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Nkspb Posted 11 years ago
Grammar

The Future Simple/Perfect before "by"

Hi there!

Please, help. I saw a sentence in my book:

"I told you that I'd finish the work by today."

Shouldn't the Future Perfect be used instead:

"I told you that I'd have finished the work by today."

?

I've always thought that whenever we use "by" in such constructions, a perfect tense is the only correct option.

Thanks!
  

Top answer

" That's fine. nkspb I've always thought that whenever we use "by" in such constructions, a perfect tense is the only correct option. No.

— Fivejedjon

  • " That's fine.
  • nkspb I've always thought that whenever we use "by" in such constructions, a perfect tense is the only correct option.
  • No.
  • A perfect tense is common with 'by', but is not always necessary.
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5 Answers
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nkspb"I told you that I'd finish the work by today."
That's fine.
nkspbI've always thought that whenever we use "by" in such constructions, a perfect tense is the only correct option.
No. A perfect tense is common with 'by', but is not always necessary.
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At 7 am: The mechanic tells the customer "I will finish the repairs by 5 pm."
Customer calls at 1 pm and asks ,"Are the repairs finished?" The mechanic tells the customer "I told you I'd finish the repairs by 5 pm."
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nkspbI've always thought that whenever we use "by" in such constructions, a perfect tense is the only correct option.
No, that's not true. It's easy to find a lot of sentences like yours online that don't use a perfect tense. Here are some that I found:

McLaughlin was hoping the remaining building would be ready for tenants by to
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Thanks for the answers. Could you clarify, please, is there any difference in implication between these two sentences:

"I told you I'd finish the work by today."
"I told you I'd have finished the work by today."

?

Thanks.
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nkspb"I told you I'd finish the work by today."
That is the better one. It's the one I would use.

I say the second sentence this way, where finished is in the position of a post-modifier:

"I told you I'd have the work finished by today."
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