little question

  • friend
    yeah, I agree with you. thanks for making it clear.

  • Would you tell me how to say correctly?

    You would not have had so many accidents if you drove more slowly.
    or
    You would not have so many accidents if you drove more slowly.

  • The conditional part of the sentence is exactly the same as above (Past Simple).

  • I mean if there were Past Perfect, it would be clear that we should choose the first variant (would not have had).

  • Danya
    Of course the second variant is correct
    You would not have so many accidents (=you HAVE many accidents) if you drove more slowly (= you DO not drive slowly)
    You would not have had so many accidents (=you HAD many accidents) if you had driven more slowly (=you DID not drive slowly)

  • friend
    but I thought that the phrase "have an accident" means something happened in the past. it can't have a present meaning to my mind. though it can if we count how many accidents one has, can't it?

    P.S. In Russian "have an accident" - попадать в аварию. всегда говорится как уже о случившемся (о прошлом)

  • Можно сказать
    I've had an accident.
    or
    I had an accident.
    but
    I have an accident. - I can't understand.

    Maybe "having an accident" means "having one accident"?

  • Danya
    Но там же мн. число - accidents
    Ты бы не попадал так часто в аварии, если бы ездил медленнее.

  • friend
    ok, thanks for explanation.

  • They would pass their exam if they studied hard.

    Does this sentence mean that they haven't had their exam yet? And please explain me its meaning.