Korean Job Discussion Forums

[loose_ends]

I usually teach unreal conditions in the following way.

If...past tense verb, ..... would or could + base verb .....

For example.

If I were rich, I would buy you a car.

If I were rich, I could buy that car.

However I had a student question me if she could use 'might' or 'should' instead of 'would' or 'could'. I initially said no. But after further thought I realized we (or maybe just me) sometimes use 'might' (never should though).

For example.

If I were Korean, I might enjoy bondegi.

Is this correct, or am I making a grammar error here?

Basically my question is, can we only use 'would' or 'could' in unreal conditions or can we also use 'might'.

Any thoughts?

[The Cosmic Hum]

hmm...not wrong....
it is most advisable to teach the subjunctive tenses when teaching hypothetical structures in English...that being said...could and would are most commonly used with these, but might is also acceptable though far more colloquial in usage...and care needs to be taken to explain the double hypothetical.

If I were in your situation, I might be asking the same questions.

There are cases where should can be used....but this moves from hypothetical to theoretical.

[Kimchieluver]

[Ya-ta Boy]

Of course the modal in the main clause can be 'might'. It expresses the possibility rather than the certainty of buying 'you' a car if I were rich. 'Could' would express my ability to do so.

If I were rich, I could buy you a car but I wouldn't spend more than $2 on you--on a good day I might spend $3.

[jadarite]

Instead of "might", I would probably use "would probably".