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Photon Posted 6 years ago
Grammar

I would have told him the truth.

(1) I would have told him the truth.

(2) I would have told him the truth, but he wouldn't have believed me.

I assume that #2 implies that the speaker didn't tell him the truth, but I'm not sure if #1 always has the same implication.

Question: Does #1 always imply that the speaker didn't tell him the truth? If so, does #1 mean one of the following?

(3) I would have told him the truth if I had had no reason for not doing so.

(4) I would have told him the truth if I had wanted to do so.

  

Top answer

Based on my understanding, you haven't told him truth in both sentences. (1) The firs example doesn't have more text to determine the case well. So, generally speaking, it seems that you just wanted to tell him the truth.

— Anonymous

  • Based on my understanding, you haven't told him truth in both sentences.
  • (1) The firs example doesn't have more text to determine the case well.
  • So, generally speaking, it seems that you just wanted to tell him the truth.
  • But that didn't happen, of course.
  • (2) The second example have a sound of justification.
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1 Answers
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Based on my understanding, you haven't told him truth in both sentences.

(1) The firs example doesn't have more text to determine the case well. So, generally speaking, it seems that you just wanted to tell him the truth. But that didn't happen, of course.

(2) The second example have a sound of justification. It refers that the you wanted to tell him t

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