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Hans51 Posted 12 years ago
Grammar
Usage of should have p.p
I have learned that should have p.p can be used for the meaning of would have p.p, especially in British English and I was wondering how then we can distinguish between them? Come to think of it, when should have p.p is used for the meaning of obligation, I have never seen it was written with if clauses but when should have p.p is used for meaning of would have p.p, I think that it should be with if clauses like
"If I had wanted to get better scores, I should (would) have studied harder."
If we consider the meaning of should in the sentence as an obligation, the sentence does not make sense, but would is fine, isn't it?
Or when should have p.p is used for the meaning of obligation, have you ever seen it is used with if clauses?
What do you native English speakers think?
"If I had wanted to get better scores, I should (would) have studied harder."
If we consider the meaning of should in the sentence as an obligation, the sentence does not make sense, but would is fine, isn't it?
Or when should have p.p is used for the meaning of obligation, have you ever seen it is used with if clauses?
What do you native English speakers think?
Top answer
p, especially in British English and I was wondering how then we can distinguish between them? I have seen both 'should have + PP" and 'would have + PP" in conditional sentences which refer to past. But I encounter with "would have" more often than I encounter with "should have'.
- p, especially in British English and I was wondering how then we can distinguish between them?
- I have seen both 'should have + PP" and 'would have + PP" in conditional sentences which refer to past.
- But I encounter with "would have" more often than I encounter with "should have'.
- And as far as the difference between 'would have (in result clause)' and 'should have (in result clause)' is concerned, I have read that " should have + past participle" means ' it would have been a good idea or it would have been necessary for someone to do something ; while "would have + past participle" suggests that ' you would have certainly done something or you would have been willing to do something '.
- So we could say both (as I've read): - If I had wanted to get better scores, I should have studied harder.
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1 Answers
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Hi,
Hans51I have learned that should have p.p can be used for the meaning of would have p.p, especially in British English and I was wondering how then we can distinguish between them?I have seen both 'should have + PP" and 'would have + PP" in conditional sentences which refer to past. But I encounter with "would have" more often than I encounter with "should
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