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Marold Posted 14 years ago
Grammar
Perfect passive infinitive
Another complication for me. The difference in meaning in sentences:
(1) "My new car was to have been delivered today but there was a problem with the paintwork."
or
(2) "My new car was to be delivered today but there was a problem with the paintwork."
Thank you very much.
(1) "My new car was to have been delivered today but there was a problem with the paintwork."
or
(2) "My new car was to be delivered today but there was a problem with the paintwork."
Thank you very much.
Top answer
" means the car's delivery was expected today but it didn't happen because... (and I'm upset about it).
- " means the car's delivery was expected today but it didn't happen because...
- (and I'm upset about it).
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3 Answers
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"My new car was to be delivered today but..." means the car's delivery was expected today but it didn't happen because...
"My new car was to have been delivered today but..." means approximately the same thing as the above, however, putting it into the perfect makes the statement more formal, and consequently stronger, and suggests some irritation on the speaker's part: the car's deliv
"My new car was to have been delivered today but..." means approximately the same thing as the above, however, putting it into the perfect makes the statement more formal, and consequently stronger, and suggests some irritation on the speaker's part: the car's deliv
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The difference in meaning ...
No significant difference. To my ear, the first one seems to be said at a time much later after the expected delivery than the second one, as if the speaker of the first statement were more resigned to the fact that the delivery would definitely not happen.
Nevertheless, I may be deceiving myself about this.
No significant difference. To my ear, the first one seems to be said at a time much later after the expected delivery than the second one, as if the speaker of the first statement were more resigned to the fact that the delivery would definitely not happen.
Nevertheless, I may be deceiving myself about this.
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