Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[susan_wu]

Hello,

I wrote this sentence, but I think it's not a good sentence. I know it shoud be writen by Subjunctive, but I can't find a correct way to write it. Please tell me if it's correct and how it should be writen.

If he bargained 2 hours with greengrocer only for getting one cent cheap, I will not feel it�s surprising.

Thanks a lot.

[bud]

Susan, because of the different tenses (past tense in the first clause and future in the second), the context is that you know he went to the greengrocer, but you have not yet heard what happened. Or it could be a guess that if he ever did go to a greengrocer, "this" is what you would expect the result to be. Is that correct?

1st clause: If he bargained 2 hours with the ([or possibly b]a[/b] if you are making a theory) greengrocer only to get one cent off, (or "only to get something one cent cheaper,")

2nd clause: I will not feel it's surprising. (correct, but a little unusual)

a more natural-sounding clause: I would not be surprised.

Good work! You were on the right track.

[bud]

Correction: (or possibly[ b]a[/b] if you are making a theory)

[bud]

I'll get this right one day: (or possibly a if you are making a theory)

[susan_wu]

Thanks, bud,

Your explanation is very clear. I always realized my fault as soon as you pointed out.

Thanks a lot.