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Rishonly Posted 20 years ago
Grammar

Main verb and Infinitive

0A grammar book says following sentences are wrong, but doesn't explain the reason.02br
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001. I should have liked to have seen her when she was here.02br
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002. We had expected to have finished the book by May.02br
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00Is it because of both main verb and inifinitive are preceded by have/has/had?0-
  

Top answer

02font 02br 02br 01font 001. 02font 02br 02br 01font 002. 02font 02br 02br 00I don't see that either of these is wrong.

— Clive

  • 02font 02br 02br 01font 001.
  • 02font 02br 02br 01font 002.
  • 02font 02br 02br 00I don't see that either of these is wrong.
  • #1 is quite commonly said.
  • 02br 02br 00Best wishes, Clive0-
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13 Answers
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0Hi,02br
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01font00A grammar book says following sentences are wrong, but doesn't explain the reason.02font02br
02br
01font001. I should have liked to have seen her when she was here.02font02br
02br
01font002. We had expected to have f
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0 01blockquote
01cite10Clive12cite12br
10Hi,12br
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11font10A grammar book says following sentences are wrong, but doesn't explain the reason.12font12br
12br
11font101. I should have liked to have seen her when she was here.12font
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0Hi,02br
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01font00The book ,first published in 1950 (!), 02font00 Perhaps you need a more modern book!02br
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01font00further says the sentence (2) should be "We had expected to finish the book by May". In the given context, in sentence (2), will there be a difference in meaning if
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0 Hello Krish02br
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00I agree with Clive in the evaluation of the first sentence. "I should have liked to see her" means "It would be nice to me if I saw her" (present unreality). "I should have liked to have seen her" is "It would have been nice to me if I had seen her" (past unreality). So I cannot get why your grammar book is saying it is incorrect.02br
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0Grammatically, I think it's bit ackward sounding. Even so, it would have made a little more sense if “should” is changed to “would”. 00 Just my 2 cents....02br
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00I 01font00should 02font00have liked to have seen her when she was here.0-
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0Hi,02br
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00I believe 'should' in this context is more a feature of BrE.02br
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00Clive0-
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0 01blockquote
01cite10Clive12cite10I believe 'should' in this context is more a feature of BrE.12blockquote
10Hello 02br
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00I vaguely remember I learned "I should have liked to do" in school days, X decades ago. And I have thought it is a BrE version of "I would have liked to do". But I have found on Google
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0I think, it's a matter of who is in the discussion. Does anyone really talk in this fashion? Each aux word does have a specific meaning. "I should get up early tomorrow" vs " I shall get up early tomorrow" to me the fisrt is more affirmed, don't you think? So it all depends on the person with the question how he means it. I thought, though it's an interesting discussion.... 0-
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0 Yes, I remember learning that particular use of "should" back when I was a school kid. That said, it's not a very common form of usage where I live now. 0-
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0 Thanks all for throwing lights on this topic. 0-
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