Hi, Alexander!  Recently you wrote in a message to Anton Shepelev:

 AK>  Do you think it would be more logical if we use them vice
 AK>  versa? ;=)

 AS>  Since the apodosis is in the subjunctive ("would" is the
 AS>  past tense of "will", the protais must be in the past
 AS>  tense ("used".

 AK>  Hey, Ardith! ;-) After "if" I used a simple future time
 AK>  -- why not?  I don't want to use the subjunctive mood in
 AK>  both clauses.


          FOWLER'S MODERN ENGLISH USAGE, of which I have the 1998 edition, says
 the subjunctive mood is "most likely to be used in formal writing or
speech"... then goes on to say it's used after various conjunctions (including
"if".  The author concludes by adding that it's "seldom obligatory".

          My idea of logic in this regard is to choose either the indicative or
 the subjunctive mood, depending on the situation, and stick with it.  People
do use both within the same sentence as you did at times, but I wouldn't
recommend it.  Other sources agree with Anton that the subjunctive "would" is
effectively in the past tense & that having decided to use it in the main
clause you should follow through in your subordinate clause.  The wording of
questions in English is complicated enough for those who aren't native speakers
 of the language, and while I've always encouraged my students to take a chance
 on structures they're unfamiliar with there are various ways of saying what
you want to say if you're not happy about using the subjunctive mood twice
within the same sentence.  :-)




--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+
 * Origin: Wits' End, Vancouver CANADA (1:153/716)