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(Much virtue in “if” – Shakespeare – As you like it)

If I ruled the world, every day would be the first day of spring.
If a picture paints a thousand words, then why can’t I paint you?
If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.
If Cleopatra’s nose had been longer, the whole history of the world would have been different.
If you know your onions, you’ll never be confused.

We’re familiar with our text book categorisations of conditionals into the zero, first, second and third, as exemplified above. We allow the mixed (past condition with present result) – If I’d passed, I would be happy.

Now, how do you feel about these?     read more >>

There’s not much arguing with this sign seen in a farmer’s field. It’s pretty direct. If only the future was always so clear. But it’s not because it doesn’t exist. Tomorrow never comes.     read more >>

How many prepositions can you find in the dialogue?
You’ve got your simple prepositions – up / down. Then there are complex prepositions containing two – due to, or three words – as far as. The final sentence has three prepositions together out from under. What are we to make of them? What do they do?     read more >>