[Grammar] If you listened to me, you wouldn't make mistakes.

[sky3120]

No wonder that one of the hardest parts in English grammar is "Subjunctive Mood"!! Please, help me again.

Could you tell me any difference in meaning and any reason why speakers say this sentence?

1. If you listened to me, you wouldn't make mistakes.

2. If you listen to me, you will not make mistakes.

Although I have hit a lot of books for this question, I have just been more confused now. And I have used #2 mostly. I do not know when I have to use #1 and why.


Then, Thank you for your time all the time in advance.

 

[5jj]

1. If you listened to me, you wouldn't make mistakes.
The speaker is talking about a hypothetical situation. 'You' do not listen to 'me' at the moment, and/or are unlikely to in the future.

2. If you listen to me, you will not make mistakes.
The speaker is talking about a possible future situation. This may happen.

For future situations, you have two possibilities, as we see in these examples about a different situation.

If it rains tomorrow, I won't have to water the garden. The speaker suggests that there is a real possibility of rain.
If it rained tomorrow, I wouldn't have to water the garden The speaker sees the possibility of rain as being more remote.

In present situations, we also have two possibilities.
If it is raining now, I won't have to water the garden this afternoon.. The speaker does not know whether it is raining or not. (S/he is presumably indoors).
If it were raining now, I wouldn't be watering the garden. It is raining, and the speaker is watering the garden.

There are several articles on conditional sentences here.

 

[keen learner]

For future situations, you have two possibilities, as we see in these examples about a different situation.

If it rains tomorrow, I won't have to water the garden. The speaker suggests that there is a real possibility of rain.
If it rained tomorrow, I wouldn't have to water the garden The speaker sees the possiblity of rain as being more remote.

In present situations, we also have two possibilities.
If it is raining now, I won't have to water the garden this afternoon.. The speaker does not know whether it is raining or not. (S/he is presumably indoors).
If it were raining now, I wouldn't be watering the garden. It is not raining, and the speaker is watering the garden.

There are several articles on conditional sentences here.

"It is or isn't raining." Please clarify.

 

[5jj]

My apologies. I accidentally left out a not in my original response.

In order not to confuse others, I have corrected this in my original, and in your quotation of it.