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

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

solitaryreaper


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 !

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

ans C

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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