| Let's look at the sentence pattern. |
| This pattern is the structure that all of our examples will follow. |
| Subject + would + bare infinitive phrase, + if + past tense clause |
| This sentence pattern is used to make polite requests. It allows the speaker to ask for something in a way that feels respectful and non-demanding. The structure softens the message and makes it more acceptable in both casual and professional situations. |
| Let’s go part by part. |
| The subject is the person or thing the sentence is about. |
| "Would" is a modal verb that adds politeness and shows that the sentence is hypothetical — it’s not demanding something, just suggesting it. |
| The bare infinitive phrase follows "would" and describes what would be good, helpful, or appreciated. |
| Then comes the "if" clause, using the past tense. This part expresses the condition — what the speaker hopes the other person might do. |
| Now let’s look at the example sentence: |
| "It would be great if you sent those to me as soon as possible." |
| Here, the subject is "It." |
| "Would" is the modal verb that adds politeness. |
| "be great" is the bare infinitive phrase, showing that the speaker thinks the action would be helpful or appreciated. |
| "If you sent those to me as soon as possible" is the past tense clause, expressing the request. Even though it’s in the past tense, it’s really about something the speaker wants now — this tense makes the request more polite. |
| So the full sentence follows the pattern: |
| Subject ("It") + would + bare infinitive phrase ("be great"), + if + past tense clause ("you sent those to me as soon as possible") |
| This structure helps the speaker make a polite request while sounding thoughtful and respectful. |
| This pattern can also be inverted while retaining the same meaning. |
| This alternative pattern is "If + past tense clause, + subject + would + bare infinitive phrase." |
| Now let's look at some speaking examples. |
| If you could get me a black coffee, that would be wonderful. |
| Can you see how the pattern applies here? |
| This sentence starts with the if-clause: "If you could get me a black coffee." It uses the past tense "could get" to sound polite. Then comes the main clause: "that would be wonderful." This follows the structure where the speaker politely expresses a request using "would" to soften the tone. |
| Next... |
| If I could take Monday off, that would be great. |
| Here, the if-clause is "If I could take Monday off," again using a past-tense form for polite distancing. The main clause "that would be great" reflects the speaker’s wish or request in a soft and indirect way. |
| Let's try one more, |
| I would be grateful if you gave me this job. |
| In this example, the main clause comes first: "I would be grateful," followed by the if-clause: "if you gave me this job." The verb "gave" is in the past tense, which helps the request sound more polite and formal. |
| Another one. |
| It would be helpful if you told me where the copy paper is kept. |
| This one uses "It would be helpful" to politely introduce a suggestion. The if-clause "if you told me…" again uses the past tense to maintain the polite tone, even though the speaker is referring to the present. |
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