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"If + would" conditional in present perfect tense

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“If + would” conditional in present perfect tense

Explaining the Second Conditional and the Third Conditional in a “logical” way“if” conditional with present perfect tense that could be realDoes the past perfect tense make sense in this sentence? “Sent from an ”is“ to a ”was“ before he'd had his breakfast.”Present perfect continues tensePresent simple and perfect tense in the first conditionalPresent perfect with past perfect and past simplePresent perfect tense and present continous tenseUsage of “simple past” and “present perfect”Turning a subjunctive dependent content clause into a past tenseCan "if + past simple be used in not conditional meaning?

2

Is it allowed to use the "if + would" conditional when speculating about a polite request that could have taken place in past? I know that the would structure can be used to make a polite request, but can it be used for making one in the past as well?

Example: If he would have told me what he wanted for lunch, I would have cooked it for him.

Also, may I use this construction in the past perfect tense?

Example: If he "would had told" me what he wanted for lunch, I would have cooked it for him.

grammar sequence-of-tenses

share|improve this question

asked 1 hour ago

RareRare

726

add a comment | 

2

Is it allowed to use the "if + would" conditional when speculating about a polite request that could have taken place in past? I know that the would structure can be used to make a polite request, but can it be used for making one in the past as well?

Example: If he would have told me what he wanted for lunch, I would have cooked it for him.

Also, may I use this construction in the past perfect tense?

Example: If he "would had told" me what he wanted for lunch, I would have cooked it for him.

grammar sequence-of-tenses

share|improve this question

asked 1 hour ago

RareRare

726

add a comment | 

Is it allowed to use the "if + would" conditional when speculating about a polite request that could have taken place in past? I know that the would structure can be used to make a polite request, but can it be used for making one in the past as well?

Example: If he would have told me what he wanted for lunch, I would have cooked it for him.

Also, may I use this construction in the past perfect tense?

Example: If he "would had told" me what he wanted for lunch, I would have cooked it for him.

grammar sequence-of-tenses

share|improve this question

asked 1 hour ago

RareRare

726

share|improve this question

asked 1 hour ago

RareRare

726

share|improve this question

asked 1 hour ago

RareRare

726

asked 1 hour ago

RareRare

726

asked 1 hour ago

RareRare

726

4 Answers
4

active

oldest

votes

1

There is nothing wrong with this:

✔ If he would have told me what he wanted for lunch, I would have cooked it for him.

However, it's a bit more common for it to be phrased this way:

✔ If he had told me what he wanted for lunch, I would have cooked it for him.

---

On the other hand, the combination of both would and had does not work:

✘ If he would had told me what he wanted for lunch, I would have cooked it for him.

share|improve this answer

answered 45 mins ago

Jason BassfordJason Bassford

15.9k22237

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  But what about the construction: "If Robert wasn't so lazy he could have been promoted." And also: "If Robert wasn't so lazy he will be promoted." Are the tenses in the second clause interchangeable? Is it allowed to use them in this form?
  
  – Rare
  16 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Idiomatically, your first sentence is fine. Technically speaking (according to traditional grammar) it should be If Robert weren't so lazy he could have been promoted. Your second sentence should be rephrased: Robert would be promoted if he weren't so lazy.
  
  – Jason Bassford
  15 mins ago
  
  
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

1

If he would had told me is considered grammatically incorrect. The first example you showed is right.

share|improve this answer

answered 51 mins ago

JeefJeef

576

New contributor

Jeef is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

add a comment | 

1

First example:

✔ Correct

Second example:

✖ Incorrect

Either having had without would, or having have with would are both correct,

Can't mix those to up!

share|improve this answer

answered 35 mins ago

U9-ForwardU9-Forward

1806

add a comment | 

-1

"will" and "would" can be used in conditional clauses when a polite request is implied (the examples are taken from here):

• If you 'll just fill in this form before you go, you can hand it in to reception.




• If you would take a seat, the doctor will see you in five minutes.

However, strictly speaking, this cannot be the case of a counterfactual conditional sentence in which both the condition and the result are set in the past.

In the Cambridge Dictionary, we find this reference:

We use would have + -ed in the main clause, not in the conditional clause:

If he had stayed in the same room as Dave, it would have been a disaster.

Not: If he would have stayed … it would have been a disaster.

People do sometimes use the form with "would have" in informal speaking, but many speakers consider it incorrect.

share|improve this answer

answered 12 mins ago

GustavsonGustavson

2,828311

add a comment | 

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1

There is nothing wrong with this:

✔ If he would have told me what he wanted for lunch, I would have cooked it for him.

However, it's a bit more common for it to be phrased this way:

✔ If he had told me what he wanted for lunch, I would have cooked it for him.

---

On the other hand, the combination of both would and had does not work:

✘ If he would had told me what he wanted for lunch, I would have cooked it for him.

share|improve this answer

answered 45 mins ago

Jason BassfordJason Bassford

15.9k22237

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  But what about the construction: "If Robert wasn't so lazy he could have been promoted." And also: "If Robert wasn't so lazy he will be promoted." Are the tenses in the second clause interchangeable? Is it allowed to use them in this form?
  
  – Rare
  16 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Idiomatically, your first sentence is fine. Technically speaking (according to traditional grammar) it should be If Robert weren't so lazy he could have been promoted. Your second sentence should be rephrased: Robert would be promoted if he weren't so lazy.
  
  – Jason Bassford
  15 mins ago
  
  
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

1

There is nothing wrong with this:

✔ If he would have told me what he wanted for lunch, I would have cooked it for him.

However, it's a bit more common for it to be phrased this way:

✔ If he had told me what he wanted for lunch, I would have cooked it for him.

