KEN JPN
Junior Member
- Joined
- May 27, 2012
- Member Type
- Retired English Teacher
- Native Language
- Japanese
- Home Country
- Japan
- Current Location
- Philippines
Question about Conditional.
1, If you be late for the meeting, please call me.
2, If you are late for the meeting, please call me.
3, If you will be late for the meeting, please call me.
Grammatically speaking, the sentence (1) is perfectly correct, but it sounds literal, too formal or classical maybe.
In the Modern English, the sentence (2) is generally used for the meaning of (1), even though "you ARE" is not a conditional mood but is used to that meaning.
In usual grammar books, only (1) and (2) are explained as correct expressions.
Using "will" in a conditional clause meaning future, those books say "present sense is used without WILL, except it means the WILL of the subject"
Example: "If you will (=mean to, really want to) do it, I won't stop any more."
However, in business English, the sentence (3) is very often seen.
Actually, when (3) is used, it might sound even rude to use (2).
Please explain the difference between these sentences.
Thank you in advance.
1, If you be late for the meeting, please call me.
2, If you are late for the meeting, please call me.
3, If you will be late for the meeting, please call me.
Grammatically speaking, the sentence (1) is perfectly correct, but it sounds literal, too formal or classical maybe.
In the Modern English, the sentence (2) is generally used for the meaning of (1), even though "you ARE" is not a conditional mood but is used to that meaning.
In usual grammar books, only (1) and (2) are explained as correct expressions.
Using "will" in a conditional clause meaning future, those books say "present sense is used without WILL, except it means the WILL of the subject"
Example: "If you will (=mean to, really want to) do it, I won't stop any more."
However, in business English, the sentence (3) is very often seen.
Actually, when (3) is used, it might sound even rude to use (2).
Please explain the difference between these sentences.
Thank you in advance.