it would cause disaster!

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Nathan Mckane

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Which one is correct?

I fixed the problem, or it would cause disaster.
I fixed the problem, or it would have caused disaster.

tnx
 

Amigos4

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Which one is correct?

I fixed the problem, or it would cause disaster.
I fixed the problem, or it would have caused disaster.

tnx
Which sentence do you think is correct? ;-)
 

Nathan Mckane

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I think the second one is correct, but I dont know why the first one is wrong!
 

crazYgeeK

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Neither is correct.
"I fixed the problem" so "It can't cause any disaster".
Your sentence should be "I will fix the problem or it will cause disaster".
Thanks
 

emsr2d2

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I got the impression that the problem had already been fixed:

I fixed the problem so that it wouldn't cause a disaster.
I fixed the problem so it didn't cause a disaster.

In both the sentences, "so" could be taken to mean "in order that" (that's the reason I fixed the problem) or "and as a consequence" (the result of my fixing the problem was that disaster was averted).
 

BobK

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:up: crazYgeeK can be forgiven for assuming the fix had not been done - the OP's use of 'or' was misleading. But a lot of native speakers do the same.

b
 

crazYgeeK

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I'm sorry but I don't understand what BobK said well, can any one please explain more for me ?
Am I wrong with my sentence?
Can any one correct it ?
Thank you very much !
 

BobK

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Your sentence is grammatical, but it doesn't mean what the OP was trying to say.

b
 

emsr2d2

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I'm sorry but I don't understand what BobK said well, can any one please explain more for me ?
Am I wrong with my sentence?
Can any one correct it ?
Thank you very much !

The OP's sentence clearly started with the past tense, showing that he had already fixed the problem. You then changed the whole thing to the future tense, completely changing the meaning.
 

crazYgeeK

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I only want to keep the structure like "clause 1 or clause 2" that our Nathan gave us. All of you has changed that structure although that change is the best way to express exactly the meaning.
Can I write "I fixed the problem or it would cause a disaster" ?
Please correct the Nathan's sentence without changing its structure ( using "or").
Sorry for the inconvenience.
Thank you very much !
 
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Nathan Mckane

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Ok I reckon that those two sentences were wrong, but what about these two?

I had to fix the problem, or it would cause disaster.
I had to fix the problem, or it would have caused disaster.
 

emsr2d2

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Ok I reckon that those two sentences were wrong, but what about these two?

I had to fix the problem, or it would cause disaster. Incorrect.
I had to fix the problem, or it would have caused disaster. Correct.

See above.
 
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Nathan Mckane

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You'd better mark them with correct and incorrect. I dont know which one is correct!
 

BobK

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I only want to keep the structure like "clause 1 or clause 2" that our Nathan gave us. All of you has changed that structure although that change is the best way to express exactly the meaning.
Can I write "I fixed the problem or it would cause a disaster" ? :cross:
Please correct the Nathan's sentence without changing its structure ( using "or").
Sorry for the inconvenience.
Thank you very much !

But that's impossible! See the latest posts to this thread for a new version.

b
 
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