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Rotter Posted 15 years ago
Grammar
Two sentences
"Have we got the strategic communications on levels of violence right?"
The document also discusses reforms to Afghanistan's banking sector and a planned IMF visit to the country.
The Department for International Development said the papers were "of a routine nature".
"They would have had a national security level marking of 'restricted' or 'confidential' if they contained anything of significant sensitivity," a spokesman said.
Mr Karzai was controversially re-elected to a second five-year term in 2009 after an election which was marred by allegations of fraud and vote-rigging.
Troubled relationship
Under the terms of the Afghan constitution, Mr Karzai is not allowed to stand for a third term - which means he will stand down in 2014.
There had been speculation he would try to continue in office beyond that date but he has confirmed he will not be seeking a third term.
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Please look at the following sentence of the above.
"They would have had a national security level marking of 'restricted' or 'confidential' if they contained anything of significant sensitivity," a spokesman said.
The words ' They would have had ... means third conditional. Therefore it should be 'if they had contained anything ...'
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Even the following sentence of the above is inaccurate.
There had been speculation he would try to continue in office beyond that date but he has confirmed he will not be seeking a third term.
The words 'he has confirmed ... means the present perfect tense.
However, the sentence starts with the past tense. You will read the words ' There had been speculation ...
Is it fine to mix the tenses?
The document also discusses reforms to Afghanistan's banking sector and a planned IMF visit to the country.
The Department for International Development said the papers were "of a routine nature".
"They would have had a national security level marking of 'restricted' or 'confidential' if they contained anything of significant sensitivity," a spokesman said.
Mr Karzai was controversially re-elected to a second five-year term in 2009 after an election which was marred by allegations of fraud and vote-rigging.
Troubled relationship
Under the terms of the Afghan constitution, Mr Karzai is not allowed to stand for a third term - which means he will stand down in 2014.
There had been speculation he would try to continue in office beyond that date but he has confirmed he will not be seeking a third term.
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Please look at the following sentence of the above.
"They would have had a national security level marking of 'restricted' or 'confidential' if they contained anything of significant sensitivity," a spokesman said.
The words ' They would have had ... means third conditional. Therefore it should be 'if they had contained anything ...'
----------------------------------------------
Even the following sentence of the above is inaccurate.
There had been speculation he would try to continue in office beyond that date but he has confirmed he will not be seeking a third term.
The words 'he has confirmed ... means the present perfect tense.
However, the sentence starts with the past tense. You will read the words ' There had been speculation ...
Is it fine to mix the tenses?
Top answer
Rotter They would have had a national security level marking of 'restricted' or 'confidential' if they contained anything of significant sensitivity," a spokesman said. The words ' They would have had ... means third conditional.
- Rotter They would have had a national security level marking of 'restricted' or 'confidential' if they contained anything of significant sensitivity," a spokesman said.
- The words ' They would have had ...
- means third conditional.
- ' It could be hypothetical, or simply a factual statement.
- The original is not incorrect, but I agree that the conditional construct might be more appropriate.
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1 Answers
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RotterThey would have had a national security level marking of 'restricted' or 'confidential' if they contained anything of significant sensitivity," a spokesman said.It could be hypothetical, or simply a factual statement.
The words ' They would have had ... means third conditional. Therefore it should be 'if they had contained anything ...'
Th
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