Conditional Sentence

Question

Could you please review my sentence below and tell me if I have written it correctly? English is not my native language and therefore I am seeking your assistance in clearing the confusion when it comes to these types of sentences.

I would be lying if I said that I was not satisfied with what I had achieved so far.

Any help you can provide me in regards to my question is greatly appreciated.

Cool Breeze · Accepted Answer

The sentence s correct in the right circumstances. Was is an indicative past tense and had achieved refers to a period that covered what time had elapsed up to the moment the person wasn't satisfied.

CB

Avangi · Answer

eagerness I would be lying if I said that I was not satisfied with what I had achieved so far.

This is fine by me.
In the old days, we might have preferred the subjunctive, "if I were to say that I were not satisfied with what I have achieved . . . " Now it's optional.

- A.

Edit. After reading CB's offering, I hasten to add that my had / have switch is prompted because the simple past tense reference is removed by the subjunctive, making the past perfect "had achieved" less likely.

Cool Breeze · Answer

Avangi
eagerness I would be lying if I said that I was not satisfied with what I had achieved so far.

Hi Avangi

This sentence shows very clearly how inexact English is without more context. This is how I understood the sentence:

I would be lying (now) if I said that I was not satisfied (e.g. in the year 2005) with what I had achieved (prior to 2005) so far.

CB

Avangi · Answer

Hey, CB, how much fun is this ?!

You know that I would be untrue/ You know that I would be a liar/ If I were to say to you/ Girl, we couldn't get much higher - ca. 1960, Jim Morrisson et al.

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