Perfect for pedants' corner

I couldn't find a conditional sentence in the three choices on that question, so plumped for that one as being the nearest.

Glad it's not just me, elegran. Actually, I think the test is quite hard for eleven year olds.

11/14. Not bad for a mere doctor who hasn't studied E Lang for 50 years.
Never heard of a Grundy before!

Obviously iPad doesn't know gerund either!

That test isn't for the kids Bags. Thank goodness! (our little feller wouldn't have a clue with that) grin

Bags Isn't it actually subjunctive rather than conditional? But that wasn't an option.

Bags wrote: " I don't agree that this sentence is conditional: "He thought he might be able to dig a tunnel through the rock".

I think it is passive because it describes a thought."

Bags passive and active voices are nothing to do with thinking.

If a verb is in the active voice, the sentence goes subject-verb-object.
Or as my Latin master Mr Wetton explained, 'Rover sees the ball'.

If it is in the passive voice, something is done or happens to something else.
Mr Wetton again: 'The ball is seen by Rover'.

Hope that helps

I should add that Mr Wetton's explanations were often accompanied by Basil Fawlty-type antics of total exasperation as half the class failed to 'get' it

13/14 - but I don't know which question I got wrong!

Funny thing - I don't recall ever hearing the word 'gerund' in my school days. Come to that I didn't learn the "its/it's" set-up until I was in my twenties - so much for Grammar School education!

Feetle If you scroll down a bit further from your score, you can click on a link that takes you to the right answers and it shows where you went wrong.

Bags I don't think that sentence was an example of the subjunctive, which surely needs to express doubt - 'If it be possible to dig a tunnel...'
'Were he to be able to dig a tunnel...'

14/14, BUT...

In 4 the subordinate clause is conditional, not the sentence.

In 5 the 'correct' answer seems to me to be a subordinate phrase, not a clause. I thought a subordinate clause had to contain a finite verb.

I agree there is confusion between grammatically and orthographically in 10. The same error occurred in one of the 'Two Brains' questions in last Saturday's Times

feetlebaum It wasn't Bags who suggested the sentence was subjunctive; it was I. Might expresses doubt. Conditional, surely, is something along the lines of If the weather stays sunny, we shall have a picnic this afternoon.

This really is Pedants' Corner isn't it?

12 but I googled gerund!

Actually, I did suggest it was subjunctive (thought it anyway ). And I agree, absent, 'might' expresses doubt. The thinker isn't sure he can do something.

jane, thank you. Yes, I remember now, but I didn't know it didn't include thinking. I suppose thoughts don't count as actions. Why? They could, couldn't they? Mental action.

Anyway, which is the conditional bit if it's conditional? If he's able to? Hmm. He didn't think he would do it, he only thought he might be able to. Different.

I wasn't very good a English Language at school but I had a go and managed 14/14. I have to say rather a lot was what is called an educated guess! Still I learn something everyday.

I just think it is rich that The Grauniad published this test - the only newspaper ever heard of to mis-spell its own masthead. (Passive voice)
(You might have guessed that this would flush me out (subordinate clause)

So, graces, what's your view on the supposed conditional sentence?

"He thought" = straightforward past tense
Subordinate clause "that he might....." whatever = conditional
So no I don't agree with any of their options!

Example of a conditional verb? - If it wasn't raining, we would go to the beach. (I think)

12/14 for me too, I'm gutted

Or maybe I mean "we might go to the beach"? scratching head emoticon

Well, as long as you didn't Google 'gerund' Ella, you've done better than me!
#notthatIcaremuch

Moral: If you don't get the answer you expect, perhaps you are asking the wrong questions.

No I didn't Ana.......#goodguesser