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Navitasan Posted 12 years ago
Grammar
Should have vs. had to
Which are correct:
1-I let go of the pencil. It should have fallen to the floor and it did.
2-I let go of the pencil. It had to fall to the floor and it did.
3-According to the laws of physics the particle should have created a diffraction pattern and it did. So, once again the laws of physics were verified.
4-According to the laws of physics the particle had to create a diffraction pattern and it did. So once again the laws of physics were verified.
Gratefully,
Navi.
1-I let go of the pencil. It should have fallen to the floor and it did.
2-I let go of the pencil. It had to fall to the floor and it did.
3-According to the laws of physics the particle should have created a diffraction pattern and it did. So, once again the laws of physics were verified.
4-According to the laws of physics the particle had to create a diffraction pattern and it did. So once again the laws of physics were verified.
Gratefully,
Navi.
Top answer
Use 2 and 4. 'Should have' often prepares the reader for a negative, eg It should have fallen to the floor, but it didn't. You might also look at 'was supposed to'.
- Use 2 and 4.
- 'Should have' often prepares the reader for a negative, eg It should have fallen to the floor, but it didn't.
- You might also look at 'was supposed to'.
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2 Answers
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Use 2 and 4.
'Should have' often prepares the reader for a negative,
eg It should have fallen to the floor, but it didn't.
You might also look at 'was supposed to'.
'Should have' often prepares the reader for a negative,
eg It should have fallen to the floor, but it didn't.
You might also look at 'was supposed to'.
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navitasanWhich are correctThey are all correct. The ones with 'should' have the flavor of "This was expected to happen". The ones with 'had to' have the flavor of "Nothing could have stopped this from happening".
CJ
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