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Pamela81 Posted 14 years ago
Grammar

Confusion about this!!

Hi,

I have a very big confusion about the choice of the correct tense here:

1. If I didn´t know that he was ill, I would have not believed it"

2. If I hadn´t known that he was ill, I would have not believed it"

I am so confused, please can someone explain if these sentences are correct and which one is the best?

Thanks

Pamela
  

Top answer

would have not believed Let's do this part first. You have more than one verb in a verb phrase: would, have, believed . And you have an adverb: not .

— CalifJim

  • would have not believed Let's do this part first.
  • You have more than one verb in a verb phrase: would, have, believed .
  • And you have an adverb: not .
  • The adverb not goes after the first verb in the group: would not have believed / wouldn't have believed.
  • ________________ The sentence that is technically more correct is 2, but people say both 1 and 2.
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3 Answers
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would have not believed

Let's do this part first. You have more than one verb in a verb phrase: would, have, believed. And you have an adverb: not. The adverb not goes after the first verb in the group:

would not have believed / wouldn't have believed.

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The sentence that
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Emotion: smileBuon Natale CJ !

Thank you so much. It is very clear about the position of "not" I will remember it.

However, I wo
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I think I would use 1. I'm not sure. They both sound possible to me!

CJ
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