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Teleostomi Posted 18 years ago
Grammar

"Twenty years ago, it would have been big news if dogs BIT their masters."

"Twenty years ago, it would have been big news if dogs bit their masters."
Hi, does this sentence sound natural and grammatically correct? Should it change it to "had bitten"?

The sentence as is looks to me as though the if-clause were referring to the present while the main clause is referring to the past.
  

Top answer

Hi Teleostomi I would say had bitten like you. Verb forms are sometimes used very laxly in English and it isn't at all uncommon to hear sentences similar to yours. It adds nicely to the confusion.

— Cool Breeze

  • Hi Teleostomi I would say had bitten like you.
  • Verb forms are sometimes used very laxly in English and it isn't at all uncommon to hear sentences similar to yours.
  • It adds nicely to the confusion.
  • CB
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5 Answers
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Hi Teleostomi

I would say had bittenlike you. Verb forms are sometimes used very laxly in English and it isn't at all uncommon to hear sentences similar to yours. It adds nicely to the confusion.
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Cool Breeze, thank you very much for helping us. I got a lot of answers from you this year. I hope you'll be around next year also, and enlighten us with your knowledge. Have a nice winter!
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TeleostomiCool Breeze, thank you very much for helping us. I got a lot of answers from you this year. I hope you'll be around next year also, and enlighten us with your knowledge. Have a nice winter!
My pleasure.
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hi,

Thank you, and the same to you.Emotion: smile

I understand that the tango is very popular in Finland. Do you dance it?
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CliveI understand that the tango is very popular in Finland. Do you dance it?
I may be better at the twist!
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