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Velimir Posted 18 years ago
Grammar
If I ...
Hello again,
Would it be a correct grammar if I used "would have been" instead of "would" in the second sentence or I'm required to use "by now " instead of "now" in the second sentence :
"If I had done it a year ago I would be rich now."
"If I had done it a year ago I would have been rich now /by now."
I'd also like to know whether the "If I did.." construction with past time adverbs is possible in any context, i.e :
"If I did it a year ago/ a week ago/long before...
Thank you for the answer
Would it be a correct grammar if I used "would have been" instead of "would" in the second sentence or I'm required to use "by now " instead of "now" in the second sentence :
"If I had done it a year ago I would be rich now."
"If I had done it a year ago I would have been rich now /by now."
I'd also like to know whether the "If I did.." construction with past time adverbs is possible in any context, i.e :
"If I did it a year ago/ a week ago/long before...
Thank you for the answer
Top answer
If I had done it a year ago, I would be rich now. Or: If I had done it a year ago, I would have become rich by now. If I did it a year ago, I certainly remember nothing about it!
- If I had done it a year ago, I would be rich now.
- Or: If I had done it a year ago, I would have become rich by now.
- If I did it a year ago, I certainly remember nothing about it!
- Did is a simple past tense verb form in the above sentence, not a subjunctive.
- In languages that use more inflections than English, the difference between indicative and subjunctive is very clear and no one has to ponder whether a sentence like the one above is correct or not.
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4 Answers
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If I had done it a year ago, I would be rich now. Or: If I had done it a year ago, I would have become rich by now.
If I did it a year ago, I certainly remember nothing about it!
Did is a simple past tense verb form in the above sentence, not a subjunctive. In languages that use more inflections than English, the difference between indica
If I did it a year ago, I certainly remember nothing about it!
Did is a simple past tense verb form in the above sentence, not a subjunctive. In languages that use more inflections than English, the difference between indica
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Thank you CoolBreeze.
Sorry, I've edited my question because I need to reformulate it . I hope it hasn't made any inconvenience.
Can you shed some light on why "..would have been rich by now" is unacceptable CoolBreeze ?
Thank you again
Sorry, I've edited my question because I need to reformulate it . I hope it hasn't made any inconvenience.
Can you shed some light on why "..would have been rich by now" is unacceptable CoolBreeze ?
Thank you again
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VelimirI would like to ask if the construction " would have been + adjective" is incorrect generally ?
There are millions of possibilities to form a sentence and therefore it's impossible to say that something is always wrong or always right. It's the combination of would have been plus now that jars in my ear. Others
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I was late with my editing 
Sorry CoolBreeze, I meant to ask if "...would have been rich by now
Sorry CoolBreeze, I meant to ask if "...would have been rich by now
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