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Joey_five Posted 20 years ago
Grammar

didn't have vs hadn't (in conditional)

a) If I didn't have so much homework to do, I would visit you tomorrow.

b) If I hadn't so much homework to do, I would visit you tomorrow.

I know a) is correct, but how about b)??

thanks a million!!
  

Top answer

Only the first is idiomatic American English. The second is more likely to occur in British English. A speaker of BrE may be able to elucidate further.

— CalifJim

  • Only the first is idiomatic American English.
  • The second is more likely to occur in British English.
  • A speaker of BrE may be able to elucidate further.
  • CJ
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4 Answers
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Only the first is idiomatic American English.
The second is more likely to occur in British English.

A speaker of BrE may be able to elucidate further.

CJ
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Joey_five
a) If I didn't have so much homework to do, I would visit you tomorrow.

b) If I hadn't so much homework to do, I would visit you tomorrow.

I know a) is correct, but how about b)??

thanks a million!!

Both are correct in BrEng. The second one is normally found in formal use. I'd suggest dropping the "to do" from
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Thank you all.

How about the negation of "have to". Is b) a more formal form too?

"I have to finish the homework today."

a) I don't have to ....

b) I haven't to ...
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How about the negation of "have to". Is b) a more formal form too? Yes. It means "it is not necessary for me to do that" and not "I mustn't do that".
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