Learn English – “What if I come back” vs “what if I came back”

past-tensepresent-tensetense

What is more grammatically correct? and what are their differences?

What if I come back for you?

Or

What if I came back for you?

Same goes here:

What if I told you…?

Or

What if I tell you…?

Best Answer

They're all correct, but they have different meanings.

"What if I come back for you" is an offer. "I am offering to come back for you, if ...".

"What if I came back for you" is weaker, a request for information. "Tell me what you would do if I came back for you, then I will decide". It's hypothetical.

I think in many cases the difference in meaning is subtle and not very important.

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