If I want to ask someone whether he will do something...

[Heidi L]

Dear friends,

If I want to ask someone whether they will do something, is it appropriate to say 'would you ever...' ?

Specifically, 'would you ever consider being a zookeeper?' is to ask someone if he/she would consider being a zookeeper someday in the future?

If someone asked, "would you ever drive a car if you had forgotten your license at home?", is there anything wrong with this sentence?

Thank you!

 

[Barb_D]

Those sentences are fine, if you start them with a capital letter.

I like the large font but other people may ask you to use a smaller font when posting here.

(And yes, I have driven with my driver's license at home.)

 

[tzfujimino]

(And yes, I have driven with my driver's license at home.)

:shock:

 

[SoothingDave]

I have my number memorized, so they could always look it up on the police computer.

 

[Barb_D]

:shock:

Have you never forgotten your wallet at home? Have you never left something in the pocket of your jeans and forgot to put it back in your wallet? I have.

 

[Rover_KE]

In BE we say 'I left my driving licence at home'.

In the UK there is no legal requirement to carry your licence when driving. If required by a police officer you can produce it at a police station within three days.

Heidi, your question should read 'If I want to ask someone whether he would do something...'

 

[Roman55]

I am not a teacher.

Being British I have never got out of the habit of leaving my driving licence at home.

It drives my French wife mad, but what can you do? I've only been required to produce it on two occasions in 25 years.

 

[Heidi L]

Thanks for sharing. I've never got any driving experience.

I was hoping that you would analyze the sentence 'Would you ever drive a car if you had forgotten your licence at home?' for me.

Is it asking about whether you would drive a car if you forgot your licence at home? If so, why bother using 'if you had forgotten'?

My second question is about the meaning of 'Would you ever consider being a zookeeper?'.

Is it asking that whether you would consider being a zookeeper someday in the future?

Thank you!

 

[Raymott]

Thanks for sharing. I've never got any driving experience.

I was hoping that you would analyze the sentence 'Would you ever drive a car if you had forgotten your licence at home?' for me.

Is it asking about whether you would drive a car if you forgot your licence at home? If so, why bother using 'if you had forgotten'?
Most of us would never say, "... if you forgot (or had forgotten) your licence at home." I'm surprised Barb considers it normal. "Had forgotten is the past perfect tense of 'forgot'. Are you asking why we should use "had forgotten" instead of 'forgot'? The past perfect is the preferable form, ie. "Would you ever drive a car if you had left your licence at home?" (Note that 'left' is both the past tense and the past participle of 'leave'.

My second question is about the meaning of 'Would you ever consider being a zookeeper?'.

Is it asking [STRIKE]that[/STRIKE] whether you would consider being a zookeeper someday in the future?

Thank you!

To your second question the answer is "Yes, it has to be". It makes no sense to ask "Would you ever consider being a zookeeper sometime in the past?" The correct sentence for the past is "Have you ever considered being a zookeeper?"
But there are some subtleties, such as "Have you ever (in the past) considered being a zookeeper (in the future)?"

 

[Heidi L]

Most of us would never say, "... if you forgot (or had forgotten) your licence at home."

Are you saying that you would use the verb 'left' (or had left) rather than 'forgot' (or had forgotten) in that question, or you would never use the past tense ( or the past perfect)?

Are you asking why we should use "had forgotten" instead of 'forgot'? The past perfect is the preferable form, ie. "Would you ever drive a car if you had left your licence at home?"

Is that to say, "Would you ever drive a car if you HAD left your licence at home?" implying "Would you ever drive a car (future in the past) if you had left (in the past) your licence at home?"

If I want to ask someone if he's going to donate some money to a charity (in the future) if he wins a lottery (in the future), is the correct version "Would you ever donate some money to a charity if you win a lottery?"?

 

[emsr2d2]

Would you donate money to charity if you [ever] won the lottery?

 

[Ali Hsn]

Hello!

*I AM NOT A TEACHER OR NATIVE.*

... If I want to ask someone if he's going to donate some money to a charity (in the future) if he wins a lottery (in the future), is the correct version "Would you ever donate some money to a charity if you win a lottery?"?

In my opinion, since both of the clauses refer to the future, grammatically we should use the first conditional form:
"Will you ever donate some money to a charity if you win a lottery?"

 

[MikeNewYork]

I disagree. A second conditional is used for hypothetical situations. It also applies to the future. In a case such as this, since winning the lottery is unlikely, I think the second conditional is more appropriate.

 

[Heidi L]

Would you donate money to charity if you [ever] won the lottery?

So this is referring to a future imaginary situation? If you won the lottery (in the future), would you donate money to charity?

What is the relationship in time when someone says "Would you donate money to charity if you had won the lottery?"?

But first I think I need to know if that question is a good English?

 

[Heidi L]

I disagree. A second conditional is used for hypothetical situations. It also applies to the future.

Regarding to my first question, I think Mike has given the answer.

What about the past perfect version? Is it a good English? ("Would you donate money to charity if you had won the lottery?")

 

[MikeNewYork]

With "had won the lottery" that refers to a time in the past before something else happened in the past.

Would you have donated money to charity if you had won the lottery?

 

[Heidi L]

Would you say "Would you EVER have donated money to charity if you had won the lottery?

 

[MikeNewYork]

Yes, that works.

 

[Heidi L]

Do you prefer "Would you ever drive a car if you left your licence at home?" over "Would you ever drive a car if you had left your licence at home?" when referring to a present or future imaginary situation?

 

[MikeNewYork]

I would accept either, but I prefer "had left".