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KS15
daagh
A) did not fall, the Dark Ages had not been --- had not been so severe is wrong because the severity was later event
B) did not fall, the Dark Ages would not have been – The conditional statement should be in past perfect as it was the earlier event
C) had not fallen, the Dark Ages would not have been – correct choice
D) were not to fall, the Dark Ages might not have been -- the main clause should be in the future modal
E) were not to have fallen, the Dark Ages had not been --- had not been so severe is wrong because the severity was later event


Daagh/Harley-Even though I chose C (courtesy my ear) I would appreciate if you could explain B? In B, the construction is 'If past, then conditional' which is correct right?
Whereas in C, it has both Past perfect and present perfect-is this a correct construct to use?

Hello KS15

This sentence describes event that never occured and won't occured so we need to use 3-rd conditional form: if [past perfect] than [would have been]
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Harley1980
KS15
daagh
A) did not fall, the Dark Ages had not been --- had not been so severe is wrong because the severity was later event
B) did not fall, the Dark Ages would not have been – The conditional statement should be in past perfect as it was the earlier event
C) had not fallen, the Dark Ages would not have been – correct choice
D) were not to fall, the Dark Ages might not have been -- the main clause should be in the future modal
E) were not to have fallen, the Dark Ages had not been --- had not been so severe is wrong because the severity was later event


Daagh/Harley-Even though I chose C (courtesy my ear) I would appreciate if you could explain B? In B, the construction is 'If past, then conditional' which is correct right?
Whereas in C, it has both Past perfect and present perfect-is this a correct construct to use?

Hello KS15

This sentence describes event that never occured and won't occured so we need to use 3-rd conditional form: if [past perfect] than [would have been]

Is there a meaning difference between B and C, because grammatically both are fine.
Structure of B is :
If past tense, Would form (indeed hypothetical form ). Therefore I don't see any issue with B.

Can anyone clear the air as to why C is preferable (meaning difference if any)?

Regards,
SR
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solitaryreaper
Quote:
Is there a meaning difference between B and C, because grammatically both are fine.
Structure of B is:
If past tense, would form (indeed hypothetical form). Therefore I don't see any issue with B.
Can anyone clear the air as to why C is preferable (meaning difference if any)?

I am afraid that things work differently.

Here are two situations using If; If you are going to describe an event, that perhaps did happen in the past, then the main clause would be noted in the ‘past of will’ or the modal ‘would’ do or sing or help etc. We should not use the modal perfect tense here namely ‘If I was X, then, I would have done this or that.

Although Choice B belongs to this category, in the second part, it is fouling the grammar by using the modal perfect

C on the contrary, uses the subjunctive by using a future modal perfect, since it is talking about a hypothetical event. We do know that Rome did fall and therefore this is a contrary fact. In view of this we have to say ‘would not have been’ in the main clause.

The point is that B is not grammatically correct since it mixes up ordinary happening with hypothetical happening
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solitaryreaper
Quote:
Is there a meaning difference between B and C, because grammatically both are fine.
Structure of B is:
If past tense, would form (indeed hypothetical form). Therefore I don't see any issue with B.
Can anyone clear the air as to why C is preferable (meaning difference if any)?

I am afraid that things work differently.

Here are two situations using If; If you are going to describe an event, that perhaps did happen in the past, then the main clause would be noted in the ‘past of will’ or the modal ‘would’ do or sing or help etc. We should not use the modal perfect tense here namely ‘If I was X, then, I would have done this or that.

Although Choice B belongs to this category, in the second part, it is fouling the grammar by using the modal perfect

C on the contrary, uses the subjunctive by using a future modal perfect, since it is talking about a hypothetical event. We do know that Rome did fall and therefore this is a contrary fact. In view of this we have to say ‘would not have been’ in the main clause.

The point is that B is not grammatically correct since it mixes up ordinary happening with hypothetical happening

Thanks a lot daagh. That helps !
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Harley1980
If Rome did not fall, the Dark Ages had not been so severe throughout Europe.

A) did not fall, the Dark Ages had not been
B) did not fall, the Dark Ages would not have been
C) had not fallen, the Dark Ages would not have been
D) were not to fall, the Dark Ages might not have been
E) were not to have fallen, the Dark Ages had not been


hypothetical situation
hence use of past perfect in conditional and result will have 'would have'

ans C
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Clarity among those stuck between (B) and (C)

If Rome did not fall, the Dark Ages had not been so severe throughout Europe.

B) did not fall, the Dark Ages would not have been

The grammatical construction is okay although awkwardly worded.
The rule at hand "if Simple past, then either Simple Past/Would verb"
However there are two related events. Rome fell and the dark ages followed.
So we need past perfect.
C) had not fallen, the Dark Ages would not have been
Grammar rule: If Past Perfect, then Would have verb
Past Perfect is required to show the sequencing here.
I.e. if Rome hadn't fallen then the Dark ages would not have been SO severe.

Reverse the logic to make more sense of this.
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