1. If they failed to light the lanterns, they were fined heavily.
2. If they failed to light the lanterns, they would be fined heavily.
(Would you explain the difference between #1 and #2? Thank you. Have a good time.)
1 is stating a fact.
I think 2 is supposed to be factual, too, but the use of "would" is not quite correct, since that's an auxiliary verb that should be used for possibilities, not facts.
Certainly! The difference between sentence #1 and sentence #2 lies in the verb tense used.
In sentence #1 "If they failed to light the lanterns, they were fined heavily," the verb tense used is the simple past tense. This indicates that the action of failing to light the lanterns and being fined heavily has already happened in the past.
On the other hand, in sentence #2 "If they failed to light the lanterns, they would be fined heavily," the verb tense used is the conditional tense. This implies that the action of failing to light the lanterns and being fined heavily is a hypothetical or possible situation in the future.
In summary, sentence #1 suggests that the failure to light the lanterns and the resulting heavy fine have already taken place in the past, while sentence #2 implies a potential consequence of failing to light the lanterns in the future.