Conditional or subjunctive:

[hela]

Dear teachers,

1) What is the difference between:

a) If you fail, don’t be / get discouraged.
b) If you should fail, don’t be / get (?) discouraged.
c) If you were to fail, don’t be / get discouraged.

(Is the second part of my sentence correct? If not would you please give me a better example?)

2) Do the following sentences have the same meaning?

a) If I met him, I would tell him what to do.
b) If I should meet / meet him (or both?), I would tell him what to do.
c) If I were to meet him, I would tell him what to do.

Thank you very much for answering my questions.
Best regards,
Hela

 

[Tdol]

1) What is the difference between:

a) If you fail, don’t be / get discouraged.
b) If you should fail, don’t be / get (?) discouraged.
c) If you were to fail, don’t be / get discouraged.
a- reasonable chance
b- small chance
c- very remote chance

a) If I met him, I would tell him what to do.
b) If I should meet / meet him (or both?), I would tell him what to do.
c) If I were to meet him, I would tell him what to do.
a- unlikely
b- not very likely (should)\possible (meet)
c very remote
;-)

 

[hela]

1) What is the difference between:

a) If you fail, don’t be / get discouraged.
b) If you should fail, don’t be / get (?) discouraged.
c) If you were to fail, don’t be / get discouraged.
a- reasonable chance
b- small chance
c- very remote chance

a) If I met him, I would tell him what to do.
b) If I should meet / meet him (or both?), I would tell him what to do.
c) If I were to meet him, I would tell him what to do.
a- unlikely
b- not very likely (should)\possible (meet)
c very remote
;-)

Dear teacher,

What you mean by "very remote chance" is it that I have hardly any chance to fail or to meet him?

Many thanks,
Hela

 

[Tdol]

Hardly any chance of meeting him.;-)

 

[kfredson]

I can appreciate what the respondent is saying, but my own take on these is there is no fundamental difference among the three sentences. You might choose one or the other in a different situation, but the difference is very subtle. In practice, they mean roughly the same thing and do not, in my estimation, imply a greater or lesser likelihood that the action will take place. I hope that is useful.