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Taka Posted 14 years ago
Grammar

Should

It was lucky that I had quit smoking.

Question #1: about 'had quit', does it have to be the past perfect? Does the simple past also work? Or if it were the simple past instead, the meaning would be different?

Question #2: if 'should' was added as:

It was lucky that I should have quit smoking.

would it still sound natural and be semantically the same?
  

Top answer

Taka Question #1: about 'had quit', does it have to be the past perfect? Does the simple past also work? Or if it were the simple past instead, the meaning would be different?

— CalifJim

  • Taka Question #1: about 'had quit', does it have to be the past perfect?
  • Does the simple past also work?
  • Or if it were the simple past instead, the meaning would be different?
  • If it's all in the simple past, you have only the present (the moment of utterance) as a time reference.
  • If you use the past perfect after the simple past, you have the past as another time reference.
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10 Answers
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TakaQuestion #1: about 'had quit', does it have to be the past perfect? Does the simple past also work? Or if it were the simple past instead, the meaning would be different?
If it's all in the simple past, you have only the present (the moment of utterance) as a time reference.
If you use the past perfect after the simple past, you have the past as anothe
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Let me pick up this topic again, Jim.

Do you think this sentence works?

It's a pity that I should have failed the exam.
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Yes. It works just fine. A bit stiff and formal to American ears, but maybe not so much to British ears.

CJ
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Except formality, that 'should' doesn't imply anything?
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TakaExcept formality, that 'should' doesn't imply anything?
Right. It is better thought of as a signal that we are talking about a reaction (pity in this case) to a fact rather than reporting the fact itself.

CJ
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A reaction! A psychological reaction! That's a great word to describe the 'should'. Thanks.

And the reason you don't think such 'should' should be used for the example of smoking above is just that it's confusing, right?
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TakaA reaction! A psychological reaction! That's a great word to describe the 'should'. Thanks.And the reason you don't think such 'should' should be used for the example of smoking above is just that it's confusing, right?
Exactly. Much of this depends on native speaker feel of what the introductory phrase is focusing on. Being lucky is not re
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Sorry. I've forgotten to give my thanks, Jim!
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