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ESL forum >
Ask for help > second conditional
second conditional
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henry2001
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second conditional
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Without the invention of the telephone, we cannot talk to each other so easily whenever we want.
→If ___________________________________________________________________
If the telephone weren�t invented, we couldn�t talk to each other so easily whenever we wanted.
or
If the telephone were invented, we could talk to each other so easily whenever we wanted.
wht is right? Thanks a lot! |
7 Apr 2024
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spinney
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For me, If the telephone were not invented we would not be able to talk to each other so easily whenever we wanted (to). Well, it sounds better to me like this, anyway. |
11 Apr 2024
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FrauSue
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If the telephone hadn�t (or: had never) been invented, we wouldn�t be able to talk to each other whenever we wanted. If the telephone hadn�t (or: had never) been invented, we wouldn�t be able to talk to each other so easily. |
12 Apr 2024
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haska7
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I would re-write it as such, "Without the invention of the telephone, we wouldn�t be able to talk to each other as easily."
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17 Apr 2024
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spinney
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To be fair, this has spurned me on to make another worksheet but on mixed conditionals, after seeing the excellent example by FrauSue. I have not seen much on mixed conditionals in the grammar books, but in this case, I think hers would be the most used, although the example by haska7 would get said, too. |
18 Apr 2024
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jannabanna
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Yes, but Henry 2001 needed a sentence starting with IF, so I agree with FrauSue and that�s what I would have said as a native Brit.
You�ll find a lot of worksheets, PPTs and online exercises on conditionals on this site. I have several myself.
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28 Apr 2024
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MilyRose
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The correct sentence would be: "If the telephone weren�t invented, we couldn�t talk to each other so easily whenever we wanted. what is digital decluttering This is because you�re talking about a hypothetical situation where the telephone was not invented, so you use "weren�t" to indicate the subjunctive mood.
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30 Apr 2024
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