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Anonymous Posted 17 years ago
Grammar
Tense questions
Hi. I have several questions on tenses. Help.
1. Would you say the following in the past setting would be the back-shift version of "If they were broke, how could they help him."? And would you say there would be a difference in meaning if the sentence was used in the past setting and if used in the present setting?
If they were broke, how could they help him?
2. I think using the phrase "as it should be" for the underlined part is correct. I am not sure about the correctness of the tense as it has been used, though. What do you think?
... because the Gospel has not been preached to us as it should have been.
3. Would you say the underlined part is correct tensewise? I think we can make it "but I want to make sure."
Hi. I am writing this email to ask you one question: do you think I have to pay the full fare eventhough I am a valid member? I don't think so, but I wanted to make sure.
1. Would you say the following in the past setting would be the back-shift version of "If they were broke, how could they help him."? And would you say there would be a difference in meaning if the sentence was used in the past setting and if used in the present setting?
If they were broke, how could they help him?
2. I think using the phrase "as it should be" for the underlined part is correct. I am not sure about the correctness of the tense as it has been used, though. What do you think?
... because the Gospel has not been preached to us as it should have been.
3. Would you say the underlined part is correct tensewise? I think we can make it "but I want to make sure."
Hi. I am writing this email to ask you one question: do you think I have to pay the full fare eventhough I am a valid member? I don't think so, but I wanted to make sure.
Top answer
They were broke: If they were broke, how could they help him? -- Past They were not broke: If they were broke, how could they help him? -- Present They were not broke: If they had been broke, how could they have helped him?
- They were broke: If they were broke, how could they help him?
- -- Past They were not broke: If they were broke, how could they help him?
- -- Present They were not broke: If they had been broke, how could they have helped him?
- --Past 2.
- -- Since present perfect ('has not been preached') includes the past up to the present, either form of 'be' works.
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1 Answers
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They were broke: If they were broke, how could they help him?--Past
They were not broke: If they were broke, how could they help him?-- Present
They were not broke: If they had been broke, how could they have helped him?--Past
2. ... because the Gospel has not been preached to us as it should have been / should be.-- Since pre
They were not broke: If they were broke, how could they help him?-- Present
They were not broke: If they had been broke, how could they have helped him?--Past
2. ... because the Gospel has not been preached to us as it should have been / should be.-- Since pre
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