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English Language & Usage

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    Perhaps it's the 276th conditional. Or the 278th. The simplistic breakdown typically presented in ESL courses is so far short of the mark that one wonders why it hasn't been binned. See tchrist's answer for some examples. // To my ears, the sentence is perfectly acceptable. Commented Apr 19, 2025 at 21:27
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    English does not have “numbered conditionals” — at least, not unless you number them in the thousands! Commented Apr 19, 2025 at 21:27
  • Quora includes your type of sentence in an enlarged set of first conditional sentences. But ideally, the whole classification schema needs replacing. Commented Apr 19, 2025 at 21:35
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    You should ask the converse question: why do ESL classes not teach you conditionals that native speakers use frequently and consider grammatical? Commented Apr 19, 2025 at 22:37
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    "If you're buying, I'll have a double." Commented Apr 20, 2025 at 1:38