0
Eagerness Posted 18 years ago
Grammar
sentence structure
The rason I am asking this question is that I am not quite sure if what I said to a friend of mine a few days ago was grammaticaly correct. My friend doesn't know how to install a computer hardware. I didn't know that. Below is what I said when I saw him.
" You should have told me that you don't know how to install it. I could have helped you."
After saying it, I was in a big dillema because I wasn't sure if I should have replaced DON'T KNOW with DIDN'T KNOW.
Please help.
" You should have told me that you don't know how to install it. I could have helped you."
After saying it, I was in a big dillema because I wasn't sure if I should have replaced DON'T KNOW with DIDN'T KNOW.
Please help.
Top answer
eagerness "You should have told me that you don't know how to install it. " " Should have " is a hypothesis of the past, hence the subordinate verb should also be in the past for reasons of concordance. Simple past and past perfect both are usable here.
- eagerness "You should have told me that you don't know how to install it.
- " " Should have " is a hypothesis of the past, hence the subordinate verb should also be in the past for reasons of concordance.
- Simple past and past perfect both are usable here.
Get the Weekly English Kit 📬
New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.
2 Answers
0
eagerness"You should have told me that you don't know how to install it. I could have helped you.""Should have" is a hypothesis of the past, hence the subordinate verb should also be in the past for reasons of concordance. Simple past and past perfect both are usable here.
00
Hi guys,
The reason I am asking this question is that I am not quite sure if what I said to a friend of mine a few days ago was grammaticaly correct. My friend doesn't know how to install a some / a piece of computer hardware. I didn't know that. Below is what I said when I saw him.
" You should have told me that you don't know how to install it. I co
The reason I am asking this question is that I am not quite sure if what I said to a friend of mine a few days ago was grammaticaly correct. My friend doesn't know how to install
" You should have told me that you don't know how to install it. I co
0
Related Questions