Conditional I

[Jorien]

Test No. incompl/elem-20 "Where am I?", question 2

I certainly will if I ..........

(a) could
(b) can
(c) can't
(d) should

Test No. incompl/elem-20 "Where am I?", answer 2

I certainly will if I can.

Correct answer: (b) can

Your answer was: incorrect
I certainly will if I could.
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Why is 'could' not possible?

[Torsten]

Because this is a conditional I construction. For more information, please check this post:
http://www.english-test.net/forum/ftopic789.html

TOEIC listening, photographs: Drilling

[Made Sariada]

Dear english trainers,

Could you help me distinguish the use of "could and "can besides could indicates past happenings? What's the difference of below sentences?

1) Don't worry I could do it
2) Don't worry I can do it

Thanks in advance.

Best regards,

Made Sariada

[Maggie]

Hi everyone,

I am wondering how to ask a question. As you can see, I do post a question sucessfully. Here is the example, http://www.english-test.net/forum/ftopic28745.html. But in the following test, I didn't find out the button or link "Do have you a question?". Here is another example. http://www.english-test.net/esl/learn/english/grammar/ei020/esl-test.php . I only see the link "Click here for Explanation." indeed. I want to know if this forum supports this function for ALL of the questions. Thanks a lot.

Maggie^^
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In my view,the more mistakes someone else corrects me,the more I could learn.
And welcome to my blog: http://0rz.tw/793HL

[Torsten]

Hi Maggie,

You will find the "Do you have a question" or "Click for her for explanation" links only in the tests, not on the forum. Once you are on the forum, you can ask a new question the way you have done before. I mean, you have already posted 210 messages on the forum, so you do know how to use the forum, don't you?

TOEIC listening, photographs: The clothes shop

[Afnan]

Hi,
why is can correct and not could ?
thanks

[Alfwm]

It seems that Ectaco is good for advertising but not for translation
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A cup of good coffe can make life bearable.

[Mikle]

Can I use In this santanse could becouse its more politelly?
I certainly will if I could.

[Riddhiajmer]

could you please explain the meaning of this sentence because i m not getting what does it say ?

[Chinchu S Gireesh]

Dear Torsten,

Please explain why could and can? is 'could" actually using to represent past things?

[Esl_Expert]

All of sentences in this test make up a single conversation between two people. Of course, it would be easier to see this if the author of the test had added the name of the speaker to each of the sentences.

You can say the following:

1. I certainly will (do it) if I can (do it).
2. I certainly would (do it) if I could (do it).

Both of these sentences can be used as responses to a request for the speaker to do something. For example:

Sue: I wonder if you can you help me?
Bill: I certainly will (help you) if I can (help you).

The words 'help you' have been omitted because the speaker is referring to the same words that Sue has just used in her request. Those two words are understood in the context of the conversation and don't need to be repeated.

You can compare sentence 1 to a Type 1 conditional sentence. That means that Bill thinks he will probably be able to help Sue.

You can compare sentence 2 to a Type 2 conditional sentence. If Bill had used sentence 2, he would have been telling Sue that "I will help" is not real -- it's counter-factual. In other words, in theory he is willing to help, but in reality he cannot not help her at this time.

Since the test sentence already has the word 'will' in it, the only correct choice for the blank is 'can'.
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"The world is full of willing people; some willing to work, the rest willing to let them." ~ Robert Frost

[Josh2]

what we live in on the planet

[Beeesneees]

We live on the planet earth.
If we lived in it, we would all be miners!
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Cheers m' dears!

[Trishh]

another lesson I've just learned the uses of "can & could". thanks a lot!