MGMAT sc guide- chapter 11 in action problem#3-meaning pg217

[ashish1354]

According to the instructions we need to choose between either of the two alternatives as correct or propose another response to correct the sentence.

Stacey would have gone to the party if she knew about it.
if she had known about it.

i could not understand the explanation to the problem that suggests that the sentence as it stands implies that Stacey knew about the party. I feel that the sentences is correct as it stands.

if possible please explain further as i can't catch the author's train of thought.

[Ben Ku]

This is a tricky issue. Most English speakers would probably be able to select the right form without understanding the grammar behind it.

Suppose Robert left my house an hour ago to go to the market. I could say:

If Robert took street A, it would take him 5 minutes to get to the store.
If Robert took street B, it would take him 10 minutes to get to the store.
(If PAST, then CONDITIONAL)
Here, we're discussing the options of possibilities for Robert to get to the store. these are not hypothetical situations, but possible scenarios.

However, when we're talking about hypothetical situations that never happened, we would use a subjective construction.

If Robert had taken street A instead of street B, then he would have gotten there five minutes earlier.
(If PAST PERFECT, then CONDITIONAL PERFECT)

Here, clearly, Robert did NOT take street A, so the entire scenario is hypothetical. You can find this construction on page 113 in the 4th Edition of the Sentence Correction Strategy Guide. (Case 5)

So in your sentence:
Stacey would have gone to the party if she had known about it.
(CONDITIONAL PERFECT, If PAST PERFECT)
is correct since this is a hypothetical situation that never happened.

[davetzulin]

This is a tricky issue. Most English speakers would probably be able to select the right form without understanding the grammar behind it.

Suppose Robert left my house an hour ago to go to the market. I could say:

If Robert took street A, it would take him 5 minutes to get to the store.
If Robert took street B, it would take him 10 minutes to get to the store.
(If PAST, then CONDITIONAL)
Here, we're discussing the options of possibilities for Robert to get to the store. these are not hypothetical situations, but possible scenarios.

However, when we're talking about hypothetical situations that never happened, we would use a subjective construction.

If Robert had taken street A instead of street B, then he would have gotten there five minutes earlier.
(If PAST PERFECT, then CONDITIONAL PERFECT)

Here, clearly, Robert did NOT take street A, so the entire scenario is hypothetical. You can find this construction on page 113 in the 4th Edition of the Sentence Correction Strategy Guide. (Case 5)

So in your sentence:
Stacey would have gone to the party if she had known about it.
(CONDITIONAL PERFECT, If PAST PERFECT)
is correct since this is a hypothetical situation that never happened.

i can't seem to find (even outside of the mgmat SC guide) the conditional for you used here:

If Robert took street A, it would take him 5 minutes to get to the store.
If Robert took street B, it would take him 10 minutes to get to the store.

if simple past, would + infinitive

is this a valid conditional construction? what about just using

if present, then present?

[tim]

both of these valid. this is explained in our strategy guide on pages 112 and 113..

[davetzulin]

both of these valid. this is explained in our strategy guide on pages 112 and 113..

thanks i got simple past confused with "hypothetical subjunctive"

and you are right, it's right in the guide.

-Dave

[jnelson0612]

Great, thanks Tim! :-)

[cumulonimbus]

Hi,
I wanted to confirm if my understanding is correct.
As per the MGMAT their are 5 If..then.. constructions.
Out of these only one is hypothetical subjunctive. Hypothetical subjunctive uses simple past form of the verb (except verb to be)
So for the question:
A)Stacey would have gone to the party, if she knew about it.
B)Stacey would have gone to the party, if she had known about it.

Simple past of know is knew. so based on that A should be correct.

Or based on the explanations above I now have to think that hypothetical subjunctive has two cases:
4. in future - something that will never happen, and we are discussing it now - here the 'If' part of sentence has to contain hypothetical subjunctive form of verb (simple past).
5. in past - something that never happened here the format has to be IF past perfect, THEN conditional perfect.

May be I am just repeating what is their in guide. But I still don't understand how to identify hypothetical subjunctive - will word 'would' in the sentence be a sole indicator that hypothetical subjunctive is to be used, or we have to look for meaning as well.

[tim]

anytime you start your line of reasoning with "there are 5 of X...", you are approaching verbal questions the wrong way. your goal should be to understand how these sentences work without labeling them or creating lists. beyond that, i can't actually tell whether you have a question that you would like us to help you with..