לומדים אנגלית / קוראים ספרי ילדים

My last post dealt with teaching Condition 1 and we are now moving to Condition 2.

If you saw my brother now, you would not recognize him. 

.ו ראית את אחי עכשיו, לא היית מזהה אותו

This sentence means that my brother has changed so much that it is impossible to recognize him now. The sentence expresses an unreal situation since it implies that you cannot see him now (he is probably abroad), but if you could, you wouldn't recognize him anyway.

The condition is in the Past Simple and the result is in the Future Past.

Condition 2 expresses an unreal situation that refers to the Present.

Actually, it expresses an assumption or a wish.

Look at the following example:

 If the boss offered me a raise, I would stay. (I think that's what I would do, I assume that…, but I cannot be sure. Another meaning might be: I wish the boss offered me a raise. If he did, I would not quit my job.)

Look at the following example:

If I were not so tired, I would complete the homework now. (I am too tired for that. I will not do the homework now).

Were replaces was in Condition 2.

Helpful reminders

(See parallel cases in the former post on Condition 1).

Suppose they invited you, would you come?

I wouldn't join you unless you asked me to.

And that's all for today.

We will deal with Condition 3 in my next post.

For further explanations, please see:

דקדוק אנגלי לדוברי עברית, עמ'  99-100.

For practice, please see:

The New Language Guidebook and Workbook, p 92-96.