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Common errors in English: Usage of Past simple would,could,might .

Past Simple+ would/could/might


Incorrect : If he would ask me, I would Stay. 


Correct : If he asked me, I would stay.


Incorrect : If I would be able, I could help him. 


Correct : If I were able, I could help him.


Note: An ‘improbable’ condition referring to an unrealistic future action is expressed by the past simple tense and in this case the principal clause contains would, could or might followed by a simple bare infinitive. As a matter of fact, the past tense here does not indicate any time but a very low degree of probability. The action referred to in this kind of conditional sentence is very unlikely to happen.

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