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Taka Posted 20 years ago
Grammar
tense
Men should have created religions, which can/could teach the values that are/were different from those of ordinary people. Now such religions sometimes become the reason of conflicts.
About the parts in red, which tense would you choose? Or are they both grammatically acceptable?
About the parts in red, which tense would you choose? Or are they both grammatically acceptable?
Top answer
Hi Taka, Men should have created religions, which can/could teach the values that are/were different from those of ordinary people. Now such religions sometimes become the reason of conflicts. About the parts in red, which tense would you choose?
- Hi Taka, Men should have created religions, which can/could teach the values that are/were different from those of ordinary people.
- Now such religions sometimes become the reason of conflicts.
- About the parts in red, which tense would you choose?
- Or are they both grammatically acceptable?
- I find the whole paragraph unsatisfactory.
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38 Answers
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Hi Taka,
Men should have created religions, which can/could teach the values that are/were different from those of ordinary people. Now such religions sometimes become the
Men should have created religions, which can/could teach the values that are/were different from those of ordinary people. Now such religions sometimes become the
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Should it start:
"Men should have created religions that..."
I wonder?
MrP
"Men should have created religions that..."
I wonder?
MrP
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Clive why is this definite article used?I agree. It would be better without the article to indicate their generality.
Clive should have created suggests these religions were not created.I thought 'Should
00
Hi,
I thought 'Should have -ed' could also be used to indicate the speaker's guess at their completion.
e.g
·The operation should have finished by now.
·I'm worried about my doughter; she should have been home an hour ago.
Am I wrong? Well, are you guessin
I thought 'Should have -ed' could also be used to indicate the speaker's guess at their completion.
e.g
·The operation should have finished by now.
·I'm worried about my doughter; she should have been home an hour ago.
Am I wrong? Well, are you guessin
00
Maybe:
"...must surely have created religions that..."
Does that catch your meaning, Taka?
MrP
"...must surely have created religions that..."
Does that catch your meaning, Taka?
MrP
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Hello, here's my try.
Taka wrote:
«...Now such religions sometimes become the reason of conflicts.»
Therefore, the author means existing religions...
I'd say «It was natural that men created religions that...»
EDIT: As to the tenses, I suggest that you use present simple. Since those religions' properties are still actual at the moment of speech.
E
Taka wrote:
«...Now such religions sometimes become the reason of conflicts.»
Therefore, the author means existing religions...
I'd say «It was natural that men created religions that...»
EDIT: As to the tenses, I suggest that you use present simple. Since those religions' properties are still actual at the moment of speech.
E
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CliveWell, are you guessing at the completion of these religions? I don't think so.
I'm getting confused. What I wanted to say is that I believe that religions were created to teach people different values.
I didn't use 'must have created', because I'm not that certain. In order to make
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Hi,
Men should have created religions, which can/could teach the values that are/were different from those of ordinary people. Now such religions sometimes become the reason of conflicts.
What I wanted to say is that I believe that relig
Men should have created religions, which can/could teach the values that are/were different from those of ordinary people. Now such religions sometimes become the reason of conflicts.
What I wanted to say is that I believe that relig
00
This is purely a grammar question, but tell me, Clive.
Isn't it also possible for 'should have -ed' to mean something which actually happened?
As a matter of fact, MrP initially said:
Isn't it also possible for 'should have -ed' to mean something which actually happened?
As a matter of fact, MrP initially said:
MrPedanticShould it start:And another question:
"Men should have created religions that..."
I wonder?
Cliv
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Hi,
Isn't it also possible for 'should have -ed' to mean something which actually happened? I can't think of a context where that would work. I think that you have misunderstood MrP, or that he misunderstood your intended meaning.
[ Possibly, you might say something like 'If I should have offended you, I apologize'. But this ki
Isn't it also possible for 'should have -ed' to mean something which actually happened? I can't think of a context where that would work. I think that you have misunderstood MrP, or that he misunderstood your intended meaning.
[ Possibly, you might say something like 'If I should have offended you, I apologize'. But this ki
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