1st and 2nd conditional

[Kontol]

If I'm as a commentator, which should I choose to use first conditional or second conditional? For example, there is a Manchester City vs Manchester United match today and I'm watching them.

If Manchester United win today, it will put them in 5th place.
If Manchester United won today, it would put them in 5th place.

 

[5jj]

Both are possible. The first suggests a more likely outcome.

 

[Kontol]

How do you know they're definitely going to win? Can you see into the future? I personally can't know for sure what will happen in the future. But you can.

Since I can't see into the future, I would probably use a second conditional because it's better for a hypothetical situation. The result hasn't be known.

 

[5jj]

How do you know they're definitely going to win?

I didn't say that. I said that the speaker of the first saw the outcome as more likely than the spealer of the second did.

Can you see into the future? I personally can't know for sure what will happen in the future. But you can.

Don't invent things.

Since I can't see into the future, I would probably use a second conditional because it's better for a hypothetical situation.

I don't see how it's 'better'.

 

[jutfrank]

It's much more likely that a commentator or a presenter would use a real conditional, i.e., sentence 1.

 

[Kontol]

It's much more likely that a commentator or a presenter would use a real conditional, i.e., sentence 1.

Before the game kicks off, I imagine the situation. Man Utd could win or lose or probabaly play out a draw, so it's hypothetical. The result hasn't been known yet. To predict something, it's appropriate with a second conditional. That's my point.

 

[5jj]

If Manchester United win today, it will put them in 5th place.

If, the first word in the sentence, tells us very clearly that we are dealing with a possibility.

The second conditional is used for a future possibility that is considered le likey or unlikely orcounterfactual, or a present counterfactual situation.

 

[5jj]

If Manchester United win today, it will put them in 5th place. Possible
If Manchester United beat their opponents by twelve goals today today, it woud be a league record. Theoretically possible, but etremely unlikely.

 

[Tarheel]

If I'm working as a commentator, which should I choose to use -- first conditional or second conditional? For example, there is a Manchester City vs Manchester United match today and I'm watching them.

If Manchester United win today, it will put them in 5th place.
If Manchester United won today, it would put them in 5th place.

The key word is "if". You know to a mathematical certainty that a win by ManU would put them in fifth place. So if they win they will be in fifth place.
.,,,,,,

 

[jutfrank]

Before the game kicks off, I imagine the situation. Man Utd could win or lose or probabaly play out a draw, so it's hypothetical. The result hasn't been known yet. To predict something, it's appropriate with a second conditional. That's my point.

The point is that a win for Manchester United is seen as a real possibility. It isn't merely hypothetical.

 

[Tarheel]

I don't know about British English in this regard, but here we would say the two teams played to a draw.

 

[Kontol]

That makes sense. Now the game is underway, then Manchester United scores in the second half in 53th minutes and put them 1-0 in the lead. In this case, do you still use the first conditional?

Man Utd 1-0 Liverpool
53 mins: If Manchester United win, it would take them up to fifth./ A win for Manchester United would take them up to fifth.

 

[Tarheel]

It's It's It's It's hard to know with certainty what I would say. However, I wouldn't quibble with either one.