---

On the other hand, the combination of both would and had does not work:

✘ If he would had told me what he wanted for lunch, I would have cooked it for him.

share|improve this answer

answered 45 mins ago

Jason BassfordJason Bassford

15.9k22237

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  But what about the construction: "If Robert wasn't so lazy he could have been promoted." And also: "If Robert wasn't so lazy he will be promoted." Are the tenses in the second clause interchangeable? Is it allowed to use them in this form?
  
  – Rare
  16 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Idiomatically, your first sentence is fine. Technically speaking (according to traditional grammar) it should be If Robert weren't so lazy he could have been promoted. Your second sentence should be rephrased: Robert would be promoted if he weren't so lazy.
  
  – Jason Bassford
  15 mins ago
  
  
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

There is nothing wrong with this:

✔ If he would have told me what he wanted for lunch, I would have cooked it for him.

However, it's a bit more common for it to be phrased this way:

✔ If he had told me what he wanted for lunch, I would have cooked it for him.

---

On the other hand, the combination of both would and had does not work:

✘ If he would had told me what he wanted for lunch, I would have cooked it for him.

share|improve this answer

answered 45 mins ago

Jason BassfordJason Bassford

15.9k22237

share|improve this answer

answered 45 mins ago

Jason BassfordJason Bassford

15.9k22237

answered 45 mins ago

Jason BassfordJason Bassford

15.9k22237

answered 45 mins ago

Jason BassfordJason Bassford

15.9k22237

1

If he would had told me is considered grammatically incorrect. The first example you showed is right.

share|improve this answer

answered 51 mins ago

JeefJeef

576

New contributor

Jeef is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

add a comment | 

1

If he would had told me is considered grammatically incorrect. The first example you showed is right.

share|improve this answer

answered 51 mins ago

JeefJeef

576

New contributor

Jeef is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

add a comment | 

If he would had told me is considered grammatically incorrect. The first example you showed is right.

share|improve this answer

answered 51 mins ago

JeefJeef

576

New contributor

Jeef is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

share|improve this answer

answered 51 mins ago

JeefJeef

576

New contributor

Jeef is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

answered 51 mins ago

JeefJeef

576

New contributor

Jeef is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

answered 51 mins ago

JeefJeef

576

1

First example:

✔ Correct

Second example:

✖ Incorrect

Either having had without would, or having have with would are both correct,

Can't mix those to up!

share|improve this answer

answered 35 mins ago

U9-ForwardU9-Forward

1806

add a comment | 

1

First example:

✔ Correct

Second example:

✖ Incorrect

Either having had without would, or having have with would are both correct,

Can't mix those to up!

share|improve this answer

answered 35 mins ago

U9-ForwardU9-Forward

1806

add a comment | 

First example:

✔ Correct

Second example:

✖ Incorrect

Either having had without would, or having have with would are both correct,

Can't mix those to up!

share|improve this answer

answered 35 mins ago

U9-ForwardU9-Forward

1806

share|improve this answer

answered 35 mins ago

U9-ForwardU9-Forward

1806

answered 35 mins ago

U9-ForwardU9-Forward

1806

answered 35 mins ago

U9-ForwardU9-Forward

1806

-1

"will" and "would" can be used in conditional clauses when a polite request is implied (the examples are taken from here):

• If you 'll just fill in this form before you go, you can hand it in to reception.




• If you would take a seat, the doctor will see you in five minutes.

However, strictly speaking, this cannot be the case of a counterfactual conditional sentence in which both the condition and the result are set in the past.

In the Cambridge Dictionary, we find this reference:

We use would have + -ed in the main clause, not in the conditional clause:

If he had stayed in the same room as Dave, it would have been a disaster.

Not: If he would have stayed … it would have been a disaster.

People do sometimes use the form with "would have" in informal speaking, but many speakers consider it incorrect.

share|improve this answer

answered 12 mins ago

GustavsonGustavson

2,828311

add a comment | 

-1

"will" and "would" can be used in conditional clauses when a polite request is implied (the examples are taken from here):

• If you 'll just fill in this form before you go, you can hand it in to reception.




• If you would take a seat, the doctor will see you in five minutes.

However, strictly speaking, this cannot be the case of a counterfactual conditional sentence in which both the condition and the result are set in the past.

In the Cambridge Dictionary, we find this reference:

We use would have + -ed in the main clause, not in the conditional clause:

If he had stayed in the same room as Dave, it would have been a disaster.

Not: If he would have stayed … it would have been a disaster.

People do sometimes use the form with "would have" in informal speaking, but many speakers consider it incorrect.

share|improve this answer

answered 12 mins ago

GustavsonGustavson

2,828311

add a comment | 

"will" and "would" can be used in conditional clauses when a polite request is implied (the examples are taken from here):

• If you 'll just fill in this form before you go, you can hand it in to reception.




• If you would take a seat, the doctor will see you in five minutes.

However, strictly speaking, this cannot be the case of a counterfactual conditional sentence in which both the condition and the result are set in the past.

In the Cambridge Dictionary, we find this reference:

We use would have + -ed in the main clause, not in the conditional clause:

If he had stayed in the same room as Dave, it would have been a disaster.

Not: If he would have stayed … it would have been a disaster.

People do sometimes use the form with "would have" in informal speaking, but many speakers consider it incorrect.

share|improve this answer

answered 12 mins ago

GustavsonGustavson

2,828311

share|improve this answer

answered 12 mins ago

GustavsonGustavson

2,828311

answered 12 mins ago

GustavsonGustavson

2,828311

answered 12 mins ago

GustavsonGustavson

2,828311