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Conditional past and Conditional Past Perfect

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by mundasingh123 » Wed Jan 19, 2011 4:43 am
1)PAST TENSE
If you exercised
WOULD/COULD + Base Verb
you would become healthy
--------------------------------------------------------
2)PAST PERFECT TENSE
If you had exercised
WOULD/COULD + Have + Past Participle
you would have become healthy

Whats the difference between the 2 sentences above
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by GMATGuruNY » Wed Jan 19, 2011 5:47 am
mundasingh123 wrote:1)PAST TENSE
If you exercised
WOULD/COULD + Base Verb
you would become healthy
--------------------------------------------------------
2)PAST PERFECT TENSE
If you had exercised
WOULD/COULD + Have + Past Participle
you would have become healthy

Whats the difference between the 2 sentences above
If you exercised, you would feel better.

The sentence above describes a hypothetical situation in the future: if you exercised (starting right now or sometime in the future), you would feel better (starting right now or sometime in the future).

If you had exercised, you would have felt better.

The sentence above describes a hypothetical situation in the past: if you had exercised (in the past), you would have felt better (also in the past).
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by mundasingh123 » Wed Jan 19, 2011 5:54 am
GMATGuruNY wrote:
mundasingh123 wrote:1)PAST TENSE
If you exercised
WOULD/COULD + Base Verb
you would become healthy


If you exercised, you would feel better.

The sentence above describes a hypothetical situation in the future: if you exercised (starting right now or sometime in the future), you would feel better (starting right now or sometime in the future).

If you had exercised, you would have felt better.

The sentence above describes a hypothetical situation in the past: if you had exercised (in the past), you would have felt better (also in the past).
Thanks GmatGuruNyY,Thanks for the Explanation,But Sir
If you exercise , you will feel better .
This also seems to fit in the same context as the First one with "past - Conditional Combination (If you exercised, you would feel better)
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by GMATGuruNY » Wed Jan 19, 2011 6:03 am
mundasingh123 wrote:
GMATGuruNY wrote:
mundasingh123 wrote:1)PAST TENSE
If you exercised
WOULD/COULD + Base Verb
you would become healthy


If you exercised, you would feel better.

The sentence above describes a hypothetical situation in the future: if you exercised (starting right now or sometime in the future), you would feel better (starting right now or sometime in the future).

If you had exercised, you would have felt better.

The sentence above describes a hypothetical situation in the past: if you had exercised (in the past), you would have felt better (also in the past).
Thanks GmatGuruNyY,Thanks for the Explanation,But Sir
If you exercise , you will feel better .
This also seems to fit in the same context as the First one with "past - Conditional Combination (If you exercised, you would feel better)
Now you're asking a different question. :)

If you were happy, then I would be happy.

The past tense verb were and the conditional verb would indicate that the situation above is hypothetical, that it is contrary-to-fact: you are not happy, but if you were, then I too would be happy.

If you are happy, then I am happy.

The present tense verbs are and am indicate that the truth of the situation above is unknown: you might be happy, and if you are, then I too am happy.
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by mundasingh123 » Wed Jan 19, 2011 6:30 am
Image

Actually Mitch i found the statements in a Guide Book and was told that the above 3 conditions woul dbe the only conditions that i could come across.But then You said introduced me to the 4th Kind "If you are happy, then I am happy."
[/img]
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by GMATGuruNY » Wed Jan 19, 2011 8:35 am
mundasingh123 wrote:Image

Actually Mitch i found the statements in a Guide Book and was told that the above 3 conditions woul dbe the only conditions that i could come across.But then You said introduced me to the 4th Kind "If you are happy, then I am happy."
[/img]
Here's another kind:

If John was the thief, he would be living it up in Las Vegas.

The regular past tense verb was indicates that John might be the thief (although the speaker is doubtful). This structure is unlikely to appear on the GMAT.

If John were the thief, he would be living it up in Las Vegas.

The verb changes to were in order to indicate that the situation above is contrary-to-fact: the speaker knows that John is not the thief. This structure is more likely to appear on the GMAT.
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by powerpuff » Wed Jan 19, 2011 9:44 am
Great insights by GMATGuruNY! Thanks a lot.
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by mundasingh123 » Wed Jan 19, 2011 9:45 am
GMATGuruNY wrote:
mundasingh123 wrote:Image

Actually Mitch i found the statements in a Guide Book and was told that the above 3 conditions woul dbe the only conditions that i could come across.But then You said introduced me to the 4th Kind "If you are happy, then I am happy."
[/img]
Here's another kind:

If John was the thief, he would be living it up in Las Vegas.

