We worked hard so that we saved a lot.

Question

Hello.We worked hard so that we would save a lot.(You were sure that you would save a lot).We worked hard so that we might save a lot.(You thought it very probable that you would save a lot).We worked hard so that we could save a lot.(Working hard would make it possible for you to save a lot).We worked hard so that we should save a lot.(Should is British English. American Englsh prefers would. The meaning is the same). We worked hard so that we saved a lot.In this last case, what is the meaning? What do we want to mean?Thank you very much.

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

JesusenglandIn this last case, what is the meaning?

It seems to me to be an unusual way of saying
We worked hard; therefore, we saved a lot.
To get this meaning across, that is normally omitted:
We worked hard, so we saved a lot.
Alternately, it means the same as any of your preceding examples, but is less clear about it.

CJ

Mr Wordy · Answer

"We worked hard so that we saved a lot." -- this sounds odd to me, and I don't think it's something I would ever say. I guess it would have to mean "We worked hard in order to save a lot". ("We worked hard, so we saved a lot.", which means "We worked hard, therefore we saved a lot", sounds much more likely.)

"We worked hard so that we should save a lot." -- Perhaps it's true that "should" here is more common in British English than American English, but in my own experience it is not usual in this context in modern British English speech. It sounds rather old-fashioned to me. "Would" is more usual.

We worked hard so that we saved a lot.

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