibility)

When you use ‘Let me’ it means to allow something to happen according to its capability (second example). So in that case, both present simple and modal can are possible, though “will future” is not wrong.
 
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