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Anonymous Posted 14 years ago
Grammar

The "Had I not" formation

Hello, I feel these sentences below are incorrect, but I can't say why.Could you please look at them:

1. Had I not bought your daughter a doll, she would have been sad.

2. Had I not bought your daughter a doll, would she have been sad?

3. Had I not bought your daughter a doll, wouldn't she have been sad?

I feel (1) is wrong. I feel that the sentence should go "Had I not bought your daughter a doll, I would have made her sad". If it starts with "I", I am only comfortable if the second part of the sentence revolves around the "I" too. Could you please let me know if I am right or if my imagination is perhaps inventing non-existent rules?

Similarly, in (2), I feel it should be "Had I not bought your daughter a doll, would I not have made her sad? I feel again that if the first part of the sentence is about "I" then so should the second part.

In (3), in addition, I am uncomfortable with how the second part is a question. I feel that it would be only marginally better if the sentence went "Had I not bought your daughter a doll, wouldn't I have made her sad?" I have this feeling that ending a "Had I not" with a question is wrong.

I don't know enough grammar to really be able to tell what is really right or wrong; I only feel something's amiss. Could you please guide me here? I really appreciate any help you can give me. Thanks
  
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