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Jandi Posted 21 years ago
Grammar

Future perfect infinitive

0 Hello, teachers! 02br
00Can we use these sentence with basically the same meaning in each group? 02br
02br
001-1. We should finish this by next week. 02br
001-2. We should have this finished by next week. 02br
001-3. We should have finished this by next week. 02br
02br
002-1. We could finish this by next week. 02br
002-2. We could have this finished by next week. 02br
002-3. We could have finished this by next week. 02br
02br
003-1. We can finish this by next week. 02br
003-2. We can have this finished by next week. 02br
003-3. We can have finished this by next week. 02br
02br
00Thank you very much. 0-
  

Top answer

0 Within each group of three, the first two have the same meaning, and the third does not mean the same thing as the first two. 02br 02br 00The third sentence in each group has a counterfactual meaning, but a meaning which goes poorly with the future-oriented adverbial "by next week". by next week.

— CalifJim

  • 0 Within each group of three, the first two have the same meaning, and the third does not mean the same thing as the first two.
  • 02br 02br 00The third sentence in each group has a counterfactual meaning, but a meaning which goes poorly with the future-oriented adverbial "by next week".
  • by next week.
  • by next week.
  • 02br 02br 00"can have", in the sense intended in 3-3, is not used.
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17 Answers
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0 Within each group of three, the first two have the same meaning, and the third does not mean the same thing as the first two. 02br
02br
00The third sentence in each group has a counterfactual meaning, but a meaning which goes poorly with the future-oriented adverbial "by next week". 02br
02br
00We should have finished this (but didn't) ?by next week. 0
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0 Thank you very much as always, Jim! 02br
02br
00How about this sentence? Is this also awkward? 02br
00- We need to have finished this by next week. 0-
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0 Yes, I would place it in the 'awkward' category. It seems to be a roundabout way of saying "We need to finish this by next week", the structure preferred by native speakers when expressing this thought. 02br
02br
00CJ 0-
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0 I've got it! 02br
00Thank you very much, Jim. 02br
00Enjoy the chirping of the birds! 0-
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0 I'm not sure - I don't think the latter example is especially awkward. 02br
02br
00The only one which bothers me or strikes me as especially different out of any of them is "We can have finished this by next week". 0-
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0 Thank you very much, woodcutter, for your comment. 02br
02br
00May I ask you why you exclude the sentence "We can have finished this by next week"? 02br
02br
00Regards. 0-
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0 I'm afraid I'm having analysis failure. Perhaps simply because the past participle "finished" does not go smoothly with "can" (can have this finished being OK because the focus is then on have)? I do very much feel that your latter example is OK though. Anyone agree? 0-
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0 Hello Woodcutter 02br
02br
00Do you feel any difference between "I need to finish it by next week" and "I need to have finished it by next week"? 02br
00If there's no difference I would go with the simpler one. 02br
02br
00[Google hits] 02br
00need to finish it by 336 hits 02br
00need to have finished it by 8 hits 0
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0 "Need to have finished it by next week" places the perspective more on the future moment. Because that moment is not very precise, the construction may be rare. "I need to have finished it by 5.00 next Tuesday because the boss gets back then" would be more normal. 0-
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0 I don't mean to be a freak, but if possible, I'd like to ask the following again, using the verb 'sell out'. This is more distinct in respect to 'action' and 'state', I think. 02br
00Could you help me again? 02br
02br
00*** 02br
00Can we use these sentences with basically the same meaning in each group? 02br
02br
001-1. We should
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