*Hi there!* Would someone please help me understand why such a great number of englishmen write *"should of"*, *"would of"* or *"could of"*, when I would think the correct form would always be *"should have"*; as in the following phrase: *"I should have known better."*
Is this proper english English? =)
*Thanks in advance!*
Top answer
Hi, prolider! Thanks for joining, and welcome! You are correct.
— RandomGuy
Hi, prolider!
Thanks for joining, and welcome!
You are correct.
"Would of", "could of", etc.
is always wrong.
Free · every Monday
Get the Weekly English Kit 📬
New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.
You are correct. "Would of", "could of", etc. is always wrong. People make this mistake because the "ve" in a contraction ("would've") sounds nearly the same as the preposition of.
Thank you, Gus! I thought so; but having read it countless times in British forums, seemingly from literate people, I began to deem it as some sort of British idiom.