The children would never be scolded ...

[Anna232]

This example is from my book English Grammar Practice by L. G. Alexander

"The children were never scolded if they (do) what they were told." (so long as)
The correct version is "The children were never scolded so long as they did what they were told." Can I use "The children would never be scolded so long as they did what they were told?" Can I use future in the past?

 

[Annabel Lee]

Can I use "The children would never be scolded so long as they did what they were told?" Can I use future in the past?

The sentence is OK, but would never be scolded is not the "future in the past." It features the past-habitual usage of would.

 

[Tarheel]

Perhaps:

The children were never scolded as long as they did what they were told.

What's the reason for saying that?

 

[jutfrank]

Can I use "The children would never be scolded so long as they did what they were told?"

Very probably not, no, but it's impossible to say for sure unless you show us what the exact instructions are.

 

[Anna232]

Very probably not, no, but it's impossible to say for sure unless you show us what the exact instructions are.

I tried to change the sentence myself. I was windering if it would work. The instruction is to use "as long as."

 

[emsr2d2]

I tried to change the sentence myself. I was wondering if it would work. The instruction is to use "as long as."

If the instruction is to use "as long as" (which is not what post #1 suggests), I don't understand why it gives the correct answer as "so long as"!

 

[Anna232]

If the instruction is to use "as long as" (which is not what post #1 suggests), I don't understand why it gives the correct answer as "so long as"!

No, it gives "so long as" as the correct answer.

 

[emsr2d2]

No, it gives "so long as" as the correct answer.

That's not what you said in post #5, hence the confusion.