(Grammar Question) ‘If … WILL do sth’?
Question:
I read the following grammar question in a TOEIC book:
Q. If management ________ Ms. Fernandez to rewrite the project analysis over the weekend, they will have to pay he for overtime.
A. will ask
B. asks
C. will have asked
D. would ask
The TOEIC book says ONLY B is correct, but what about A? I referred to the following:
{'If it is true now that ...'
We use 'will' with 'if' when we are saying 'if it is true now that ...' or 'if we know now that ...'
- If Ann WON'T BE here on Thursday, we'd better cancel the meeting.
- If prices WILL really COME down in a few months, I'm not going to buy one now. ((Practical English Usage))}
Answer:
The sentence is an example of the first conditional.
See http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/c...
Quoting from that site, "We do not normally use will or would in the conditional clause, only in the main clause."
In the original example, "will" is already used in the main clause ("they will have to pay for the overtime"), and shouldn't be used in the conditional clause ("if management will...").
See also
http://www.usingenglish.com/glossary/1st...
"Asks" is the only possibility after "if" in standard English. "Asked" would also make sense with "would" in the following clause.
More Questions & Answers...