If you had reached the station on time you would catch the train vs If you reach the station on time you would catch the train

The first phrase, 'If you had reached the station on time you would catch the train,' is correct. It uses the past perfect tense 'had reached' to indicate a hypothetical situation in the past. The second phrase, 'If you reach the station on time you would catch the train,' is incorrect because it mixes the present tense 'reach' with the conditional 'would,' which is not grammatically accurate.

Last updated: March 23, 2024 • 748 views

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to express a hypothetical situation in the past.

" If you had reached the station on time you would catch the train"

This phrase is used to talk about a situation that did not happen in the past but could have happened if certain conditions were met.

Show examples from the web [+]

Man, this never would have happened if you had reached for that candy.
The train left the station on time.
The station on Planet Orange ceased transmission this morning.
By 2200 A.D., they had reached the other planets of our solar system.
Under Batista, things had reached the point where you couldn't take it any longer.
Perhaps if all the taxes you collected had reached the Treasury, I'd be inclined to overlook your excesses.
About a year ago Damien told me that the local devil worshippers had reached the end of their animal sacrifice stage.
I, too, had reached the city centre, where the tiny Twizy would come into its own, in the ancient narrow streets.
The poison had reached the... upper area of the spinal cord.
In our endless journey, we had reached the limits of the hunting grounds.
We, meanwhile, had reached the vast, uninhabited wilderness of Bathurst Island and we were going, if anything, even faster.
Since radioactively contaminated beef from some 1500 cows had reached the market before the ban was imposed, random testing is still being carried out in Japan.
The lorryload of cigarettes would have been worth approximately EUR 2 million to criminal organisations if they had reached the black market.
As of 10 May 201112360 persons having fled Libya had reached the shores of the European Union (Italy and Malta).
As of 17 May 2011, 14000 persons having fled Libya had reached the shores of the European Union (Italy and Malta).
When that morning came to an end, he had reached the true meaning of life and become Buddha (the Enlightened One).
On the other hand, we had reached the end of a parliamentary procedure, which is very difficult to cut down when we embark on conciliation.
Parliament submitted numerous proposals to the Council until we felt that we had reached the end of our tether.
Despite the controls in place, a high level of dioxin was intersected by the time it had reached the pork meat.
Owing to the weather, the fire could not be contained before it had reached the archaeological site.

This phrase is incorrect because it mixes the present tense 'reach' with the conditional 'would,' which is not grammatically accurate.

" If you reach the station on time you would catch the train"

Show examples from the web [+]

The train left the station on time.
If you reach the surface The meteors are called.
If you lose any ships before you reach the target -
And by the time you reach the end, hopefully you'll have figured the problem out.
But if you reach the final stages of this illness,
Sadly, the only way out of here now is if you reach the gift first.
The station on Planet Orange ceased transmission this morning.
Shoot Mr Farrell in the head and drive away, and by the time you reach the end of the next block all your debts will be wiped clean and your children will be set for life.
If you check the Desktop navigation wraps around checkbox, then after you reach the last desktop, pressing & Tab; again will select the first desktop again.
You got everyone at the station on your side.
Get out one stop before the station on the ticket.
I was at the station on my way home.
I can get somebody else to help me bring the station on-line.
They soon arrived at the station on the moon.
They soon arrived at the station on the moon.
It takes an hour to get to the station on foot.
When you reach the edge of the atmosphere, they'll explode.
Okay, Cabe, once you reach the surface...
That's how you reach the highest level of Carrollism.
Once you reach the caves, stay there.

How TextRanch works

Fast and reliable proofreading, editing, and language advice tailored to your needs.

1. Choose Your Service

Quick Text Editing

Emails and short texts
Proofreading & editing
Ready in 5-10 minutes

SUBMIT YOUR TEXT NOW

Document Editing

Documents of any type (*.docx)
Advanced & Premium editing
Ready in as little as 4 hours

UPLOAD YOUR DOCUMENT

Ask an Editor

Personalized answers to your language questions
Expert guidance on grammar, style, and usage
Ready in 24 hours

ASK YOUR QUESTION

Upload your document or paste your text directly into our platform. Your text is reviewed and refined by our expert editors (real people, not machines) who understand the nuances of English. Expect corrections, improvements, and insightful suggestions that enhance the clarity, tone, and professionalism of your writing.

3. Receive Your Polished Text

In just a few minutes (or hours for longer documents), you'll receive your corrected text. Review the changes, make any final adjustments, and confidently share your polished English with the world.
You can count on a personalized, friendly service every time you use TextRanch. We're committed to helping you make a great impression with every word you write.

We proofread and edit these types of texts and documents:

Short texts Business Emails Personal Emails Social media posts Resume and Curriculum Vitae Business documents Sales proposal Research and academic papers Thesis Dissertation Essays Articles Blog posts and much more....

Our Customers Love Us!

We have an average rating of 4.79 stars based on 283125 votes, and

4.9 Excellent - Reviews 2.137

"7 years without any disappointment. Always 100% satisfied. You guys are the best in the world at what you do. Thank you so much :)"

Zubair
from Bangladesh

"I wasn't aware of this service, it's fascinating and more reliable than standard IA tools available on the internet"

Arturo
from Mexico

"In a world of text messages and online communication, this is great to have as a live tool. Thank you."

Selena
from USA

"Wow, it's just so excellent. I never would have believed I could have a sure and excellent English companion. Thanks, TextRanch."

Ifiok
from Nigeria

"This is my first time using TextRanch, and I like how the editors take time to correct my text. To everyone who has never used TextRanch before, I highly recommend trying it."

Wilson
from France

"It is an amazing source of feedback because, as a non-native speaker, I really need to have a reliable helper correct my text."

Susan
from Germany

If you had reached the station on time you would catch the train vs If you reach the station on time you would catch the train