Remote probability and the unreal present

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