[Grammar] Tense concordance

Status
Not open for further replies.

Fullblooded

Member
Joined
Aug 20, 2015
Member Type
Teacher (Other)
Native Language
French
Home Country
Canada
Current Location
Canada
I'm uneasy with a sentence I happened to use lately. The sentence is:
«How can I be sure that I'll get my refund if I withdrew my claim?»

Is the future («I'll get») correct? I don't see why it wouldn't be. Or should I prefer: «...sure that I would get (I'd get) my...»? It sounds awkward or stilted.

My real problem is with «if + ....». I won't withdraw my claim. It's not a possibility.
So it's not like saying:
I'll get my refund when/if I withdraw (present) my claim. I'll get my money when/if I go to the bank.

So I wrote: «if I withdrew». Like in: I'd be happy if I won 1000$.
But is it correct after the future «I'll get»?
 

Rover_KE

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jun 20, 2010
Member Type
Retired English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
England
Current Location
England
Welcome to the forum, Fullblooded.

These are correct:

'How can I be sure that I'll get my refund if I withdraw my claim?'

'How can I be sure that I'd get my refund if I withdrew my claim?'
 

MikeNewYork

VIP Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2002
Member Type
Academic
Native Language
American English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
I would go with Rover's answer on this one.
 

Tdol

No Longer With Us (RIP)
Staff member
Joined
Nov 13, 2002
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
Japan
It depends on the context, which is not given. Has the person already withdrawn their claim? If so, then Piscean's statement works. However, and more likely to me without more context, if this is not the case, there is a problem and Rover's sentences are correct. In this case, it is a question of the probability of withdrawing the claim- if it is reasonably likely, then wlll/withdraw is right, and if it is unlikely then would/withdrew is correct.
 

Fullblooded

Member
Joined
Aug 20, 2015
Member Type
Teacher (Other)
Native Language
French
Home Country
Canada
Current Location
Canada
All these answers are very enlightening (and enlightened while I'm at it). Thanks to the three of you.
The context would be: I can't withdraw my claim, because, should I do so, I'll lose my bargaining power. So I won't withdraw my claim.
I guess I should have said more correctly:
'How can I be sure that I'd get my refund if I withdrew my claim?'. Or maybe: 'How can I be sure that I'll get my refund if I should withdraw my claim?' would've reflected more accurately what I had in mind. I'm a HUGE fan of all these intricacies. What do you think?
 
Last edited:

MikeNewYork

VIP Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2002
Member Type
Academic
Native Language
American English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
"I'm a very fan" is missing a word. Do you see it?
 

Fullblooded

Member
Joined
Aug 20, 2015
Member Type
Teacher (Other)
Native Language
French
Home Country
Canada
Current Location
Canada
Thanks. I edited it.
 

Polyester

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 29, 2014
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
Chinese
Home Country
China
Current Location
China
Welcome to the forum, Fullblooded.

These are correct:

'How can I be sure that I'll get my refund if I withdraw my claim?'

'How can I be sure that I'd get my refund if I withdrew my claim?'
withdraw= present tenses?
withdrew=past tenses?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top