The regular past tense verb was indicates that John might be the thief (although the speaker is doubtful). This structure is unlikely to appear on the GMAT.

If John were the thief, he would be living it up in Las Vegas.
Thanks GmatGuruNY , This has clarified the various aspects in whi one should consider a Conditional Statement
The verb changes to were in order to indicate that the situation above is contrary-to-fact: the speaker knows that John is not the thief. This structure is more likely to appear on the GMAT.
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by mundasingh123 » Wed Jan 19, 2011 9:52 am
GMATGuruNY wrote:
mundasingh123 wrote:1)PAST TENSE
If you exercised
WOULD/COULD + Base Verb
you would become healthy
The sentence above describes a hypothetical situation in the future: if you exercised (starting right now or sometime in the future), you would feel better (starting right now or sometime in the future).

If you had exercised, you would have felt better.

The sentence above describes a hypothetical situation in the past: if you had exercised (in the past), you would have felt better (also in the past).
So GmatGuruNY If you had exercised, you would have felt better. implies that the author is sure that "You" in the sentence had not exercised so he says if the other Guy had exercised ,He would have felt better.
Whats the case in
If you exercised
WOULD/COULD + Base Verb
you would become healthy.IDoes the Author know that the Guy has exercised or not ?
Thanks So Much
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by GMATGuruNY » Wed Jan 19, 2011 9:55 am
mundasingh123 wrote:
GMATGuruNY wrote:
mundasingh123 wrote:1)PAST TENSE
If you exercised
WOULD/COULD + Base Verb
you would become healthy
The sentence above describes a hypothetical situation in the future: if you exercised (starting right now or sometime in the future), you would feel better (starting right now or sometime in the future).

If you had exercised, you would have felt better.

The sentence above describes a hypothetical situation in the past: if you had exercised (in the past), you would have felt better (also in the past).
So GmatGuruNY If you had exercised, you would have felt better. implies that the author is sure that "You" in the sentence had not exercised so he says if the other Guy had exercised ,He would have felt better.
Whats the case in
If you exercised
WOULD/COULD + Base Verb
you would become healthy.IDoes the Author know that the Guy has exercised or not ?
Thanks So Much
The speaker uses the subjunctive mood -- if you exercised, you would become healthy -- because he knows that you are not exercising. The situation is contrary-of-fact.
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My students have been admitted to HBS, CBS, Tuck, Yale, Stern, Fuqua -- a long list of top programs.

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I unlock the best way for YOU to solve problems.

For more information, please email me (Mitch Hunt) at [email protected].
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by mundasingh123 » Wed Jan 19, 2011 10:01 am
GMATGuruNY wrote:
mundasingh123 wrote:
GMATGuruNY wrote:
mundasingh123 wrote:1)PAST TENSE
If you exercised
WOULD/COULD + Base Verb
you would become healthy
The sentence above describes a hypothetical situation in the future: if you exercised (starting right now or sometime in the future), you would feel better (starting right now or sometime in the future).

If you had exercised, you would have felt better.

The sentence above describes a hypothetical situation in the past: if you had exercised (in the past), you would have felt better (also in the past).
So GmatGuruNY If you had exercised, you would have felt better. implies that the author is sure that "You" in the sentence had not exercised so he says if the other Guy had exercised ,He would have felt better.
Whats the case in
If you exercised
WOULD/COULD + Base Verb
you would become healthy.IDoes the Author know that the Guy has exercised or not ?
Thanks So Much
The speaker uses the subjunctive mood -- if you exercised, you would become healthy -- because he knows that you are not exercising. The situation is contrary-of-fact.
Thanks a Lot GmatGuruNY
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by sw222 » Tue Sep 23, 2014 6:04 am
1. Can Past + Conditional Perfect go together.
They would have been successful, if they gave that performance.

2. Can Past Perfect + conditional go together.
If she had eaten pizza, she would be ill.

Another usage which I wanted to include -

If I had the money, I would go to Thailand.
This is again Past Perfect, with Conditional) Is this correct??
Is this a form of hypothetical subjunctive?? But can we use Past Perfect to represent a Hypothetical subjunctive situation?? I thought we usually use Past tense for Hypothetical subjunctive.

Thanks
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