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What​ conditional is this​ ​sentence?

If ​there is a god please help me.

Is​ it​ real​ conditional?

This explanation was taken from a website called VOA Learning English

The present real conditional is the most basic kind of conditional. Basically, when A happens, B happens.

Here's an example of a present real conditional:

"If it rains, I bring an umbrella."

But shouldn't it​ be​ an unreal conditional?

Is there a​ difference in meaning if​ I use were: "If there were a god" in​stead​ of​ "is"?

Mari-Lou A
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lemon
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    Recast your sentence (which is not very idiomatic any way you analyze it) without the dummy subject there to better understand: If a god exists, [then] please help me. It's a kind of pseudo-conditional, like: If you're hungry, [then] there's food in the pantry. The food is already in the pantry whether you're hungry or not — no cause and effect. – Tinfoil Hat Nov 11 '22 at 02:44
  • If anybody's home, open the door. In practical situations the if-clause there is a shout out, a form of indirect address. – TimR Dec 12 '23 at 11:53

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If you say "if there were a God", you are revealing that you do not believe there is a God. Also unreal conditional cannot be combined with an imperative mood verb, which

makes direct commands and requests (Thought.co).

I mean, if the situation is unreal, why bother give the command or make the request?

Imperative can be used when the speaker believes the situation is likely to happen. Grammaring explains:

Imperatives can be used to replace either clause of the first conditional:

  • If you've done the dishes, please mop the floor.(1)
  • Tidy up your room, and you can go out to play football with your friends.(2)

The first sentence is more similar to your example. I understand your sentence as meaning:

If you are there, God, please help me.

fev
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    Beautifully explained. – Yosef Baskin Nov 10 '22 at 13:11
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    'If A is true, then, X, please do B' is hardly comparable to 'There may be an X. If there is: X, please do B'. The listener is known to exist and be listening in (1). – Edwin Ashworth Nov 10 '22 at 19:57
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    "If the patient were to have taken arsenic, he would be showing exactly the same symptoms that he is now showing" <-- The use of were does NOT entail that the speaker thinks that the situation in the if-clause is not true! – Araucaria - Him Nov 10 '22 at 20:55
  • @Araucaria-Nothereanymore. Came across this sentence recently and a self-styled authority on grammar suggested that it should be weren't instead of wasn't in the sentence. I would like to know your thoughts. The sentence is: "[Communist Party?] It's hard to believe Mr. Trump would make these accusations if Ms. Chao wasn't ethnic Chinese. – user405662 Nov 11 '22 at 02:48
  • So​ real​ conditional​ is used​ when​ you​ say​ something you​ belive it​ is​ real? can​ i​ say​ "If​ i​ am rich i​ will buy a​ ​house"? – lemon Nov 11 '22 at 06:31
  • When you think it is likely to happen (and it probably will). It is more idiomatic to say in this case, When I am rich, I will buy a house. – fev Nov 11 '22 at 06:37
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    @user405662 Never trust self-styled authorities on grammar! The verb forms in the original sentence are fine. :) – Araucaria - Him Nov 11 '22 at 11:16
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    @Araucaria-Nothereanymore. That's what I thought were the correct verb forms. But because he's christened himself after a bona fide authority on grammar, I began to doubt my instinct. Lol. Thank you very much! :) – user405662 Nov 11 '22 at 11:19
  • Why​ cant​ i​ use​ imperative with​ unreal​ situations? If​ i​ didnt​ expect someone to​ know​ how​ to​ do​ something​ can​ i​ say​ if​ you knew it​ then​ do​ it? – lemon Nov 11 '22 at 21:46