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Anonymous Posted 10 years ago
Grammar

Had

That would imply that they had a plan.

Is "had" put in the simple past in the aboveR or is it hypothetical like in the second conditional?
  

Top answer

Anonymous is it hypothetical like in the second conditional? No. The hypothetical idea was almost certainly expressed earlier and is encapsulated in the initial word "that".

— CalifJim

  • Anonymous is it hypothetical like in the second conditional?
  • No.
  • The hypothetical idea was almost certainly expressed earlier and is encapsulated in the initial word "that".
  • CJ
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4 Answers
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Anonymousis it hypothetical like in the second conditional?
No. The hypothetical idea was almost certainly expressed earlier and is encapsulated in the initial word "that".

CJ
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CalifJimNo. The hypothetical idea was almost certainly expressed earlier and is encapsulated in the initial word "that
Thank you for the detailed explanation.

Just to be sure, is it possible, in some context, that "had" could be backshifted from the present " have" in that sentence?
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Anonymousis it possible, in some context, that "had" could be backshifted from the present " have" in that sentence?
I'm not sure what you're asking, but these examples might address your concerns.

That would imply that they have a plan. (that they have a plan now)
That would imply that they had a plan. (that they had a plan at som
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CalifJimThat would imply that they had a plan. (that they have a plan now, had being the result of a backshift of have for considerations of "sequence of tense")
Indeed, that's exactly what I was asking for.

Thank you very much.
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