remote probability and the unreal present
DESCRIPTION
The First Conditional contrasted with the Second Conditional, and the two meanings of the Second ConditionalTRANSCRIPT
Remote Probabilityand the
Unreal Present
consider
If Brazil wins the next World Cup, nobody will be surprised.
and
If I won the lottery,I’d buy a Ferrari.
what are the similarities?
If Brazil wins the next World Cup, nobody will be surprised.
If I won the lottery,I’d buy a Ferrari.
future possibility
If Brazil wins the next World Cup, nobody will be surprised.
If I won the lottery,I’d buy a Ferrari.
CONDITION (A)
RESULT (B)
If Brazil wins the next World Cup, nobody will be surprised.
If I won the lottery,I’d buy a Ferrari.
If A; B
what are the differences?
CONDITION (A):1. present simple2. past subjunctive
If Brazil wins the next World Cup, nobody will be surprised.
If I won the lottery,I’d buy a Ferrari.
RESULT (B):1. ‘will’ future2. conditional
If Brazil wins the next World Cup, nobody will be surprised.
If I won the lottery,I’d buy a Ferrari.
PastSimple
Past Subjunctive
Iwas were (was)
he / she / it
we
were wereyou
they
PastSimple
Past Subjunctive
Itookdidhadarrivedstudiedetc
tookdidhadarrivedstudiedetc
he / she / it
we
you
they
now consider
If John were rich,he’d buy a Ferrari.
If John were rich,he’d buy a Ferrari.
If I won the lottery,I’d buy a Ferrari.
If John were rich,he’d buy a Ferrari.
If I won the lottery,I’d buy a Ferrari.SAME
FORM:past subj.+conditional
If John were rich,he’d buy a Ferrari.
If I won the lottery,I’d buy a Ferrari.
future possibility
present impossibility
this is the‘unreal present’
it works like this
present fact I’m not president
1. +ive <-> -ive I’m president
2. go one tense back(past subjunctive)
I were president
3. add context If I were president, I’d raise …I wish (that) I were president
create unreal present sentences from these:
I’m not at the beach.I don’t have the right change.We have her phone number.She doesn’t speak perfect Japanese.You are helping me.I know the answer.He has to study hard.You aren’t here.They are here.This class is supremely intelligent.I drink, I smoke and I eat what I want.She doesn’t drink, she doesn’t smoke and she doesn’t eat meat.It’s Monday.I don’t come to university by bus.
summary
If you pour oil on water, it floats.
If Brazil wins, nobody will be surprised.
If I won the lottery, I’d buy a Ferrari.
If John were rich, he’d buy a Ferrari.
is this a sliding scale of probability?
e.g.
100% If you pour oil on water, it floats.
33-99% If Brazil wins, nobody will be surprised.
1-32% If I won the lottery, I’d buy a Ferrari.
0% If John were rich, he’d buy a Ferrari.
attractive idea
but WRONG
33-99%
This is difficult to calculate!
1-32%
grammar doesn’t work like this:
it works like this:
certain If you pour oil on water, it floats.
speaker sees as possible If Brazil wins, nobody will be surprised.
speaker sees as remote If I won the lottery, I’d buy a Ferrari.
impossible If John were rich, he’d buy a Ferrari.
zero conditional If you pour oil on water, it floats.
first conditional If Brazil wins, nobody will be surprised.
second conditional
If I won the lottery, I’d buy a Ferrari.
If John were rich, he’d buy a Ferrari.
TERMINOLOGY