0
Pructus Posted 12 years ago
Grammar

Should have been

Hello....

a. I know how afraid I should have been in front of the teacher.
b. I'm not sure how afraid I should have been of the bully.

************

a. can be interpreted to mean, "I'm not sure how afraid I was in front of the teacher", but b. cannot?
b. can only be interpreted to mean, "I'm not sure how much fear I had to have to survive" and cannot be interpreted to mean, "I'm not sure how afraid I was of the bully"?
  

Top answer

pructus a. b. I'm not sure how afraid I should have been of the bully.

— Anonymous

  • pructus a.
  • b.
  • I'm not sure how afraid I should have been of the bully.
  • That's my interpretation of it: a.
  • I know how afraid I should have been in front of the teacher.
Free · every Monday

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.

3 Answers
0
pructusa. I know how afraid I should have been in front of the teacher.b. I'm not sure how afraid I should have been of the bully.
That's my interpretation of it:

a. I know how afraid I should have been in front of the teacher.

You know, now, how (in a specified manner) afraid you should have been then (when in front...) but you weren'
0
0
pructus-
a. I know how afraid I should have been in front of the teacher.
b. I'm not sure how afraid I should have been of the bully.
I see no difference in the use of "should" in these two sentences. Both have a double interpretation.

1. If these are from an older text, 'should' probably equals 'would'.

I know how afraid I wou
0
0
Oh, CJ, I see... I see!!
I saw this post late...
Your explanation comes across to me clearly.
Thanks for the clear cut answer that both have a double interpretation!!
0

Related Questions