If your colleague is reading a memo that is/was being...

[NAL123]

The first answer here uses a second conditional:

1) If your colleague were reading a memo that was being passed around the office, then you might say, "I won't be reading it."

If you were to write the exact same thing in a first conditional format, how would you do it? Like this?

2) If your colleague is reading a memo that is being passed around the office, then you may/might say, "I won't be reading it."

Or

3) If your colleague is reading a memo that was being passed around the office, then you may/might say, "I won't be reading it."

I mean, what tense would you use in the relative clause: present tense or past tense?

(I ask this to understand the use of "was" in the original sentence (1))

 

[jutfrank]

I'm not sure I understand the question properly. Are you trying to understand the meaning or the grammar?

The idea is that the memo is being passed around at the moment when you come in. Is that what you're unclear about?

Or are you wondering why the original doesn't use were?

 

[NAL123]

Are you trying to understand the meaning or the grammar?

Both!

The idea is that the memo is being passed around at the moment when you come in.

You mean the memo continues to be passed at the time the colleague gets it?

are you wondering why the original doesn't use were?

Actually this is what I wanted to ask. Can I use "were" in place of "was"?

If your colleague were reading a memo that were being passed around the office, then you might say, "I won't be reading it."

 

[jutfrank]

You mean the memo continues to be passed at the time the colleague gets it?

Yes.

Can I use "were" in place of "was"?

Yes.